Shun roadside ice creams, warn docs

SURAT: While the exact reason behind the death of the 24-year-old woman, who died after consuming locally-manufactured ice cream, is yet to be confirmed, doctors in the city have warned people against eating unbranded ice creams from roadside eatery shops.
Hetal Unadkat, who had come to see her ailing mother in the city from Maharashtra, died mysteriously after consuming ice cream from one of the parlours in Zampa Bazaar on Saturday.
According health experts, people should avoid eating ice creams at roadside eateries since the local ice cream makers and other roadside vendors of food items do not follow necessary hygiene norms while preparing the food in their factories located in slums and industrial areas.
"It is advisable during summer that people avoid taking outside food Prevention is better in this regard," says Dr Ramesh Modi, a city-based physician.
Sources said family members believe the deceased might have died due to food poisoning after consuming the low-quality ice cream.
Doctors said patients suffering from food poisoning have symptoms like abdominal pains, fatigue, vomiting and diarrhoea.
According to SMC's medical officer Dr Hemant Desai, the post-mortem and forensic report of the deceased is important to establish the reason behind her death. "It is too early to predict that the woman might have died of food poisoning," he said.