09 Oct 2012 The dangers of liquid nitrogen cocktails

Liquid nitrogen cocktails may be a hot club trend, but they’re potentially lethal – a teenage girl in Britain has had to have her stomach removed in a desperate bid to save her life after she drunk a cocktail containing the freezing liquid gas.

Gaby Scanlon was celebrating her 18th birthday with friends at Oscar’s Bar in Lancaster when she drank a liquid nitrogen and champagne-based cocktail known as a ‘Pornstar Martini’ (it also comprises vanilla vodka and passion fruit).

Scanlon developed severe stomach pains shortly after consuming the drink, and was rushed to hospital when she began to feel breathless.

Doctors at the Royal Lancaster Infirmary performed emergency surgery to remove her perforated stomach and save her life. She remains in a serious but stable condition, police said.

The bar which sold the drink was named by ITV News as Oscar’s in Lancaster.

It issued a statement saying it was ‘tremendously concerned’ for the teenager and that its ‘wishes go to her and her family’.

Police said the bar has stopped selling all liquid nitrogen cocktails after the incident.

A spokesman added: ‘The premises involved have fully cooperated with all agencies and have suspended drinks involving liquid nitrogen. The investigation is still in its early stages and we are still interviewing witnesses to establish the full facts.’

Liquid nitrogen has become an increasingly popular method of instantly freezing food and drinks after it was used by television chef Heston Blumenthal.

Although it is commonly used to chill glasses or freeze ingredients thanks to its impressive clouds of vapour, the substance can also cause severe cold burns to the mouth and throat.

If fully ingested liquid nitrogen can boil in the stomach, creating large amounts of vapour which can lead to severe stomach perforations.

Source: The Independent