Greater Noida : A serious food safety crisis has erupted in western Greater Noida after more than 40 residents fell ill following consumption of kuttu (buckwheat) flour-based dishes prepared for Maha Shivratri fasting, official sources confirm. Hospitals and Police are now probing one of the largest food-related sickness clusters reported in the region this year.
ALSO READ – Mahashivratri in Greater Noida West: Devotion, Community Rituals and a Post-Festival Health Concern
Mass hospitalisations after fasting meals
Residents of multiple housing complexes, including Supertech Eco Village 3 and Himalaya Pride, reportedly experienced sudden and severe symptoms like continuous vomiting, high fever, stomach pain and dizziness shortly after consuming meals made with kuttu flour on Sunday evening. All affected were rushed to private hospitals across Greater Noida West on Monday.
Health monitoring teams were dispatched following a spate of admissions that overwhelmed emergency units. Although initial reports suggest most patients are now stable, several are still undergoing treatment for dehydration and related complications.
Suspected food poisoning, Source unknown
Doctors currently suspect food poisoning, but the exact cause, whether bacterial contamination, fungal toxins or deliberate adulterants, has not been officially confirmed. Local administrative and Police officials from the Bisrakh Police station area have begun formal investigations, including tracing the source of the suspected contaminated flour sold in markets and possibly society shops.
This is not an isolated incident. Previous outbreaks linked to kuttu flour and other fasting staples have been reported across the Delhi-NCR region over the last few years:
- In March 2024, nearly 500 people in Delhi-NCR were hospitalised after eating adulterated buckwheat flour during Maha Shivratri fasting, with multiple clusters in Greater Noida, Noida and outer Delhi.
- In September 2025, more than 150 residents in northwest Delhi reported vomiting after consuming kuttu flour during Navratri, prompting food safety alerts and warnings.
- In earlier Maha Shivratri incidents, at least 93 people, including college students in Greater Noida, were hospitalised after eating puris made with kuttu flour that later tested suspicious.
These recurring events underscore a broader regional problem in food quality control, especially for seasonal items that see high demand during religious festivals.
Food safety gaps and public outcry
Residents and consumer safety advocates are now raising hard questions:
- Why are high-risk food products like kuttu flour sold without mandatory laboratory sampling and quality certification?
- What safeguards exist in the supply chain to prevent contamination or adulteration, especially for fasting ingredients consumed by millions annually?
- Is the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) and the local food safety wing enforcing regulations effectively?
Previous inspections by food regulatory bodies in Noida have found multiple violations in restaurant and product hygiene. In some cases, seasonal staples like singhara and other fasting flours failed quality tests, yet comprehensive enforcement and consumer warning systems remain inconsistent.
Call for immediate action
Public health experts are urging:
- Immediate lab testing of all seized kuttu flour samples
- Traceback investigations to identify distribution networks that supplied suspect batches
- Real-time public alerts when contamination risks are detected
- A year-round food safety surveillance framework in retail markets and unbranded supply chains
This kind of mass illness, tied to a widely consumed fasting product, is a glaring warning that current food safety checks are inadequate. We need systematic reforms rather than reactive responses.
Independent Safety Food Consultant
What consumers should do now
Until authorities issue full results, experts recommend:
- Avoid consuming loose or unbranded fasting flours
- Check expiry, brand credibility and storage conditions before purchase
- Report any suspected food contamination immediately to local food safety officials
The Greater Noida authorities have yet to issue an official press release on the investigation. Police confirm the probe is ongoing, and more updates are expected later this week.
