Buying watermelon? Doctors share red flags after Mumbai deaths linked to fruit safety concerns

Hyderabad: The recent deaths in Mumbai due to eating watermelon have raised the issue of the safety of the most sought-after fruit in summer.

What caused the deaths?

Watermelons are loved as a summer fruit, but the recent incident in Mumbai, where a family of four collapsed after eating a combination of biryani and watermelon has raised concerns.

Dr M Shaeq Mirza, Consultant Physician and Diabetologist at Apollo Hospitals, Hyderguda, explained: “The sudden collapse of all four family members suggests botulism. This happens because the food was stale. It could be either the biryani or the watermelon. The exact reason can be known after postmortem only.”

Nutritionist Sujatha Stephen said, “Biryani and watermelon combination is not the reason for death. It is the pesticides used to ripen the watermelon which led to toxicity and collapse of the kidneys.”

In the summer season, food tends to stale faster. Also, fruits might get infected with E. coli bacteria, which can cause severe abdominal cramps, diarrhoea and vomiting.

Shiny on the outside but white seeds inside is a sign

Doctors state that artificial ripening or colouring of fruits to meet market demands and adding additional sugars to sweeten them are detrimental to health.

Dr K Krishna Prabhakar, Director, Department of Internal Medicine, Renova Century Hospitals, Banjara Hills, said, “Artificially ripened watermelons look bright, glossy and uniformly coloured from outside. But, pay close attention, as the seeds inside will be white, and not black or brown as they naturally are. Everyone should keep this in mind.”

What are the precautions consumers can take?

Guidelines issued by Food Safety authorities and nutrition bodies in 2026 emphasised several updated precautions:

– Buy from reputable vendors and prefer whole, uncut watermelons

– Avoid pre‑cut slices lying exposed in unrefrigerated, open‑air conditions, especially in crowded markets.

– Thoroughly wash and lightly scrub the outer rind before cutting to remove surface residues, dirt and any applied coatings. ⁠

– Choose fruits that feel heavy for their size, have a distinct creamy‑yellow or orange field spot and produce a hollow, resonant sound when tapped—hallmarks of natural ripening.

What happens to body after eating artificially ripened fruits?

Health specialists and nutrition experts now warn that regular consumption of chemically ripened or artificially coloured watermelons may contribute not only to acute digestive discomfort and throat‑airway irritation but also to possible allergic or metabolic disturbances, particularly in children, pregnant women, older adults and immunocompromised individuals.

Prolonged exposure to unsafe chemical residues is considered a growing public‑health concern, especially as heat‑related spoilage and pressure to sell ‘perfect‑looking’ fruits rise in summer.