FDA finds no adulteration, FSL report awaited
3 min readMay 2, 2026 11:11 AM IST
Days after four members of a Mumbai family died allegedly after eating watermelon, the Maharashtra Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) preliminary tests on samples from their home—watermelon, biryani, water, and spices—have found no signs of adulteration, an official said.
The police are now awaiting the report from the Kalina Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL), which will determine whether the deaths were caused by food poisoning resulting from bacterial growth leading to food poisoning or by the ingestion of a toxic substance, the official added.
A senior official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said that while the FDA tests for adulteration in food items, determining bacterial contamination or poisoning falls under the purview of forensic analysis. “Only the FSL report will establish whether the deaths were due to bacterial growth causing food poisoning or due to poisoning,” the official explained.
The deaths of Abdulla Dokadia, 44, his wife Nasreen, 35, and their daughters Ayesha, 16, and Zainab, 12, occurred within hours of each other on April 26, after the Pydhonie family reportedly developed vomiting and rapidly lost consciousness.
According to Sir JJ Hospital records and doctors, the family consumed watermelon around 1-1.30 am on April 26 at home and soon after, they developed vomiting and sought treatment from a local doctor. By early morning, their condition had deteriorated sharply. Doctors said three of them were brought in a semi-conscious state, whereas the youngest daughter was brought dead.
Earlier, Dr Sanjay Surase, medical superintendent of Sir JJ Hospital, said the family’s condition did not match the symptoms of a typical foodborne illness. “If this were food poisoning, the clinical picture would be very different. It does not typically lead to such rapid and severe deterioration. The speed of deterioration, the severity of the condition, and the fact that multiple members of a single family were affected are not consistent with a routine foodborne illness. While food contamination can cause symptoms such as vomiting or indigestion, it does not lead to such severe poisoning and death. People tend to associate illness with the last thing they consumed. But medically, there is no evidence to support that in this case,” he said.
The FDA had collected 11 samples from the deceased family’s home that included leftover watermelon and biryani stored in the refrigerator, pulao from utensils, raw chicken from the freezer, kitchen ingredients such as spices and rice, partially consumed dates, and water stored in glasses and a clay pot.
