A major food poisoning incident has rocked the Maharaja Sayajirao University (MSU) of Baroda in Gujarat, after more than 100 female students from the SD Hall hostel fell ill following dinner served at the hostel mess on Tuesday night.
Within hours of eating the evening meal, students began experiencing symptoms such as severe stomach pain, vomiting, and diarrhoea. Of the roughly 350 students who had dinner at the mess, over 100 were rushed to Gotri and Sayaji hospitals for emergency medical care.
Hospital authorities confirmed that while all students are currently in stable condition, the sheer number of cases has raised serious concerns over food safety and hygiene in the university’s hostels. Doctors have diagnosed the cases as acute food poisoning, likely caused by stale or contaminated food.
Medical professionals explained that food poisoning is usually triggered by bacteria or viruses present in spoiled or unhygienically prepared food. These pathogens disrupt the intestinal system, leading to digestive distress.
This incident has also brought to light long-standing complaints by students regarding poor food quality and hygiene at the hostel mess. “We’ve been served substandard food for months and reported it multiple times, but our concerns were ignored,” said a third-year student currently under treatment.
In response to the crisis, MSU’s Vice Chancellor and the hostel’s Chief Warden visited the hospital to check on the students’ condition. Senior police officials also visited both the hostel and the hospitals to assess the situation.
Health officials have collected food samples from the mess, and a formal investigation is expected to be launched to determine the cause and fix accountability.
Doctors have stressed the importance of early treatment and proper hydration in food poisoning cases. Symptoms typically appear within hours and can include nausea, cramps, vomiting, diarrhoea, fatigue, and sometimes fever. Medical advice includes drinking oral rehydration solutions, coconut water, or glucose water. In mild cases, home remedies such as banana, curd with cumin, ginger water, and mint may help ease discomfort—but patients should avoid milk, meat, and heavy food during recovery.
As the incident unfolds, students and their families are demanding strict action against those responsible for the negligence, calling for improved food safety protocols across all hostels.