Category: Health and Wellness
DEAR ABBY:
I recently made a batch of pancakes for my healthy 14-year-old on, using a mix that was in our pantry. He said that they tasted "funny," but ate them anyway.
About 10 minutes later, he began having difficulty breathing and his lips began turning purple. I gave him his allergy pill, had him sit on the sofa and
told him to relax. He was wheezing while inhaling and exhaling. My husband, a volunteer firefighter and EMT, heated up some water, and we had my son lean
over the water so the steam could clear his
chest and sinuses. Soon, his breathing became more regular and his lips returned to a more normal color.
We checked the date on the box of pancake mix and, to my dismay, found it was very outdated. As a reference librarian at an academic institution, I have
the ability to search through many research databases. I did just that, and found an article the next day that mentioned a 19-year-old male DYING after
eating pancakes made with outdated mix. Apparently, the mold
that forms in old pancake mix can be toxic! When we told our friends about my son's close call, we were surprised at the number of people who mentioned
that they should check their own pancake mix since they don't use
it often, or they had purchased it some time ago. With so many people shopping at warehouse-type stores and buying large sizes of pancake mix, I hope your
readers will take the time to check the expiration date on their boxes. Also, beware of outdated cake, brownie and cookie mixes.
damn thats awful
thanks.
good advice
oh wow.