Dangerous Current on TikTok: More than 20 children were hospitalized
More than 20 children in Indonesia were hospitalized after filming a video trial of a liquid nitrogen-infused street food popularly known as “dragon’s breath.”
The government has warned of the dangers of using liquid nitrogen in ready-to-eat foods and urged greater caution as some children experience heartburn and food poisoning when eating chiki ngebul or chikibulis, a variety of candy covered in a cloud of liquid nitrogen.
Dragon’s Breath, a snack soaked in liquid nitrogen, causes steam to come out of the eater’s nose and mouth.
An Indonesian physician and global health safety researcher at Griffith University, Dr. Dicky Budiman said that liquid nitrogen makes the snack look like smoke when consumed, but it can even cause death and intestinal burns if consumed before the liquid nitrogen evaporates.
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Skin burns and severe breathing difficulties are other potential risks, said Maxi Rein Rondonuwu, Director General of the Indonesian Ministry of Health.
The Ministry of Health said about 25 children were affected by the snack and two were hospitalized.
Budiman said the number of children affected could be much higher.
