Put a freeze on some of those frozen treats. The Federal Food and Drug Administration issued a safety alert this week warning about the potential dangers of eating food prepared with liquid nitrogen.
The FDA warns eating foods such as ice cream, cereals or cocktails prepared by adding liquid nitrogen can cause severe damage to skin and internal organs.
"The FDA has become aware of severe -- and in some cases, life-threatening -- injuries, such as damage to skin and internal organs caused by liquid nitrogen still present in the food or drink," the FDA said in their posted alert. "There has also been a report of difficulty breathing after inhaling the vapor released by liquid nitrogen when added immediately before consumption."
"Injuries have occurred from handling or eating products prepared by adding liquid nitrogen immediately before consumption, even after the liquid nitrogen has fully evaporated due to the extremely low temperature of the food."
The foods, often marketed under the names "Dragon's Breath," "Heaven's Breath," "nitro puff" and other similar names, may be sold in malls, food courts, kiosks, state or local fairs, and other food retail stores.
People who believe they have suffered injuries from handling or eating foods prepared with liquid nitrogen should consult their doctor and report their injury to the FDA. Consumers can also submit questions about food safety to the FDA or visit the FDA website for more information.
