What is this about the instant noodles that are sending many children to the hospital?

In our country we don’t often eat instant noodles but in any case, typical products of oriental countries like these are becoming increasingly popular in Italy too. However, noodles would appear to be dangerous, especially for children who risk serious burns. This is supported by a new US research

Instant noodles are a very convenient and low-cost dish, in fact, they are heated on the stove or in the microwave, and are particularly used in some countries. However, few people know that it is also a leading cause of burns among children, according to a new study published in the journal ” Burns “.

The University of Chicago researchers looked at 790 cases in which children suffered burns between 2010 and 2020. What did they find? As many as 31% of the cases (245 patients) had had accidents precisely because of the noodles.

According to the study, children left to play chef without adult supervision had a higher risk of burns, with 40 percent of noodle burns occurring when children were left unattended. superfluous to say but evidently, it is not: never leave children alone near the stove or the microwave!).

Researchers analyzed the data and found that the amount of heat generated by heating noodles can cause second and third-degree burns in anyone, but especially children.

The study found that burns can be so severe that they require surgery such as skin grafting. That’s because the starchy liquid that forms when instant noodles are cooked has been shown to be worse than a hot water burn.

As senior study author Sebastian Vrouwe, assistant professor of surgery at UChicago Medicine said:

Young children are especially vulnerable due to their relatively smaller bodies and thinner skin.

The study also found that it is specifically black children in low-income areas who are most likely to suffer burns, though the study did not specify how much more.

As UChicago Medicine writes :

Black/African-American children living in areas with lower Childhood Opportunity Index (COI) scores were more likely to suffer from these sunburns than their peers.

Although the study only looked at data from the academic health system on the South Side in the US, the researchers believe that the statistics speak to a much wider national problem, considering the high consumption of instant noodles, which are cheap and easy to prepare.

How to prevent these burns? The system is simple, Vrouwe advises that children should never remove the noodles from the microwave by themselves and that adults should keep them out of their reach until they have cooled enough.

Eating at the table instead of holding the package in your hand is another way to reduce the risk of burns.