Did you hear on the news you can die from box pancake mix?

Question

If you use box pancake mix after it had a long shelf life and pass the expire date don't use it!!! I saw on CNN where someone died from eating pancakes made from boxed mix. His lungs had swollen up. So if you use box mix, please check to be sure it has not expired. If it looks, smells, or tastes funny, THROW IT OUT or go get a refund. Just looking out for you guys. :-)

The pancake mix was beginning to grow mold

Answer 1

Its true only if you have an allergy to mold, specifically the types of mold that can form in pancake mix: Penicillium, Fusarium, Mucor, and Aspergillus. Better play it safe and just throw it out after its expiration date, or if you have an opened box that's been sitting around. Check out this link for details.
http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/pancake.asp

Answer 2

Sad that they had to learn that the hard way in those circumstances. Shelf life on items is usually stated on the can or box. Some people assume that it is ok to go beyond this date, and some don't even check it. My question is, If the mix was growing mold, how come someone didn't see it when they poured out the mix to make the pancakes?? Tis a shame that someone had to die due to one's ignorance on the matter. Thanks for bringing that to the attention of those that didn't already hear about it.

Answer 3

Mold in Pancake Mix Warning

The "Dear Abby" article included below was first published in various newspapers during April 2006 and is now circulating via email and online.

Although the experience of the 14-year-old child described in the message has not been verified, the core information is factual. Mold that can form in old pancake mix and other foodstuffs can indeed cause a serious allergic reaction. As the message claims, in one documented case, a 19-year-old man died of anaphylaxis after eating pancakes made from an old pancake mix that contained mold.

Thus, the warning is valid. Moreover, it should be noted that mold forms on many different types of food, not just pancake mix. As well as causing allergic reactions, mold can sometimes produce poisonous substances called "mycotoxins," that can cause illness. Also, "root" threads of mould can penetrate deep into the food and may be difficult to see. Dangerous mold related substances might be present throughout the food, even when mold is only visible on the surface.

Pancake mix and similar products that have been stored for some time should be thoroughly examined before use and consumers should take careful note of use-by dates. Since mould spores can be transported via air, water, or insects, this is especially true if the food has been stored in a non-airtight container or a packet that has been previously opened. Mix that seems a little dubious should be discarded, as the risk of allergic reactions or illness is not worth the few cents saved. Also, if food seems to have an unexpected or unusual taste (or if children complain that it "tastes funny"), consumers should thoroughly re-examine the food before eating any more.

The United States Food Safety Inspection Service has published a fact sheet that provides more information about molds and food safety.

References:
An unusual case of anaphylaxis. Mold in pancake mix.
Molds On Food: Are They Dangerous?

An example of the message:

IMPORTANT FYI.

PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE READ THIS. ESPECIALLY ALL YOU PANCAKE LOVERS. THANKS.

DEAR ABBY:

I recently made a batch of pancakes for my healthy 14-year-old son, 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.

PASS IT ON!!!!

Answer 4

My guess is the man probably had a lung condition to begin with, or an undiagnosed fatal allergy. It coudl have happened with any food.

BTW: I could find nothign on the CNN site when searching using words like "expired pancake mix" or "death pancakes", etc. Got a link for us?

Answer 5

Pancake mix does not last that long in my house but with the ingredients in it such as the milk, eggs, etc and if it has an expiration date on it I would suggest throwing it out.

Answer 6

Yep, I did hear that. It seems if the mix is expired some kind of mold grows on it. Never use any food product past it's expiration date. That's why it is there.

Answer 7

not just pancake mix - it is generally true that death is a possible consequence of eating bad food of any type.

Death can also be caused by many other things - so be careful - and live a healthy, wholesome life in general.

Don't eat bad food - is good advice whether it is pancake mix or hamburgers

Answer 8

So stick to home made pancake's
You have to use the greese from the bacon
in the pancake mix.You have to use the eggs in
the pancake mix.

Answer 9

yes its true i heard this on the news the other day how awful & another thing you guys might want to considering on doing any type of baged flour pls. make sure its sealed tight put it in one of those grocery bags & keep it in the bottom of your crisper it will prevent from any kind of bugs getting in some bugs you cant see but they are there some are white & gross looking not only that the flour will stay fresh so pls. be careful thought i would share this with everyone as well.

Answer 10

thank you,i saw on the news that there is some bats with rabies the bats are going crazy, they are rabid so that means they are out of control, and they are hitting people as they walk to their cars or throw the trash, some bats are even coming in through windows that are opened.a teen died because his ac. in his house broke and he was hot, so he opened the window, and in the morning he found a bat on his chest, the bat gave him rabies, it was sad. i live in Texas so im not sure if this is going on any where else, just in case i just wanted to let you know what i saw on the news too.