Two Popular Snack Foods with Liquid Nitrogen Pose Risks if Not Used Properly
Cloud Ice Cream and Smoke Snacks are two trendy foods that utilize liquid nitrogen during preparation, creating a visually appealing smoky effect.
Liquid nitrogen ice cream, known as Liquid Nitrogen Ice Cream, has also become a popular trend in Western countries.
However, many people wonder how this visually delightful and tasty ice cream is made. Is consuming liquid nitrogen harmful to the body?
Liquid nitrogen is used to create smoke for dishes. (Photo: Mực Tím).
What is Liquid Nitrogen?
In an interview with our reporter, Associate Professor Dr. Tran Hong Con from the Department of Chemistry at Vietnam National University, Hanoi, explained: “Liquid nitrogen is nitrogen in a liquid state at very low temperatures. On the market, liquid nitrogen is usually sold for several hundred thousand VND per tank. It is industrially produced by fractional distillation of liquid air. Due to its extremely low temperature, it vaporizes and creates smoke as soon as it is released from its container.”
According to Associate Professor Con, nitrogen is not a toxic gas; it makes up 80% of the air and generally has no impact on health. However, an excessively high concentration of nitrogen in the body can cause shock or paralysis. The main issue with this gas is its extreme cold.
“Normally, when we eat or breathe, we are also taking in this gas. While liquid nitrogen is not harmful, nitrogen-infused ice cream is colder than regular ice cream. If it is too cold, it can cause frostbite,” said Associate Professor Con.
Liquid nitrogen is used to freeze sperm, characterized by its extreme cold and smokiness. (Photo: Viet Hung).
Because liquid nitrogen is gaseous and extremely cold, when placed in the mouth, it naturally produces smoke. This dish must be consumed immediately after preparation; if left for a few minutes, it will evaporate or melt.
He emphasized that cloud ice cream and smoke snacks at around -10 degrees Celsius could be harmful to the body. In many cases, temperatures around -20 degrees Celsius could cause immediate lip burns. Associate Professor Con warned that nitrogen burns can be very deep.
Regarding the smoke rising from these dishes, the expert noted that this is a normal characteristic of nitrogen gas. Therefore, it is often used for performances to create smoke on stage. This liquid gas is commonly used for chilling food, preserving sperm and eggs, and biological samples.
Discussing liquid nitrogen, Associate Professor Dr. Pham Thanh Quan from the Department of Chemical Engineering at Ho Chi Minh City University of Technology stated that liquid nitrogen is, in essence, not harmful to human health. However, attention must be paid to the source of liquid nitrogen purchased by establishments. In Vietnam, liquid nitrogen is typically imported from abroad for industrial production and scientific research purposes. Although there are no regulations prohibiting the use of liquid nitrogen in food preparation, young people should not eat it simply for its aesthetic appeal due to the potential health risks.
The smoke rising from the dish is a normal characteristic of nitrogen gas, according to experts.
According to Dr. Lam Vinh Nien from the Department of Nutrition at Ho Chi Minh City University of Medicine and Pharmacy: Using liquid nitrogen is acceptable in food preparation if safety measures are applied. The nitrogen gas must completely evaporate before the food is consumed. If one were to swallow about a teaspoon of liquid nitrogen, it could freeze and shatter like glass or turn into gas, potentially causing perforation of the intestine or stomach (one sip of liquid nitrogen is equivalent to 25 liters of gas). It is rare for someone to swallow such an amount due to the extreme cold, and they would likely spit it out immediately. However, one may still encounter the Leidenfrost effect (not feeling the cold immediately).
In reality, there have been several cases of people nearly losing their lives after consuming nitrogen-infused foods. In 2018, a boy in Florida, USA, suffered an asthma attack 10 minutes after eating a smoke snack infused with liquid nitrogen called “Dragon’s Breath.” The boy began to experience mild asthma, which escalated, making it hard for him to breathe. Fortunately, a nearby fire station and firefighters provided timely rescue before he reached the hospital.
Previously, a 12-year-old boy in South Korea became a victim of food prepared with liquid nitrogen. While playing at a water park in Cheonan, South Korea, the victim consumed a cereal dish called “Dragon’s Breath” and had to be hospitalized shortly afterward due to unusual symptoms. Doctors performed surgery to address a 5cm perforation in his stomach, suspected to be caused by the boy swallowing liquid nitrogen at the bottom of the bowl.
