New liquid nitrogen puffs, or Dragon’s Breath, frozen dessert has become the food fad of this summer. This frozen dessert is made up of liquid nitrogen dipped cereal. This new treat releases a thick fog once eaten and exhaled from your mouth and nose. This effect looks like dragon breath, gaining its quirky name. The liquid nitrogen in these ice cream puffs does not affect the taste of the ice cream, but its smoky effect has successfully drawn younger crowds of customers.
What is Liquid Nitrogen?
While this hyper-frozen treat may seem cool to try, safety measures should still be taken. Liquid nitrogen is non-toxic in nature, but should never be ingested in its liquid form. Liquid nitrogen has an extremely low temperature, ranging between -196 and -320 degrees Fahrenheit. This dangerously low temperature can cause severe burns, destroying skin tissue. It has been noted to have caused harm to customers, unaware of the dangers of this special ingredient in their colorful dessert.
Liquid nitrogen can be safe to handle, if using the proper safety equipment and taken proper safety measures. When handling liquid nitrogen, always use protective gloves and eye wear. The actual fog is safe to touch, but liquid form creates a much bigger risk. Liquid nitrogen freezes whatever it touches, so make sure it isn’t your body! If ingested in liquid form, the damage to a consumer’s internal organs could be severe.
US FDA Issues Safety Warning
There are other treats that are safely made with liquid nitrogen, less risky to consumers. However, the danger with Dragon’s Breath treats arises when the liquid nitrogen is added into the mix. Confectionery shops making these treats add liquid nitrogen to the puffs almost immediately before the treat reaches consumers’ hands. This is where the risk of ingesting the liquid form of nitrogen is the highest. While some dessert shops may be properly trained to handle this ingredient, the FDA does not recommend treating children to Dragon’s Breath treats. If you or someone you know come into physical contact with liquid nitrogen, please seek immediate medical assistance.
Not making liquid nitrogen puffs, but looking for a liquid nitrogen supplier? Contact us to see if Noble Gas Solutions can supply your needs!
