Check Expiration Dates

[Guest guest]

I thought this was important enough to pass along to

those of you who may not have seen it.

4/14/06

PANCAKES MADE FROM OLD MIX CAUSE ACUTE ALLERGIC

REACTION

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my dismay, found it was very outdated.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pancakes made with outdated mix.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. -- SUE IN

WYANTSKILL, N.Y.

DEAR SUE: Thank you for the warning. I certainly was

not aware that pancake mix could turn moldy and cause

an allergic reaction in someone with an allergy to

mold -- but it's logical. I wonder if the same holds

true for cake mix, brownie mix and cookie mix. If so,

then a warning should be placed on the box for people

like me.

We hear so often about discarding prescription and

over-the-counter medications after their expiration

dates, but I don't recall warnings about packaged

items in the pantry. Heads up, folks!

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