A recipe for so-called fluffy popcorn circulating on TikTok is actually a recipe for disaster.
The craze comes from a TikTok user who suggests using raw cake mix to flavor popcorn. Raw cake mix contains raw flour, which has been the source of at least 168 confirmed cases of E. coli infections and 20 hospitalizations in recent years, according to the Food and Drug Administration.
Raw flour may be contaminated with other pathogens, including Salmonella. It must be cooked to a temperature of 160 degrees F to kill such pathogens.
The recipe for “fluffy popcorn,” which has been circulating as a sweet treat for Halloween, includes a box of funfetti cake mix.
The popular recipe starts by melting butter and marshmallows in a saucepan over low heat, adding a box of cake mix and a few cups of popcorn and mixing it all together. It is then removed from the heat and is said to be ready to eat. Although it may appear that the flour is cooked in the recipe, most consumers do not realize that flour must be heated to 160 degrees Celsius to be safe for consumption.
Findings from an FDA survey found that “about one-third of consumers reported consuming uncooked flour in the past year,” and that “most U.S. consumers do not consider uncooked flour risky to consume.”
Consumers are generally aware of the risks of eating raw eggs from cookie dough and other recipes, but many may not know that raw flour is an additional food safety culprit.
About a third of respondents believed that homemade cookie dough is risky to consume, which is likely a result of the fact that about half of respondents believe raw eggs are very risky to consume, rather than an indication of risk perceptions regarding raw flour, the FDA said.
Patients infected with E. coli infections may exhibit symptoms of food poisoning, including diarrhea, stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting. Some infections can become much more serious. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warns that some cases of E. coli lead to hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), which can lead to kidney failure, chronic health problems and even death.[7] Salmonella infections cause symptoms such as diarrhea, fever and cramps. In severe cases, hospitalization may be required.
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