'Dragon Breath' ice cream, snack causing injuries and illness, authorities warn

Who knew that eating food coated in a chemical kept at temperatures that are hundreds of degrees below zero could be bad for your health?

Over the past year, liquid nitrogen snacks, foods such as cereal and cheese puffs dipped in liquid nitrogen, have grown in popularity for their novelty. The snacks are often dubbed "Dragon Breath"  for the "smoke" that is emitted from people's mouths when the chemical vaporizes.

Growing alongside the snack's popularity is the frequency of injuries and illness, said Dr. Diane Calello, medical director of the New Jersey Poison Control Center. The liquid nitrogen is so cold that it's causing burn injuries to people's throats and mouths, along with asthma-like symptoms, she said. So far, at least six cases of injury and illness related to the snack have been reported in New Jersey.

"What's really happening here is the liquid nitrogen gets the food so cold that it causes a frostbite-like injury anywhere it touches," Calello said.

Liquid nitrogen, which is more commonly used to freeze off warts, has an exceptionally low boiling point of minus 320 degrees Fahrenheit. The resulting vapor that is visible as the nitrogen quickly becomes a gas at room temperature mimics smoke or steam. Anything above that temperature  turns the nitrogen from a liquid to a gas — like water boiling to steam at 212 degrees Fahrenheit.

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The snacks are harmful because they are served straight from the nitrogen tank, Calello said.

"Food that is flash-frozen with liquid nitrogen and then sold in a supermarket, like Dippin Dots, is not the problem," Calello said. "The problem is the foods that are dipped in liquid nitrogen right before they're sold."

Both the Food and Drug Administration and the Poison Control Center released advisories to avoid eating the freezing snack.

The Poison Control Center did not release a list of stores where customers reported illness or injury. In North Jersey, Lyndhurst's Freezing Point lists Dragon Breath as a menu item, with a video showing a man eating the snack on its homepage.

Miguel Cosme, owner of Freezing Point since it opened in 2016, said there is a sign in the store to demonstrate the proper way to eat the Dragon Breath. Consumers are encouraged to use a toothpick to grab one piece at a time, chew on the sides of their mouths and avoid contact with the tongue, Cosme said. 

Customers must also be 18 or older to buy it at the Lyndhurst store, or be accompanied by an adult. 

"As long as the rules and regulations are followed, there shouldn’t be that much concern," he said, adding that he's never had an issue at the store with anyone harming themselves with the liquid nitrogen. 

Dragon Breath is one of the more popular items at Freezing Point, as Cosme said people like to post videos of it on social media. 

A concession at the New Jersey State Fair also sold the treats.

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Although the science is still out on the snack, Calello errs on the side of caution.

"I really wouldn’t have it all," Calello said.

Staff Writer Joshua Jongsma contributed to this article. 

Email: torrejon@northjersey.com