Noodles Stay Hotter Longer

Abstract

During a 10-year period, a high incidence of burns from prepared noodle soup was noticed at the Baltimore Regional Burn Center. Because of the perceived severity of these burns, we took a more systematic look at the burns resulting from this type of soup to determine its effect on patient hospitalization and also examined the properties of the soup itself. All medical records of pediatric patients admitted to the Center between 1989 and 1999 with scald burns from various types of soup were retrospectively reviewed and divided into the Noodle Soup group, and the Other Soup group. The scald burns were compared as well as the physical properties of prepared noodle soup and tap water. Of 27 pediatric admissions for soup burns, 10 were from noodle soup and 17 from other types. Difference in average age and average total percentage of body surface area affected was not significant for the burns from either type of soup. However, the average length of stay for patients with noodle soup burns was significantly longer than for those with other types of soup burns (P < .010). Also, the cooling curve for noodle soup is much slower than for normal tap water. Noodle soup causes a significantly longer hospital stay than other types of soup. Because the boiling temperature of water and noodle soup is about the same, but the cooling curve of noodle soup is much slower, noodle soup may present a greater danger to children than other types of soup.

An Unsuspected Cause of Meal-Time Morbidity

“…This finding is consistent with the findings of Shalom et al, 6 who suggest that younger children are more likely to burn their upper bodies because of their height and the mechanism of the burn (child pulling soup down from above compared with an adult potentially spilling soup from level of the chest/head onto the lower body). In addition, there are differences in severity, pattern, and management by age group.…”

“…In 2003, approximately 21,000 children were treated for scald burns, 1 and the average admission cost for one pediatric scald burn may be as high as $60,075. 4,5 A study by Shalom et al 6 has brought attention to the fact that instant noodles may pose a greater danger than other soups because of its propensity to cool at a slower rate due to the high salinity and slow cooling of the noodles and because noodles adhere to the skin for a greater time period, resulting in potentially deeper burns. 3 Scald burns secondary to instant soup have become an increasing concern.…”

“…2 Scald burns typically occur where food is being prepared or served and are the leading cause of pediatric burn-related hospitalizations and emergency room visits. Although instant noodles have been reported 6 to cause similar burns compared with instant soup in terms of TBSA, differences in the depth of the burns and operative intervention have not been commented on quantitatively. 4,5 A study by Shalom et al 6 has brought attention to the fact that instant noodles may pose a greater danger than other soups because of its propensity to cool at a slower rate due to the high salinity and slow cooling of the noodles and because noodles adhere to the skin for a greater time period, resulting in potentially deeper burns.…”

“…6 In the outpatient setting, the average TBSA due to all pediatric soup scald burns has been reported as 2%. When investigated in purely the inpatient setting, pediatric burns of this pathogenesis have been reported to lead to an average TBSA burn of 6.5%, leading to an average length of hospital stay of 8 days.…”

Epidemiology of burn injuries: Highlighting cultural and socio-demographic aspects

“…Tea is a common cause of burns in the UK while hot water and coffee are the leading causes of burns in Denmark (Jamnadas-Khoda et al, 2009;Laursen & Nielsen, 2008;Lindblad & Terkelsen, 1990). In the USA, noodle soups are a common cause of unintentional scalds in children under the age of five years (Greenhalgh et al, 2006;Rimmer et al, 2008;Shalom, Bryant, Smith-Meek, Parsons, & Munster, 2007). In developing nations, different types of cookers influence the risk of burn injury more than any particular substance, with unstable pots and stoves being responsible for a significant number of injuries (Peck et al, 2008).…”