Liquid nitrogen with your cookies?
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The latest food-marketing gimmick is “smoking” cookies and desserts. The eye-catching effect is achieved by dousing the food item with either liquid nitrogen or dry ice.
The dangers are obvious. At minus-196 degrees Centigrade, liquid nitrogen will cause cold burns and worse if it comes into contact with skin. The burning effect is more than twice that of boiling water. At minus-73C, dry ice will do the same.
Industrial workers tasked with handling liquid nitrogen receive safety training. Dessert-sellers and their customers do not. Authorities thus have a duty to protect the public from this potentially dangerous new marketing trend by regulating the use of liquid nitrogen and dry ice in the food-retailing business.
Wong Soo Kan
(The Star, Malaysia/ANN)
