Be careful when eating Japanese Mochi

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Japanese mochi is eaten almost around the world. In Japan, the traditional rice cakes are eaten as part of the new year celebrations.

mochi
(Credit: japanesecooking101)

But 2 people have died and several are in critical condition after choking on the rice cake.

Apparently, several people die from eating it every year, which has officials issuing annual warnings.

The soft and chewy rice cakes are made by steaming rice and then pounded and mashed.

The buns need to be chewed many times before swallowing. Those who are unable to chew properly will find them hard to eat. And if they are not chewed properly, the sticky cake can get stuck in the throat and cause suffocation.

According to Japanese media, the elderly make up 90% of those sent to hospital for choking on mochi.

The next time someone buys Japanese mochi for you from Japan, remember to chew properly before you swallow it.


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If you’d like to contribute your story to us, drop us an email at editors@sureboh.sg and we’ll review it. We read each submission that comes to us within two weeks of receiving it.

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