In Japan, several people have been taken to hospital with choking fits over the Lunar New Year holiday after rice dumplings got stuck in their throats. As reported by the Japanese media, at least five patients between the ages of 20 and 80 had to be hospitalized for acute shortness of breath in the capital Tokyo alone.
Every year anew – mostly older – Japanese people choke on the o-mochi, sticky dumplings made of mashed rice, which are traditionally served on New Year’s Day. Although everyone in the country is aware of the danger and deadly attacks of suffocation occur again and again, hardly anyone wants to do without o-mochi for the New Year celebrations. In order to prevent accidents, the media provide information on tips for emergencies every year. Experts advise cutting the rice dumplings into bite-sized pieces and chewing them slowly before eating. The throat should be moistened with tea, for example, before swallowing.
