Six choke to death on New Year rice cakes in Tokyo

TOKYO (AFP) - – Six people choked to death and five others were in a serious condition after eating traditional glutinous "mochi" rice cakes to celebrate the New Year in Tokyo, fire department officials said Monday.

The victims, in their 70s or older, died of suffocation over the weekend after eating the New Year delicacy, the fire department said.

During the New Year period, one of Japan's biggest holidays, families traditionally cook "ozouni" soup and put the sticky rice cakes in the vegetable broth.

"Please be aware that mochi, which is so sticky, may cause suffocation if you swallow mochi without chewing it well," the fire department said in a statement.

The fire department is advising people, especially the elderly and infants, to cut mochi into small pieces before eating it.

Every year, several Japanese, mostly older people or infants, die after choking on rice cakes.

Comments:

Rice cakes, mochi, has always been my all-time favorite snack on-the-go. It's sticky inside but smooth outside texture is a delicious snack to munch on whenever your mouth itches.

However, it is sad to hear that 6 people were choked to death during New Year as it was meant to be a new beginning, not an end. 

It is so sticky that it may cause suffocation if you swallow mochi without chewing it well, and that is a lesson learnt- not to be greedy and enjoy every single bit of the delicacy. 

Kelly Lim

102642J