Kitchen

[EatWell]

On today’s Gourmet Holiday,  a lady called in saying she was afraid of choking to death on popcorn hulls.    Is that possible?

That is why she was ordering the Farmer John’s Microwave Virtually Hulless Popcorn

[Imaoldhippie]

Yes it is possible.  You can choke to death on anything.

[Kachina624]

I wouldn't think so.  The hull is the tiny translucent shell on the kernal of corn.  Maybe if you were able to accumulate a huge quantity of them.  Very young children can choke on popcorn but only because they dont chew it and swallow the whole piece.

[Vivian]

Yes, choking disasters can occur. A friend’s daughter died before her third birthday, choking on a sour ball sucking candy. I cannot tell you awful the funeral and visiting hours were. I was pregnant with my first child when it happened and I was worried that I could not hold it together. I got through it but the parents never recovered. They had another child, a boy, not the girl they had lost. The couple divorced within a few years. It was a great tragedy.

[Carmie]

Choking  occurs when the airway  is blocked with something that prevents the intake of oxygen.

Hot dogs are a common food that can be dangerous as well as hard candy.  Ever wonder why Life Savers candy has a hole in the middle?  The hole was added to save people from choking. Hot dogs should be cut into very small pieces before given to toddlers and they need to be supervised while eating them.

You could indeed choke on anything, but one small popcorn hull isn't gonna do it. It could go down your windpipe and cause you to violently cough to dislodge it though.  

It is important to chew your food well before you swallow, no matter what you are eating.

[kittyloo]

i believe the op is talking about a adult, who was fearful.

not a small child.

[sidsmom]

Sounds like a planted ‘customer’ call to use

the fear of choking as a sales tactic.

Hummm. Not cool.  😡

[SharkE]

Does have some hulls in it. I've bought it. To hard for me, not fresh.

[fthunt]

My lesson not learned the first time with Farmer's corn.  Microwave type had no taste - not worth the calories.  Trashed it.  Now I just ordered the flavored ready to eat - - worse!   Sticks to teeth - falls apart when you dip hand in the bag - - tomorrow is trash day and all 12 bags ?  (count) are ready for the trash hauler. Q had it on again today - microwave type - - - - buyer beware.

[software]

Hyperbole