‘Fluffy popcorn’ trend sends patients to the ER

A seemingly harmless recipe trending on TikTok is putting consumers at risk for illness. The recipe for “fluffy popcorn,” circulating as a sweet treat for Halloween, includes a box of funfetti cake mix. It may seem festive, but many people don’t realize they are essentially eating raw flour—which, as many physicians know, is unsafe for consumption.^[]

A not-so-sweet treat

The trending recipe starts with melting butter and marshmallows in a saucepan over low heat, then adding a box of cake mix and a few cups of popcorn and mixing it all together. It’s then removed from heat and allegedly ready to eat. While it may seem that the flour in the recipe is being cooked, most consumers don’t realize that flour must be heated to 160 degrees F to be safe for consumption.

Findings from an FDA study indicated that “about one-third of consumers reported having consumed uncooked flour in the previous year,” and “most US consumers do not consider uncooked flour as risky to consume.”^[]

Some food safety risks are more widely known than others. Consumers are generally aware of the risks of eating raw eggs found in cookie dough and other recipes, but many may not know that raw flour is an additional food safety culprit. The FDA study’s authors continue: “About one-third of the respondents believed that homemade cookie dough is risky to consume, likely a consequence of about half of the respondents believing that raw eggs are very risky to consume, rather than an indication of the risk perceptions related to raw flour.”

Those unaware of raw flour’s risks must be educated on the potential consequences, including food poisoning. Raw flour is, obviously, raw—meaning it hasn’t been treated to kill germs that cause food poisoning, such as E. coli and Salmonella.^[]

What’s at stake

In response to the trending “fluffy popcorn” recipe, TikTok user @morticia—identified as a microbiologist—took to the internet to warn the public: “While we’ve been socialized by our culture and by our society to view food poisoning as ‘no big deal,’ it is absolutely a big deal.”^[]

@𝔟𝔩𝔬𝔬𝔡𝔣𝔩𝔬𝔴𝔢𝔯 the "fluffy halloween popcorn" and how to go Ghost Mode irl 💖✨ #science #stem #scienceeducation #microbiology #medlabscience #foodsafety #halloween #halloweenpopcorn #foodhacks #snackideas #spookysnacks #healthandwellness #wellness ♬ original sound - morticia 🥀

Patients infected with E. coli can exhibit food poisoning symptoms including diarrhea, stomach pain, nausea, and vomiting.

The CDC tracks outbreaks and recalls of flour, encouraging consumers to throw away recalled products and to always cook food containing flour before eating it.^[] The FDA provides additional safety tips on safe flour handling. Its “Never Devour Flour” infographic flier is available in both English and Spanish.^[] Similarly, the Partnership for Food Safety Education provides videos, graphics, and a downloadable activation guide to encourage safe baking and food handling.^[]

Despite these efforts, concerns over trending recipes show that more is needed to educate the public and prevent foodborne illnesses. Patients should be reminded of these dangers to protect themselves and their loved ones.