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in collaboration with
Dr Gérald Kierzek (Medical Director)
On TikTok, the trend is for “homemade” candied fruits, which many teenagers want to try. But this technique is not without risk, especially since it requires very hot ingredients. Advice from Dr Gérald Kierzek, emergency doctor, on how to react in the event of an accident.
Fresh fruit surrounded by a shiny, crunchy sugar shell? This is the new appetizing and aesthetic trend that is taking over TikTok. But the method used could cause domestic accidents, as warned by a Welsh mother whose daughter was seriously injured.
Sugar and water brought to a boil
The Tanghulu technique, these sugar-glazed fruit skewers, requires plunging fresh fruit segments into boiling sugar syrup before freezing them in iced water. The sugar and water are brought to the boil in a saucepan or simply in the microwave. And that is the problem. According to this scandalized mother, Sophie, her 12-year-old daughter wanted to reproduce the recipe by filling a jug with sugar and water to heat it in the microwave for two minutes, as shown in one of the videos. But by heating, the boiling syrup would have burned the bottom of the container. The teenager thus found herself with boiling sugar on one hand and one foot.
Alerted by their daughter’s cries, the parents rushed to her aid and placed her hand and foot under cold water, before going to the emergency room. With second-degree burns, the teenager should ultimately not have too serious after-effects.
TikTok disclaims all liability
What we must remember from this story is once again the unfiltered side of the ideas propagated on this network. Good or bad, the challenges are delivered without any mention of precautions, even a warning to be accompanied by an adult.
Sugar melted in water, for example, is a dangerous technique, also known as “prison napalm” – a technique used as a weapon by prisoners. But no mention ever appears.
Following her mishap, this shocked mother wrote to TikTok so that it includes warning messages in videos when they become trendy, with the aim of warning teenagers but also parents of the danger they can represent. “I wanted other parents to be aware of the dangers this poses. I don’t want this to happen to anyone else’s child.”she was moved to the LADbible site.
But TikTok replied that candied fruit recipes existed on the Internet well before the creation of the application and that it therefore had no reason to endorse them…
@alexawhatsfordinner Simply cannot stop making microwave tanghulu – it’s sooo easy and delicious 😍🍊🍎🍌🍓 get the recipe below‼️ Ingredients: -washed & dried fruit of your choice -1/2 cup granulated sugar -1/4 cup water Directions: -Place the fruit onto skewers. Prepare an ice bath. -In a microwave-safe dish, add the sugar and water but don’t stir! Place into the microwave for 3 minutes… being sure to stop every 30 seconds (still don’t stir!) Once the sugar mixture is lightly golden, stop microwaving (this may need an extra 30 secs-1 minute). -Working quickly, dip the fruit skewers into the melted sugar, coating evenly. Then dip the fruit into the ice bath. The sugar should harden right away. Enjoy immediately! #tanghulu #tanghulurecipe #yum #easyrecipe #fruit #simplerecipe #veganrecipe #vegansnack #easydessert #foodasmr ♬ ♡ ᶫᵒᵛᵉᵧₒᵤ ♡ – SoBerBoi
But how can you react quickly and effectively in the event of a burn caused by an ingredient that is too hot? Our medical director and emergency physician, Dr. Gérald Kierzek, explains the correct procedure to follow:
- In case of burn, we water! That is to say, we place the burned area for more than 10 minutes under a jet of temperate water (not ice);
- We also do not put toothpaste or homemade fatty substances on the burn, but we can apply a suitable fatty substance purchased in a pharmacy;
- Finally, if the burn is greater than the palm of the hand, or deep, or even circumferential on a limb (that is to say it surrounds it), we seek medical advice.