According to one study, 1 to 5 scald burns caused by instant soup and ramen

Instant soup – often sold as "ramen" in the United States – is cheap, tasty and very popular among starving students. But new research suggests that products can put young children at risk.

According to a study to be presented Monday at the National Conference of the American Academy of Pediatrics, soups cause about a burn caused by burns in children in five. These findings led some experts to question the safety of meals, often in microwaveable cups.

"It's important for us to remember, and for parents, to remember that these are just thin containers that contain boiling water," said Dr. Courtney Allen, pediatric emergency researcher at the University of Toronto. University of Emory.

"I think it is assumed that these soups are safer than soups coming out of a stove," she said, "while they are not."

Thousands of burns each year

Allen Allen's research team examined more than 4,500 pediatric scald burns over a period of nearly 11 years in the National Electronic Injury Surveillance System, a federal database that tracks injuries related to consumer products. They then went through the data for children aged 4 to 12, such as "instant soup", "instant noodles" and "cup of soup".

The researchers found 972 injuries associated with microwaved products, accounting for 21.5% of all scald burns in their sample. They estimated that instant soups are responsible for nearly 10,000 pediatric burns in the United States each year.

The researchers found that more than 90% of children burned by instant soup had left the emergency department after being assessed. However, burns caused by liquids or water vapor instead of dry heat can sometimes require hospitalization and even surgery.

"To be honest with you, it's a very very common story," said Dr. David Greenhalgh, chief of burns at Shriners Hospitals for Children – Northern California and former president of the American Burn Association.

"They hit [the soup] everything extends, "said Greenhalgh, who did not participate in the research. "They may have to come to the hospital for a while, or we will teach the family how to take care of the burn, or some kids will need a skin graft. But I'm not surprised.

The researchers found that most burns affected the trunk, the body region from the shoulders to the groin, and affected children aged 4 to 7 years.

"I think one of the important things is to identify at what stage of the process children get hurt," said Allen, whose team is planning to observe children carrying false soup – such as water with paint – to determine the injuries occur.

"Is it because they pull it themselves from the microwave? Is it because when they walk, they are not coordinated enough and they spill? Or is it really when they eat it that it's the tip?

Whatever the cause, Allen thinks parents need to be very careful when they let kids handle instant soups. "If you let your kids cook, transport and consume these products independently, they need proper supervision."

Greenhalgh thinks most parents simply do not understand how serious injuries can be. But in some cases, he added, parents can minimize the dangers for convenience.

"Many studies show that parents may be aware of the risks of burns, but sometimes they tend to take shortcuts," he said. "They may know it's a risk, but it's faster and easier and they hope nothing will happen."

Product design may be to blame

Greenhalgh warns that poor product design can make instant soups particularly dangerous. They often come in fragile paper cups or styrofoam that are heated in the microwave, leaving boiling water in potentially unstable containers.

In a 2006 study published in the Journal of Burn Care and Research, Greenhalgh examined the stability of instant soup containers and found that larger and thinner cups were easier to tip than shorter and denser cups. These results could have consequences for manufacturers who hope to reduce the risk of product-related burns.

"What [companies] should do is to do them like the Yoplait [yogurt] the containers, where they are wider at the bottom and thinner at the top, "said Greenhalgh." It would be a very simple thing to design and modify. "

Nissin Cup Noodles, a widely sold brand, tilted at 21.2 degrees only. Products with wider bases may be inclined more than 60 degrees before tilting.

Maruchan, Nissin and Nongshim, three major instant soup manufacturers, did not respond to requests for comments on the new research and their designs have changed little since the 2006 Greenhalgh study.

Some experts believe, however, that Allen's new research should be a warning to the industry. "This should at least make them think about packaging their product," said Dr. James J. Gallagher, director of the William Randolph Hearst Burn Treatment Center at NewYork-Presbyterian Weill Cornell Medical Center.

What to do if your child is burned

Curious and increasingly independent children are often at risk of burns, Gallagher said. All parents should know how to evaluate and treat injuries.

"When they start to get mobile and can do things on their own, getting burned in their own home and in their own kitchen is the main way to get hurt," he said.

If a child is burned, "the most important thing is to take off your clothes" and immediately move the affected tissue to cold water.

All burns do not require medical attention, but some require a visit to the hospital. "After first aid, examine the child well. If you see blisters, then a child should definitely be seen by a doctor, "said Gallagher.

Emergency rooms and emergency treatment centers can treat injuries, he said, but most instant injuries caused by soup are not life threatening. "Almost always, in these situations, a child will be stable enough to go to a burn center, which is not always the nearest hospital."

And while accidents happen, parents can take simple steps to reduce risk in the kitchen, such as chilling soups before serving, buying more stable containers, and watching over children during meals.

These may not be necessary, but Gallagher says it's easier to prevent burns than to cure them – something he hopes more patients will achieve.

"At the burn treatment center, we are supposed to go bankrupt," he said.