Just a note of warning . . .

A student at HBHS had pancakes this week and it almost became fatal. His Mom (registered nurse) made him pancakes, dropped him off at school, and headed to play tennis. She never takes her cell phone on the court but did this time and her son called to say he was having trouble breathing. She told him to go to the nurse immediately and proceeded to call school and alert the nurse. The nurse called the paramedics and they were there in three minutes and worked on the boy all the way to the hospital. He came so close to dying. Evidently this is more common than has been previously ever known.

Check the expiration dates on packages like pancakes and cake mixes that have yeast which over time can develop spores. Apparently, the mold that forms in old mixes can be toxic! To be sure, throw away ALL OUTDATED pancake mixes, Bisquick, and brownie mixes etc. that you may have in your home.

Additional information from http://www.snopes.com/medicaltoxins/pancake.asp

It needs to be kept in mind there is nothing inherently toxic about pancake mix that passed its freshness date. The product’s getting old does not transform it into a poison nor does the growth of mold within the opened boxes of flapjack powder turn it into something that will fell all who ingest it. Only those who have allergies to mold are at risk, and even then, for the pancake mix to pose a hazard it has to contain mold spores, not just be over the hill.

For mold to gain access to a food product, the foodstuff has to be exposed to its spores. Pancake mix cocooned in an unbleached wax paper, plastic, or a foil pouch within its outer packaging wouldn’t have this contact and should still be safe no matter how old it gets. However, mix sold unpouched in cardboard boxes or paper sacks would likely be at risk even if the box or sack hadn’t previously been opened, because such packaging would not necessarily keep dampness out, and mold thrives in damp environments.

What does all this mean? If you don’t have a mold allergy, you needn’t fear your pancake mix; if you do have such a sensitivity, you shouldn’t keep your flapjack makings around for a few years after opening the box or pouch it came in. It’s not worth dying over 50¢ worth of pancake mix, so when in doubt, throw it out.

P. S. You might want to tell this to your children, grandchildren, nephews, nieces and anyone else who keeps these types of mixes in the cupboard.