Skip to main content

Don't Choke: Doctors Ask for Hazard Labels on Food Products

Don't Choke: Doctors Ask for Hazard Labels on Food Products

Labels on Food Products May Stop Children from Choking

Choking incidents among children have decreased in recent decades due to warning signs on toys, but some doctors are urging for choking warning labels on food products as well. According to CNN, a recent study from researchers at The Ohio State University College of Medicine found safety labels on food may prevent injuries. The study examined emergency room visits involving choking incidents among children from 2001 to 2009, noting that an average of 34 children under the age of 15 were treated each day for food-related choking.

Some Food Products May Receive Hazard Warning Labels Dr. Gary Smith, co-author of the study and professor of pediatrics, told CNN that while there are regulations in place for toys to receive hazard warning labels, there are no rules in place for food, despite the prevalence of non-fatal incidents involving consumable products. Smith said certain hard foods were found to cause choking more often than others and sometimes required hospitalization.

"That's because hot dogs, nuts and seeds are hard to chew," Smith said. "The hot dog is the perfect size to block the airways in a young child, so that's why those are much more dangerous foods to give to a child."

Request your FREE instant quote today.