For a lot of people, pancake mix is one of those items that seems to sit in the pantry forever before it’s eventually used up. However, letting your box of pancake mix sit for too long can kill you, according to reports in two medical journals.
The first report, published in the American Journal of Forensic Medical Pathology, chronicles the death of a 19-year-old man after eating just two pancakes. An autopsy revealed he died from anaphylaxis brought on by a mold allergy. A subsequent test of the expired pancake mix revealed it contained a high concentration of mold.
Anaphylaxis was also the culprit in the case of a 52-year-old woman who almost died after making pancakes, the Annals of Allergy and Asthma reports. Apparently, the mix was contaminated with dust mites, which the woman inadvertently inhaled while making breakfast.