Teen, 13, tragically died after eating three packets of noodles in dangerous social media challenge

A teenager has died after eating a large amount of raw noodles as part of a viral social media challenge.

The boy, from the El Marg region of Cairo, Egypt, ate three packets of dry, instant ramen before experiencing severe abdominal symptoms just half an hour later.

After suffering from abdominal pain and vomiting, the teenager sadly passed away.

It was at first feared that the products could have been stored poorly, leading to them becoming spoiled; however after the noodles were tested and an autopsy conducted, it was found that the boy most likely died from acute bowel emergency, potentially an obstruction caused by eating too many of the raw noodles at once.

Despite the social media trend, eating raw noodles is particularly dangerous, due to the fact that they can expand within your gut.

The boy ate three packs of uncooked noodles (Getty Stock Photo)

Dr Ruchi Gupta told Pune Pulse: “Instant noodles are processed to be consumed after cooking. Eating them raw in large quantities can put serious strain on the digestive system.”

Although there are significant dangers associated with eating uncooked noodles, the 'Eat Ramen Raw' trend encourages people to eat dry noodles as part of an online challenge.

Experts are growing increasingly concerned that the trend normalizes and encourages young people to eat the uncooked noodles, bringing serious health risks.

Earlier this year, six people died after eating a popular ready-made pasta dish.

Noodles should always be prepared first (Getty Stock Photo)

In late September, Nate's Fine Foods expanded its recall of certain pre-cooked pasta meals, including fettuccine, linguine, and farfalle (bowtie), after a sample of linguine pasta tested positive for Listeria.

The company said in a press statement: "Nate's Fine Foods is committed to the highest standards of food safety and the well-being of our consumers. Out of an abundance of caution, we are voluntarily recalling select products after being notified of a potential link to a multistate outbreak of Listeria monocytogenes.

"We are in the process of committing our resources to continuing our previously impeccable food safety record by being diligent in our investigation.

"We are working closely with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and state health officials to fully investigate the source. Our top priority is ensuring the safety of the people who enjoy our products, and we will continue to take all appropriate steps until this matter is resolved."

It's believed the boy was taking part in a social media challenge (Getty Stock Photo)

Since the last CDC case count update on September 25, a total of seven new illnesses from three states have been reported, along with two additional deaths, according to the FDA.

It brings the total number of people infected up to 27, across 18 states. Of the 26 people with information available, 25 have been hospitalized, and six deaths have been reported.

One pregnancy-associated illness resulted in a fetal loss, the FDA adds.

You can read more about it here.

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