February 3rd is Setsubun.


It's not just hard beans that you need to be careful about choking hazards. You should also be careful about the ``ehomaki,'' which you bite into without saying a word.



We will provide information that will lead to safety and security so that everyone can enjoy Setsubun happily.

It wasn't just beans

At a press conference, Consumer Affairs Minister Jimi urged caution regarding Setsubun beans and ehomaki.

Minister of Consumer Affairs Jimi (January 23)


``In order to prevent choking accidents, especially the elderly and small children, please cut ehomaki into small pieces and chew them thoroughly before eating them. Please do not feed this to children under the age of 5 due to the risk of

Tip


: Do not feed hard beans and nuts to children under the age of 5, as there is a risk that they may get stuck in the throat or windpipe and cause suffocation, or small pieces may enter the respiratory tract and cause pneumonia.



・The rice in "Ehomaki" is also very sticky, so it can be dangerous if you cram too much into it at once and swallow it without chewing it properly. Be careful, as seaweed can absorb saliva and become difficult to swallow.

The Consumer Affairs Agency recommends that if you have weak chewing or swallowing power, cut your ehomaki into smaller pieces, chew your ehomaki thoroughly and eat slowly, and have people around you watch over you.

It wasn't just mochi either.

The Koriyama Regional Fire Department in Fukushima Prefecture is also urging people to be careful when eating ehomaki on its website and social media.

The results of an investigation into 191 people transported to the hospital due to choking while eating during the 10 years up to 2020 are also included.



The most common reason identified was ``Mochi'' (24 people), followed by ``Bread'' and ``rice porridge'', and ``Sushi/Onigiri'' was the fourth most common reason (10 people).



What should I do if I suffocate?



The fire department will call 119 and explain how to respond.

From Koriyama Regional Fire Union YouTube

1. Back slap method:


Use the palm of your hand to forcefully hit the area between the left and right shoulder blades on the back many times.



2. Abdominal thrust method


: If the food still cannot be removed, get behind the person who is choking and press the abdomen with your clenched fists. *Do not

do this


to pregnant women or infants.



3. If they do not respond to your calls, immediately perform cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Takeshi Yoshida, Fire Headquarters, Koriyama Regional Fire Union


: ``Eating ehomaki silently without talking is itself a high risk from a choking point of view.Each household should be careful when throwing beans or eho. I hope you enjoy rolling.”

To enjoy safely

What can we do to eat Ehomaki more safely?



Elderly people and people with disabilities who have weak chewing and swallowing power may find it difficult to eat commercially available ehomaki simply cut into small pieces.



We spoke to Miwa Otaka, a registered dietitian who runs a facility for children with disabilities.

・Increasingly, nursing care facilities are also serving ``occasional meals,'' with rice and other ingredients softened or made into a paste, in the same way as regular meals, depending on the level of chewing and swallowing ability. - Ehomaki is difficult to chew because the nori and other ingredients are difficult to bite into. For example

,



if you use nori, you can make holes to make it easier to bite into, or use chopped nori. - Instead of



nori, use a thinly baked egg. You may also wrap it in yororo kelp to make it easier to eat.

For example, the ``Ehomaki'' in the foreground is made with soft-cooked rice and finely chopped ingredients so that even people with weak chewing skills can easily eat it.



The seaweed is made by soaking chopped seaweed in hot water to make it easier to chew.

Seven types of ingredients are finely chopped for easy eating.

Miwa Otaka: `


`Some people may think that they can't eat ehomaki, but after consulting with an expert, you can enjoy ehomaki according to each type of food. If you find it difficult to bite into whole pieces, you can also serve them in ehomaki-style bowls.Even if you have a disability or are elderly, I want people to enjoy the joy of eating seasonal foods.''

Please enjoy ehomaki in your own meal style while paying attention to safety above all else.



By the way, this year's lucky direction is "east-northeast".