When going out for dinner at an upscale restaurant, most diners don’t expect the food to be a safety hazard.
According to one New York woman, that’s the situation she found herself in after ordering a mango dessert at a Chinese restaurant and discovering there was dry ice inside.
TikTok creator Anastasia (@bbanastasia_) posted a short video of the dessert from the restaurant where the incident happened, along with an on-screen explanation.
“If you think you’re having a bad day, yesterday I had a mango dessert on dry ice,” she wrote. “Somehow a piece slipped into the dessert and I accidentally took a full bite and swallowed it.”
She continues, “I started panicking and when I told the waiter, instead of calming me down, he told me it was gonna explode my organs.” Her clip has garnered over 1.6 million views at the time of writing.
In a follow-up video, Anastasia shared a more detailed storytime video of what happened.
How Did This Happen?
She clarifies that this was a more upscale Chinese restaurant with locations around the world. “This was a very nice place,” she said.
She says the group ordered a mango pomelo dessert served in a cup placed over a smoky presentation effect. Although they suspected the effect came from dry ice, she says staff never warned them about it.
While eating, she suddenly bit into something that caused immediate pain.
“I bite into something and my mouth… I can’t even explain the feeling properly, but it starts burning,” she says. “It was burning so bad, and my teeth went numb.” She says she spat it out immediately.
After calling over a server, she says he confirmed it was dry ice and checked her dessert, where he found large pieces submerged in the liquid.
She says she panicked after realizing she had swallowed part of it, and the server’s reaction only made it worse.
According to Anastasia, the restaurant never followed up after the incident and still charged the group for the entirety of the meal.
Commenters Urge Her To Take Legal Action
Viewers in the comments section shared their own dry ice experiences and urged Anastasia to seek compensation.
“I actually think you can sue for that if it hurts you… it’s like a liability thing,” one user wrote.
“And you didn’t sue or have your meal compensated?” asked another.
“If that’s true WHY DO THEY SERVE IT IN THE FIRST PLACE,” exclaimed a third.
A few commenters shared their experiences with dry ice. “This happened to me as a kid at a birthday party and I got so sick, 103° fever and couldn’t stop throwing up,” one shared. “Good luck!”
Is It Actually Dangerous To Swallow Dry Ice?
According to experts, dry ice can be dangerous if handled improperly.
CO2 Meter explained that dry ice is the solid form of carbon dioxide, and it’s called “dry” because it doesn’t melt like regular ice. Instead, it transforms directly from a solid into a gas.
Penguin Dry Ice, a dry ice retailer, wrote in a blog post that consuming the substance is even more dangerous than handling it. The site explains that dry ice can burn the mouth, esophagus, and stomach as it travels through the body.
Additionally, the buildup of pressure could rupture the stomach, which can be life-threatening.
Since Anastasia said she didn’t develop serious symptoms afterward, the amount she swallowed may have been small. Still, experts generally recommend seeking medical attention immediately after accidentally ingesting dry ice.
@bbnastasia_ I cannot make this up #dryicesurvivor #nycdining #nycrestaurant
BroBible has reached out to @bbnastasia_ via email to request a comment and more information.