Overview

• A 13-year-old boy in Cairo reportedly ate three packets of uncooked instant noodles, became ill within about 30 minutes with severe abdominal pain, sweating and vomiting, and died shortly after.
• Police initially treated the case as suspected poisoning and questioned the shopkeeper, but product testing and an autopsy reportedly found no evidence of toxic contamination.
• Local media cite medical findings indicating the likely cause was acute intestinal problems or digestive obstruction associated with consuming a large quantity of dry noodles.
• The incident is being discussed in the context of the ‘Eat Ramen Raw’ social-media trend, which has popularized eating instant noodles uncooked among younger users.
• Public-health messages highlighted risks such as dehydration and intestinal blockages from eating noodles dry, alongside broader concerns about high sodium and processed-food consumption.