After Kiki challenge that took over the internet last week, a new, equally destructive fad known as the Dragon’s Breath challenge has been catching teenage fancy on the internet. The challenge is named after Dragon’s Breath, a dessert coated with liquid nitrogen that emanates vapours resembling smoke. It has become increasingly trendy for kids to pop these meringue snacks in their mouths and blow the smoke out of their nose like a dragon, giving parents something new to worry about. The trend has raised concerns about its safety since liquid nitrogen is a powerful chemical, which cannot be trifled with. After Kiki Challenge, this is the latest among the dangerous internet trends that teens have been following without a thought.

Here are some of the videos of teens performing the Dragon's Breath challenge:

I told you I was a dragon. 🐉 #dragonbreath #dragon #nosmoking #newfriends #Repost @atticusperry1 ・・・ Downtime with the a+f crew at The Chocolate Chair. #dragonsbreath

A post shared by Quinne Daniels (@quinneforreal) on

#dragonsbreath for the first time 😂

A post shared by Jessalyn Grace (@_jessalyngrace_) on

What is Liquid Nitrogen?

Liquid nitrogen is a chemical that has been used increasingly in the cuisines these days, mainly in molecular gastronomy. It has the ability to freeze food or drinks instantly and to create a wispy smoke-like vapour when it’s exposed to air. Many restaurants have been using the chemical in their cuisines, allowing them to play with the texture of food and create theatrics with the smoke.

The chemical is actually a gas, but at an extremely low temperature, it is in the liquid state. However, it is a dangerous chemical and needs to be used with utmost caution.

Is It Safe?

The Dragon’s Breath Challenge has been spreading on social media, especially among teenagers who have been posting videos of them performing the challenge. One US mother Racheal Richard McKenny alleged that the challenge led to her son Johnny’s hospitalisation and could have even killed him. The boy who had been suffering from a mild form of asthma started wheezing and struggling for breath. The family had to rush the child to the hospital immediately.

But this is not the first dragon’s breath-related complication. In 2017, a girl severely burnt her hand while trying to eat the dessert. And in 2012, a teenager had to have a part of a stomach removed after she drank a cocktail infused with liquid nitrogen.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Aug 02, 2018 02:21 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).