Family of nine die after eating noodles that had been frozen for a year

Health officials in China have released a public warning after nine members of the same family have died after eating a dish containing noodles that had been kept in a freezer for a year.

As reported by 7News, the tragedy occurred when the family - from Jixi city, Northeast China’s Heilongjiang province - consumed a fermented thick noodle dish called Suantangzi.

The meal is regarded as a delicacy in China and contains thick noodles made from fermented cornflour

Twelve members of the family sat down to consume the meal for breakfast on October 5, the Daily Mail reports. But just hours later, nine of them fell seriously ill with food poisoning.

Three members of the family - all children - survived after they refused to eat the meal because they didn’t like the taste.

ChinaDaily US reports that by October 11, eight members of the family had died.

The ninth death was that of a 47-year-old woman surnamed Li, who passed away on Monday despite receiving treatment in hospital.

As a result of the tragedy, the Chinese Health Commission issued a national warning on Monday (October 19), urging people not to prepare or eat food made from fermented flour.

According to China’s National Health Commission: "A high concentration of bongkrekic acid, a respiratory toxin produced by the bacterium pseudomonas cocovenenans, was detected in the noodles as well as the gastric fluid of those who became ill."

Fan Zhihong, an associate professor of China's Agricultural University, told the Beijing News, that bongkrekic acid is the main cause of poisoning from fermented flour and rice products and is extremely toxic.

It is also resistant to high temperatures, and cannot be removed even if the meal is cooked thoroughly.

China Daily reports that eating food contaminated with bongkrekic acid can result in poisoning for both humans and animals and can be fatal, carrying a death rate as high as 40-100%.