In 2008, the Journal of Clinical Microbiology reported on a curious and tragic case about a young man who died just hours after consuming his dinner. The case was recently thrust back into the spotlight and has quickly gone viral with millions of views.
A 20-year-old student from Belgium came home from school and reheated a bowl of spaghetti and tomato sauce in the microwave. The food had been sitting on the counter at room temperature for five days.
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After eating the bowl of pasta, the man, known as "AJ," went back outside to play sports.
Less than one hour later, AJ rushed home, experiencing severe nausea, cramps, and headaches. As he kept throwing up, he figured he'd been struck with food poisoning. Thinking he could sleep it off, AJ fell asleep after midnight.
But the next morning, AJ never woke up for class. His parents went into his room and found him lifeless. AJ had died in his sleep.
As it turned out, AJ suffered from a condition known as "fried rice syndrome." An autopsy later revealed that his liver had shut down.
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