Middle School Cooking Class Incident: Students Hospitalized After Pizza Dough Contains Excessive Salt

Six middle school students were recently hospitalized after complaining of feeling unwell during a cooking class at a certain junior high school, having consumed pizza. It has since been revealed that the cause was the inclusion of "more than the prescribed amount of salt" in the pizza dough, which has sparked significant controversy on social media.

According to multiple media reports, including RKB Mainichi Broadcasting NEWS, the problematic pizza dough was prepared by students from a previous class for use by the subsequent class's cooking practical. A student from the earlier class was reportedly heard saying, "Even if it's a little more..." suggesting the possibility of intentional excessive addition of salt.

The hospitalized students stated that the "pizza was extremely salty," indicating that the amount of salt far exceeded a reasonable range. On social media, there has been a flood of astonished comments such as "It's unheard of for that much salt to cause hospitalization" and "Three tablespoons wouldn't do that," as well as harsh opinions like "Was it a prank?" and "This could amount to assault."

Furthermore, criticism has been leveled at irresponsible behavior, with comments like "Some people don't care because they aren't eating it themselves," and questions have been raised about the "relay-style" approach to cooking classes. Excessive sodium intake can lead to acute sodium poisoning, with some pointing out the life-threatening risk, especially for students with compromised kidney function.

This incident is more than just a simple cooking error; it has highlighted a lack of responsibility when handling food and underscored the importance of coordination among students and proper supervision. It serves as a stark reminder of how crucial it is to adhere strictly to recipes and to show consideration for what others consume.

The Context

In Japan, junior high schools (中学校 - Chūgakkō) typically educate students aged 12-15. Home economics classes, which include practical cooking sessions (調理実習 - Chōri Jisshū), are a standard part of the curriculum, emphasizing essential life skills. The "relay-style" (リレー方式 - Relay Hōshiki) cooking method mentioned in the article refers to a practice where different groups or classes sequentially prepare various components of a dish, or even the entire meal, passing it on to the next group for completion or consumption. While intended to foster efficiency or division of labor, this approach can lead to issues if accountability or clear communication is lacking between groups. "SNS" is the common term used in Japan for social media platforms. RKB Mainichi Broadcasting is a regional Japanese television station. The strong reaction to the incident on social media reflects the unusual severity of the symptoms from a single meal, prompting suspicions of intentional action rather than just a simple mistake.