Woman Dies After Drowning in a Vat of Sunflower Seeds in a North Dakota Farm

Daily Mail reports that an unnamed 56-year-old woman died on Wednesday evening after drowning inside a massive vat full of sunflower seeds at her workplace in Glinz Farm near Pingree in south-central North Dakota.

Sources say she was wearing a harness; however, it was not attached to anything at the time. According to local media, she lost her footing and fell into the large container, entirely buried by the seeds.

The county sheriff, Chad Kaiser, said other workers attempted to save her and that his officers were called to the scene at around 6:00 in the evening. Together with the farmworkers, the officials drilled holes into the side of the bin in an attempt to free her.

The fire brigade and rescue crews also arrived and helped in drilling holes on the vat. Eventually, they were able to free the woman, and medics performed CPR on her. Unfortunately, shortly after she was recovered from the vat, she passed away.

Sunflowers are a valuable crop in a lot of states in the US. Some of these states that primarily harvest sunflower seeds are Minnesota, Dakotas, Kansas, Nebraska, Colorado, Texas, and California. Among these states, North Dakota is known to produce more sunflowers than any other state.

Stutsman County, where the farm is located, is the headquarters of the sunflower industry in the US. Furthermore, it produces more sunflowers than any other county in North Dakota.

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Sunflower Seeds as Choking Hazards

An article from the New York Times describes a 2008 study that reveals the ten foods that pose the highest choking hazards for young children. Included in the list are sunflower seeds along with hot dogs, peanuts, carrots, candy, boned chicken, meat, popcorn, fish with bones, and apples.

Experts say that eating lots of sunflower seed shells has been known to cause constipation, which can, later on, result in a painful blockage. Additionally, the shells' sharp edges can cause tears in the esophagus or other organs along the digestive tract. Due to this reason, it is important to remove the sunflower seeds' shell.

Furthermore, the American Academy of Pediatrics advises not to give any child under four sunflower seeds. Small toddlers and kids cannot separate the seed from the shell in their mouth, which could lead to them choking.

Although it may seem harmless to offer a child a seed or two, things could go tremendously wrong and lead to disastrous consequences. Experts advise making tasty dishes with sunflower butter, instead.

Grains for Gains

Even though sunflower seeds can be hazardous, they could aid with muscle building and strength when consumed the right way.

According to Foothills Sports Medicine Physical Therapy, 23 grams of sunflower seeds per serving could contribute to building muscle. Additionally, the seeds garner extra health points since they are known to be low in cholesterol and sodium.

Maxine Yeung, a registered dietitian, also told Time magazine that the seeds are packed with vitamins, minerals, and strong anti-inflammatory properties that could reduce the risk of heart disease.

Furthermore, it also contains folate, which is crucial in DNA synthesis, phosphorus, which promotes bone health, and vitamin B6, which is helpful for cognitive development and function.