Man claims mouth 'filled with blood' after trying Dragon Breath at Haywood Mall

Daniel J. Gross | The Greenville News

Show Caption Hide Caption video-1534262061 An Anderson County man claims his mouth was injured after trying the liquid nitrogen-infused cereal Dragon Breath at Haywood Mall.

An Anderson County man is suing Haywood Mall in Greenville after he says he was injured while trying a popular liquid nitrogen-infused treat called Dragon Breath.

Russell Lane Mattison Jr. states that after trying several bites of the cereal at the Haywood Mall kiosk, he experienced "sudden and intense pain" and discovered his mouth was "filled with blood," according to a civil lawsuit filed in Greenville County on June 5.

For the next three to four weeks, Mattison had difficulty eating and drinking anything based on the mouth sore on the inside of his cheek.

"After the first two hours, I started getting some excruciating pain. Even drinking water, it was like pouring acid on it," Mattison told The Greenville News on Tuesday.

The lawsuit alleges Mattison tried the treat April 29 while taking a video of himself blowing vapors through his nose and mouth; vapors emit from the cereal because it is soaked in liquid nitrogen.

After the injury, Mattison and his wife got a refund from the kiosk since it was believed that his cereal was soaked too long before it was served, he said.

Mattison sought medical treatment from health professionals who verified that the injury was the result of a burn from the food, the suit states.

An office visit note from AnMed Health Medical Center states that Mattison suffered an "ulceration of right buccal surface with bloody ooze from right wound edge at base of ulcer from 'Dragon's breath' liquid nitrogen soaked cereal."

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The suit also states that there were no written warnings at the Dragon Breath kiosk that alerted consumers that the food was potentially dangerous.

"My main goal is to get the word out. I don’t want anyone else getting hurt from it," Mattison said. "I couldn’t imagine that happening to my son, my 4-year-old."

The suit names the Haywood Mall, the mall manager, the mall's property owner, Dragon Breath business owner and two other people as defendants.

As a result, Mattison suffered physical pain, weight loss and mental anguish, according to the lawsuit.

Mattison is seeking a judgment against the defendants for actual and punitive damages.

Helena Jedziniak, a Greenville attorney representing Mattison in the suit, declined to comment.

A representative for Haywood Mall's property owner, Simon Property Group, declined to comment. A representative for Dragon Breath could not be reached for comment.

The lawsuit is pending.

Mattison said the Dragon Breath kiosk should be shut down.

"There’s nothing OK with having something dangerous like that for personal gain," he said.