advertisement

Follow Mint Lounge

Latest Issue

Home > Food> Discover > South Korea warns against the weird viral trend of fried toothpicks

South Korea warns against the weird viral trend of fried toothpicks

South Korea's food and drug safety authorities have issued warnings regarding the consumption of the dish, fried green toothpick, which went viral following a social media trend

Fried green toothpicks in Busan, South Korea,
Fried green toothpicks in Busan, South Korea, (Photo by b_chuchu_ / @hee_2458 via X/via)

A health warning from South Korea's food ministry has urged people not to eat fried toothpicks made of starch in a shape resembling curly fries, after the practice went viral in social media posts.

Video clips showing people consuming the deep-fried starch toothpicks with seasoning such as powdered cheese have racked up thousands of likes and shares on TikTok and Instagram.

"Their safety as food has not been verified," the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said in a posting on Wednesday on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. "Please do not eat (them)."

Videos of the toothpicks, a sanitary product, being fried in oil and eaten were going viral, it added.

Food colouring is used to impart a green hue to the toothpicks, made from sweet potato or corn starch, which are seen as being environmentally friendly and biodegradable.

Often used in restaurants in South Korea, they can also be used to pick up finger foods.

Online eating shows, called "Mukbang", which often show people eating an excessive amount of food or unusual dishes, are popular in South Korea.

"It's very crispy," one TikTok user said in a video, while crunching up fried toothpicks.

Also read | How small food businesses adapt to ‘going viral’

 

Next Story