Recently, a peculiar "delicacy" has attracted a lot of attention on Korean and global online platforms. Not sushi, not fried chicken, but a novelty food called "fried toothpick". The food quickly became popular on social platforms such as TikTok, receiving a large number of likes and shares, but it also raised concerns among food safety experts and consumers.
This food called "fried toothpick", as the name suggests, is mainly made of toothpicks. But this is not our common wooden or bamboo toothpick, but an eco-friendly degradable toothpick made of special materials. This toothpick is made by mixing a variety of raw materials such as starch, sorbitol, honey, glycerin, egg yolk and other ingredients in a certain proportion, and green edible coloring is specially added to give the toothpick a unique green color.
It's also fairly simple to make, just fry this green toothpick in a pan of oil. As the oil temperature increases, the toothpick begins to deform and twist, eventually becoming crispy and delicious. Once it's fried, it can be put into an inflatable bag and topped with a dipping sauce to instantly enhance the overall look. From the outside, this fried toothpick looks a bit like a smaller version of the rice rolls we used to eat on the street when we were kids, and it can't help but make people salivate.
However, despite its appealing appearance, food safety experts and consumers have expressed concerns about its safety. First of all, 0. is added to this toothpick5-1% sorbitol. Although sorbitol is harmless to humans in moderate amounts, excessive intake may lead to gastrointestinal problems such as diarrhea. Especially for children, their gastrointestinal system is more fragile and more susceptible to the effects of sorbitol.
Secondly, although this toothpick is made of biodegradable materials, its safety as a food has not been verified. During the frying process, some unknown chemical reactions may occur, which can pose a potential threat to human health. In addition, since toothpicks themselves are not food, there may be some hygiene and safety issues during their production and processing, which also increases the risk of consumption.
Despite this, this deep-fried toothpick still has attracted a lot of attention and discussion in South Korea as well as some other countries. Some see it as an innovative gastronomic attempt that reflects people's pursuit of environmental protection and sustainability; It is also believed that this is an irresponsible behavior that may cause harm to human health.
In the face of this controversy, the relevant units in South Korea also stood up and issued a message to remind the public: "The safety of toothpicks as food has not been verified, please do not eat toothpicks." This reminder is undoubtedly an important warning to consumers, reminding everyone to pay attention to food safety and health while pursuing novelty and excitement.
So, is this fried toothpick a safe and healthy food? As things stand, we can't give a definitive answer. But what is certain is that any food product needs to be rigorously tested and verified before being launched to ensure its safety and health. For this fried toothpick, although it looks delicious and delicious, we still need to be cautious and rational to avoid blindly following the trend and over-spending.
At the same time, we also hope that the relevant authorities can strengthen the supervision and management of these emerging foods to ensure that they meet the relevant food safety standards and regulations. Only in this way can we enjoy our food while protecting our health and safety.
In conclusion, although this fried toothpick is quite attractive in appearance, we still need to be vigilant about its safety and health. While pursuing novelty and excitement, we should also pay attention to the safety and health of food, and achieve rational consumption and scientific diet.