Ice Cream That Stays Solid Even After Being Torched Causes Online Meltdown
Image via Zhong Xue Gao
Premium ice cream doesn’t melt as quickly as it contains more fat, creating a mouthfeel that’s richer since there aren’t as many filler ice crystals. It turns out, however, that there can be too much of a good thing.
Things are heating up on Chinese social media, and it’s all over the frozen treat. A luxury ice cream brand called Zhong Xue Gao—dubbed by the public as the “Hermès of ice cream,” as per South China Morning Post—has been the subject of disbelief no thanks to a viral video of a bay salt coconut-flavored popsicle that appeared to stay solid even after enduring 31°C (87.8°F) heat for nearly an hour.
Spotlight on China: China's ice cream doesn't melt after sitting hour at 31 ºC (88 ºF), raising concerns about food safety pic.twitter.com/qNebZIOU5t
— cherrycat (@cherryfatcat) July 5, 2022
Instead of melting, the ice cream thickened, prompting internet users to demand an inquiry into the contents of the product. The footage has been viewed more than 500 million times on the Chinese social network Weibo.
The ice cream was further put to the test by another customer, who attempted to burn some of it using a lighter. The dessert began smoking before emitting a burnt smell, according to China New Service. In spite of this, it still did not melt.
Video via China News Weekly / Weibo
And sure, people have been screaming for ice cream for generations but this was different. Chinese news outlets now report that the Shanghai Market Supervision and Management Bureau is now investigating the ever-frozen dessert.
The brand’s ice creams are pretty pricy for their category in China, and go for anywhere between 20 yuan (US$3) and 70 yuan (US$10.50) a pop.
Taking to its official social media account, Zhong Xue Gao reassured consumers that its products uphold China’s food quality guidelines to a high standard.
“The main components of the bay salt coconut-flavored ice cream are milk, single cream, coconut pulp, condensed milk, and milk powder,” it claimed. It added that the ice cream uses a small amount of emulsifier that’s within the safe range.
[via South China Morning Post and Global Times, cover image via Zhong Xue Gao]
