South Korea Warns Against Deep-Fried Toothpicks, New Hard-To-Swallow Fad

Image generated on AI

South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has found itself in an unusually prickly situation and is cautioning the public against a peculiar and potentially hazardous dietary fad: the consumption of fried toothpicks. And you thought girl dinners were odd.

This unusual trend, which has been sizzling across social media platforms like TikTok and Instagram, features influencers, dubbed ‘Muknagers’, who have taken to deep-frying and eating biodegradable toothpicks made from corn or sweet potato starch.

These green-tinted toothpicks puff up when fried, bearing a striking resemblance to green curly fries, and have captured the imagination of viewers worldwide.

@babelfish.asia

Can I get some ketchup with my toothpick fries? 녹말이쑤시개 이쑤시개튀김 korea southkorea mukbang friedtoothpick starch

Advertisement

Advertisement

♬ Mc/Donald's - The Inertia King

However, the ministry has been quick to clarify that these non-wood-based toothpicks, despite their curious appearance, are not intended for consumption. In a statement released on X (formerly Twitter), the agency firmly stated, “This is not a product to eat!” highlighting that the safety of these toothpicks as food has not been established. 

Health officials are warning the public against a growing social media trend... eating deep fried toothpicks 🥴 The recipe includes frying toothpicks in oil to make them puffy, and then seasoning them.

Don't do this. Just don't. pic.twitter.com/nVmaDz18uU

— Breakfast Television (@breakfasttv) January 30, 2024

The fried toothpick craze appears to be an offshoot of the broader Mukbang phenomenon, where content creators film themselves consuming large quantities of food, often of an unconventional nature. In 2018, the South Korean government attempted to regulate Mukbang videos in a bid to curb binge eating and safeguard public health, though these efforts were met with considerable pushback from both creators and fans.

#녹말이쑤시개 먹는 제품이 아닙니다! ❌
녹말이쑤시개는 #위생용품 입니다!
위생용품은 성분·ì œì¡°ë°©ë²•·ìš©ë„에 대한 기준·ê·œê²©ì— 따라 안전성이 관리되고 있으나 #식품으로서 안전성은 검증된 ë°” 없습니다. #섭취하지마세요! ❌ pic.twitter.com/OPNMDc1ofq

— 식품의약품안전처 (@TheMFDS) January 24, 2024

[via TIME and USA Today, images via various sources]