Why are South Korean influencers eating toothpicks? Viral social media trend explained amid rising concerns

Following the trend of starch-shaped fried toothpicks becoming popular on social media, the Food Ministry of South Korea issued a health advisory advising people not to consume the delicacy. Thousands of people have liked and shared videos on TikTok and Instagram that show individuals eating deep-fried starch toothpicks seasoned with powdered cheese.

It also mentioned how viral videos showed toothpicks—a type of hygiene product—being cooked in oil and consumed. Since sweet potato or corn starch is considered to be biodegradable and ecologically benign, food coloring is employed to give the toothpicks a green tint.

Now, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety stated on Wednesday, January 24, 2024, in a post on the social media site X and wrote:

"This is not a product to eat! The starch toothpick is #위생용품 ! The safety of sanitary products is managed according to standards and specifications for ingredients, manufacturing methods, and uses #식품으로서 , but their safety has not been verified. #섭취하지마세요 !" (translated to English via Google Translate)

CAUTION: These harmful yet biodegradable toothpicks contain an ingredient called sorbitol, which leads to vomiting, inflammation, and diarrhea if overconsumed. Consuming raw or cooked toothpicks may increase the risk of foodborne illness and other diseases.

---

The Health Ministry advises against South Koreans snacking on crispy toothpick fries

Specifically, a particular brand of green toothpicks that has been consumed in various ways seems to be the obsession of South Korean influencers.

In some of the most well-liked dishes, they are boiled and eaten like quick noodles, or they are fried and seasoned. Over 4.4 million people have viewed one of the most well-liked cooking videos with these toothpicks on YouTube clips, demonstrating how well-accepted the fad is.

Health officials are warning people against consuming deep-fried toothpicks in light of a trend that has become widespread on social media in South Korea. Nevertheless, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) claims that the toothpicks are dangerous to ingest and are not intended for human consumption.

The statement was released by the South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety following the widespread success of videos uploaded by users showing them seasoning and deep-frying starch toothpicks in a skillet before eating them.

A male influencer from South Korea was shown loading a tray with green toothpicks in one of the popular TikTok videos, which he then uploaded on his YouTube channel (@Du_man_).

After giving the toothpicks a quick soak in water, he put them in a skillet to fry until they took on the shape of a curly fry. He was seen devouring a dish of those starchy toothpicks as the film concluded.

The unusual nature and ecological concern of the movement drove its appeal. Since starch toothpicks are biodegradable and popular in South Korea, they appeal to people who care about the environment. However, worries over the safety of these vogue snacks were raised by possible toxins and unidentified ingredients.

SBS News reported that since this particular kind of toothpick is composed of carbohydrate starch, it is environmentally friendly, which is the reason for this preposterous phenomenon. On the other hand, the growing trend of eating these toothpicks has worried the CEO of the manufacturing business himself.

The toothpicks are produced with natural components to ensure speedy decomposition and prevent harm to animals if any stray animal manages to swallow them accidentally.

Nevertheless, the business has never regarded it as a food item for people, hence, no pertinent testing has been done to determine its safety for the intended use. The CEO issued a warning, saying that there is no information on the potential health effects of consuming significant amounts of these toothpicks.

---

In 2018, the South Korean government attempted to regulate such YouTube videos, clips, and parts of films in an effort to prevent them from encouraging strange food consumption and endangering public health.

Therefore, even if these toothpicks would not be harmful to the body if inadvertently eaten, this does not suggest that they are suitable for consumption as normal food. Specialists have stated that sorbitol, one of the primary chemicals in toothpicks, can induce symptoms such as diarrhea and vomiting when consumed in excess.