[240130] “한국에선 이쑤시개 튀겨 먹는다” 해외 토픽 보도

[윤희영의 News English] “한국에선 이쑤시개 튀겨 먹는다” 해외 토픽 보도

“Korean people eat fried toothpicks.” Foreign media reported.

 

 

요 며칠 새 한국 관련 외신 중 북한의 잇단 미사일 발사만큼이나 관심을 모은 기사가 있었다. 크기는 미사일과 비교가 안 되지만 모양새는 비슷한 이쑤시개를 요리해 먹는다는 내용이었다. 최근 한국에서 초록색 녹말 이쑤시개를 튀기거나 삶아 먹는 ‘먹방’ 영상이 인기를 끌면서 건강상 안전 우려가 제기되고 있다는 해외 토픽성 보도였다. 실제로 유튜브 등에서 ‘녹말 이쑤시개 튀김’을 검색하면 수많은 동영상이 뜬다. 이쑤시개를 식용유에 튀겨 소금과 후추로 간을 하거나 들기름이나 초고추장을 발라 먹기도 하고, 녹인 치즈나 핫소스에 찍어 맛보기도 한다. 튀김이 인기를 모으자 끓는 물에 삶아 컵라면처럼 만들거나 탕후루로 조리해 먹는 영상까지 등장했다.

In the last few days, there was an article regarding Korean issues from the foreign media which garners our attention. The article described that Korean cook this stuff which is incomparable in size to missiles, but the shape of it is similar to the missiles and cook for eating. Recently, as Mukbang videos are getting attention, foreign media began reporting to raise concerns about health safety as one of the topics abroad. Actually, when we search for ‘fried toothpicks’ on the YouTube, numerous contents appear. You can eat it by deep-fried toothpicks in cooking oil and seasoning with salt and pepper and spreading perilla oil or red pepper paste with vinegar, or someone dip them in melted cheese or hot sauce. As gaining popularity to the public, even videos of people, boiling it in the port such as cup noodle or making it with Tanghulu and eating it, appeared.

 

 

문제는 녹말 이쑤시개가 옥수수·감자 전분으로 만들어지기는 하지만, 식품이 아니라 위생용품이라는 사실이다. 식품위생법이 아닌 일회용컵·빨대 등과 같은 위생용품 관리 기준에 따르기 때문에 인체에 어떤 악영향을 유발할지 알 수 없다. 게다가 입안 온도보다 훨씬 뜨거운 열을 받게 되면 이쑤시개에 녹색을 입히는 식용 색소 등 여러 화학 성분이 예기치 못한 반응을 일으켜 유독 물질을 생성할 수도 있다. 급기야 식품의약품안전처는 최근의 기이한 유행에 대해 경고를 하고 나섰다. “어린이·청소년 사이에 급속히 퍼지고 있어 주의가 필요하다”며 “건강상 안전성이 검증된 바 없어 바람직하지 않다”고 지적했다.

The problem is that even though the starch toothpicks are made of corn-potato starch, it is essentially hygiene product, not food. Because it follows sanitary product management standard such as disposable cup, straw, rather than the Food Sanitation Act, we have no idea what adverse effects it may cause to the human body. Additionally, when the toothpicks are exposed to heat much higher than the temperature of the mouth various chemical components, such as food coloring to impart a green hue to toothpicks, might cause unexpected reactions, so that it may create any toxic substances. Also, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety issued a warning the recent weird trend. “Eating toothpicks have gone viral among the children and the youth, people should take care of it,” added “Their safety as food has not been verified ever, so that eating toothpicks is not recommended.”

 

 

이쑤시개는 일찍이 고대 문명 때부터 사용돼 왔다. 멸종한 고생 인류 네안데르탈인 화석에서도 사용 흔적이 발견됐다는 연구 보고도 있다. 17세기엔 은 등 귀금속으로 만들어 보석 장신구처럼 쓰이기도 하다가 19세기 들어 미국에서 일회용으로 대량생산 되기 시작했다. 그 전후로 신분의 상징이 되기도 했다. 호텔이나 고급 레스토랑 앞에서 이쑤시개를 입에 물고 잘근잘근 씹고 있는 모습을 보이는 것이 부와 권력을 가진 특권층임을 과시하는 수단인 시절도 있었다고 한다.

Toothpicks have been used since ancient civilization period. There is also a research report that traces of use were found in fossils of extinct paleo-human Neanderthals. In the 17th century, it was made of precious metals such as silver and used as jewelry, but in the 19th century, it began to be mass-produced for disposable purposes in the United States. Before and after that, it also emerged as a status symbol. There was a time when showing off chewing toothpicks in their mouths in front of a hotel or luxury restaurant was a way to show off the privileged class with wealth and power.

 

---

[Reference]:

https://www.chosun.com/opinion/specialist_column/2024/01/30/I63NSE7BQVGTBIXPEZPWTCNIKA/

---

[영문 참고자료 사이트]

☞ https://time.com/6588422/eating-toothpicks-viral-trend-south-korea/

☞ https://www.reuters.com/world/asia-pacific/south-korea-warns-against-social-media-trend-eating-fried-toothpicks-2024-01-25/

☞ https://www.foxnews.com/world/south-korea-warns-eating-fried-toothpicks-trend-viral

☞ https://www.wionews.com/world/dont-eat-fried-toothpicks-south-korea-warns-citizens-against-weird-social-media-trend-683695

---

 

(successive missile launches)

(garner attention)

(be incomparable in size to missiles)

(starch toothpick)

(raise concerns about health safety)

(fried toothpicks)

(deep-fry toothpicks in cooking oil)

(season with salt and pepper)

(spread perilla oil or red pepper paste with vinegar)

(dip them in melted cheese or hot sauce)

(gain popularity)

(be made from corn·potato starch)(made of)

(hygiene product)

(disposable cup·straw)

(adverse effects)

(food coloring to impart a green hue to toothpicks)

(unexpected reactions)

(toxic substances)

(warn against the recent weird trend)

(has not been verified)

(be not recommended)

(fossils of extinct paleo-human Neanderthals)

(be mass-produced)

(emerge as a status symbol)

(sport chewing toothpicks in their mouths)

(show off the privileged class with wealth and power)