- Chefs urge TikTokers to leave dangerous food trends to the professionals
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Everyday, Gen Z’s favourite social media platform TikTok offers up a new trend for its millions of users to follow – whether it be hilarious dances, how to build your own outdoor swimming pool, or cooking ‘hacks’ for users at home to follow.
But while some of these trends, such as whipped iced coffee and frozen honey, are virtually harmless, a growing number of amateur cooks are developing serious injuries as they try to keep up with the latest food fad – and professional chefs have warned some not to bite off more than they can chew.
From improper use of mandolins, burned fingers on boiling hot sugar, or one of the most bizarre – the not-at-all recommended practice of deep frying toothpicks – people’s kitchens are turning into warzones as they suffer what can be very serious injuries thanks to TikTok trends.
Of the 34 million clips uploaded daily on the platform, some of those popular food hacks have even caught the attention of government health officials who have been forced to issue official warnings against diving head first into dangerous trends.
Professional chefs urge that many trendy food hacks or seemingly delectable treats, are best left to the experts.
South Korea has asked the public not to consume the viral ‘deep fried toothpicks’ (pictured). Of the 34 million TikToks uploaded daily, some of those popular food hacks have caught the attention of government health officials who have been forced to issue official warnings against diving head first into dangerous trends
One creator making candied fruits. Just earlier this month, doctors at Shriners Children’s in Boston urged parents to avoid the food trend of making homemade candy fruit
Just earlier this month, doctors at Shriners Children’s in Boston in the US urged parents to avoid the food trend of making homemade candied fruit.
With nearly 25 per cent of TikTok users under 17, doctors urged families to watch out for the candied fruit trend – which is currently doing the rounds on the app.
The trend – which has 292.9 million posts on the app – involves making a mixture of sugar and water, boiling it till the sugar is crystallised, before dipping in different fruits to hard and give a crunchy sugary outer layer.
The Boston burns centre, Shriners, along with other burn treatment facilities in the US, have noticed an uptake in children being treated for severe burns as a result of spilled hot sugar.
According to CBS News, one young boy ended up suffering severe burns on his hand after spilling melted Jolly Ranchers while trying to make candied grapes.
The sugar-coated fruits which are known as tanghulu in Chinese, pose an even more serious risk than simply hot coffee or water since it can penetrate even further into the skin, resulting in more damage.
‘Molten candy is 350 degrees Fahrenheit (170C). And if you think about it, boiling water is 212 (100C), so once you get that temperature, it doesn’t take a long time to create a burn,’ said Dr. Ariel Aballay, the director of West Penn Hospital’s burn unit in Pennsylvania.
And candied fruit isn’t the only TikTok trend to spark concerns among experts.
Earlier this month, one TikToker nearly lost a finger after attempting a trend, initiated by one creator, Logan Moffit, who went viral for his unique and rapid method of slicing and seasoning a cucumber.
Some of Logan’s videos have reached more than 30 million views for his suave slicing skills that have a cucumber in pieces within seconds.
The method is simple but one which she be treated with caution. It involves rubbing a cucumber over a mandolin blade repeatedly to fetch a stack of thin slice which are then tossed in an array of seasonings.
One TikToker, Jackson Dean, who decided to try out his luck on the nifty cooking hack, has now gone viral after taking off more of his finger than the vegetable.
Jackson inevitably ended up going to A&E where he had the nasty gash bandaged up.
In a follow up video, he casually remarked that he: ‘just didn’t understand the dangers of that kitchen devilish tool’.
Earlier this month, one TikToker nearly lost a finger after attempting a trend, initiated by one creator, Logan Moffit, who went viral for his unique and rapid method of slicing and seasoning a cucumber
Dean Harper, professional chef and director at Harper Fine Dining, told FEMAIL he was concerned about the ‘pitfalls’ that home cooks can fall into.
‘Food trends can be exciting but often hide potential pitfalls for those not experienced in the kitchen.
‘Take molecular gastronomy, for example—it looks impressive, yet I’ve seen many enthusiastic home cooks mishandle equipment like blow torches, leading to a few singed eyebrows from poorly executed flambé attempts.’
Dean noted that kitchen accidents are commonplace when home cooks are ‘following trends blindly’.
‘For instance, using a Japanese mandolin requires caution; I remember one beginner who turned an easy cucumber salad into an emergency room visit thanks to a careless slip.
‘Chef-worthy burns, from cast iron skillets or hot oils, can transform a fun project into chaos faster than you think.’
He urged home testers to think about their level of skill before embarking on a potentially dangerous trend, making necessary recipe tweaks where necessary and following instructions from experienced chefs.
‘This method supports skill development while prioritising safety.
‘Knowledge and care should always take centre stage. Embrace creativity, but always keep your safety in mind,’ Dean warned.
As well as dangerous cooking methods, some TikTok stars promote dangerous eating habits, trialling foods that are not fit for human consumption.
One content creator, whose username is @henry.fit, tried eating dog food after noting that it was high in protein and therefore would boost his ‘gains’.
Henry purchased a bag of dog biscuits, pouring them into a bowl as though it were cereal, before taking a munch on the crispy ‘protein’ biscuits.
Unsurprisingly, he was appalled by the flavour of the meaty biscuits, only managing a mouthful before calling it quits on the strange experiment.
While chowing down on the dog food feast, Henry told himself to ‘think of the gains’, before being forced the throw the towel in.
While commenters were expectedly horrified, not everyone was entirely opposed to the meal for ‘the gains’ with one even suggesting it could be improved with seasoning.
‘Should’ve added a little lemon pepper or garlic parm,’ a user wrote with another said ‘the canned Merrick dog food just tastes like stew’.
One content creator, who’s username is @henry.fit, tried eating dog food after noting that it was high in protein and therefore would boost his ‘gains’
Henry purchased a bag of dog biscuits, pouring them into a bowl as though it were cereal, before taking a munch on the crispy ‘protein’ biscuits. Unsurprisingly, he was appalled by the flavour of the meaty biscuits, only managing a mouthful before calling it quits on the strange experiment
According to Healthline, while dog food isn’t strictly toxic, it should be avoided unless in ’emergency’ situations since it’s not designed for humans’ unique nutritional needs.
They warned: ‘Eating dog food may increase your risk of developing foodborne illness,’ with children particularly more at risk of developing such infections.
They also noted: ‘Additionally, dog food may contain vitamin K3, or menadione, which may be toxic to humans in higher doses.’
Last year, data revealed by nutrition app MyFitness Pal found that 86 per cent of Millennials and Gen Z in the UK use TikTok, while 61 per cent say they are influenced by or frequently adopt nutrition trends they see on the app.
Nima Safaei, executive chef and founder of 40 Dean Street and 64 Old Compton Street, told FEMAIL he was also concerned by some of the latest food trends on the platform.
He said while he loves seeing people experiment with cooking, people it is important to take note from professionals, and not unqualified individuals on TikTok.
He said: ‘It’s very concerning to see recipe videos showcasing techniques that no untrained adult, let alone a child, should attempt.
Just earlier this month, doctors at Shriners Children’s in Boston urged parents to avoid the food trend of making homemade candied fruit (pictured)
‘Without the right environment, proper tools, and adequate training, some culinary methods should be left to the professionals. Attempting these at home can be incredibly dangerous.’
‘The same applies to food trends, they’re often fleeting fads. A notable example is people recommending eating dog food as it apparently has a high source of protein – all I can say on this is yuck!’
Earlier this year, one TikToker, who goes by the username @jangguemmukbang filmed a now viral clip in which she deep fries bright green toothpicks.
The video went viral in South Korea where it was filmed, sparking a trend of users deep frying dental picks, with some polishing off the cosmetic dish with coating of thick cheese sauce.
The trend caught the attention of officials in the nation with South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety (MFDS) so concerned about the consumption of cosmetics that they posted a warning on Twitter, formerly known as X.
The MFDS insisted that the toothpicks are not meant to be eaten and are unsafe to consume.
‘Starch toothpicks are a hygiene product!’ read MFDS’s statement on X in Korean, which has been translated to English via Google Translate.
‘The safety of sanitary products is managed according to standards and specifications for ingredients, manufacturing methods, and uses, but their safety as food has not been verified. Do not consume.’
The trend appeared to have emerged from one experimental YouTuber who shared a video on the video site where they soaked and then deep fried the bathroom essentials, claiming they tasted like ‘fried rice cakes’.
While toothpicks in many Western countries, including the UK, are made of wood, those in South Korea are made of corn starch or sweet potato which, though food sounding, are not fit for consumption.