Chinese ice cream brand 'Chicecream' doesn't melt even under fire
Jul 12, 2022
Beijing [China], July 12 : Chinese ice cream brand 'Chicecream' is under fire as it does not melt even under a blowtorch.
A viral video of expensive ice treats not seeming to melt when exposed to a lighter has been viewed 500 million times on the popular Chinese website Weibo, reported New York Post (NYP).
But is it a healthy food product- 'No'-- as the ingredient in question is carrageenans, a seaweed extract, that some studies have suggested causes health problems and perhaps even cancer.
However, the Chinese ice cream brand claimed in a statement released on Weibo, "The main components of the bay salt coconut-flavoured ice cream are milk, single cream, coconut pulp, condensed milk and milk powder. Forty per cent of this ice cream is solid materials."
The company has stated carrageenans are widely used in ice cream and beverages.
"The carrageenan gum helps the milk proteins maintain stability," they said.
Consumers still aren't completely convinced of how safe their basalt coconut ice cream actually is and why it's so expensive, reported NYT.
"They've added flame-retardants to the ice cream -- no wonder it costs that much," another social media comment read.
The footage sparked brouhaha online, prompting users to question the company's high prices and whether the products were overloaded with additives.
People who saw the post questioned what was in the USD 10 popsicle. Other videos that circulated showed the ice cream seeming to stay solid in an 88-degree room and under a blowtorch, reported NYP.
"What's it made out of that it can be that sturdy?" one person asked on social media, according to the DailyStar.
Dubbed the "Hermes of Ice Cream" due to its products' high prices, Shanghai-based Chicecream -- known as Zhong Xue Gao in Chinese -- has stated "that all of its products are in line with quality standards set by China's national authority.
Chicecream has promoted itself as a Chinese alternative to Western brands such as Magnum and Haagen-Dazs, using supposedly natural ingredients and locally-inspired product designs.
