South Korea’s food and drug safety ministry has appealed to the public not to eat fried toothpicks after viral videos on social media promoting the unusual practice.

The official warning, which has since been reported across major news channels, was issued after a series of short films appeared on TikTok, Instagram and YouTube showcasing various ways to cook green cornstarch toothpicks.

The footage has shown toothpicks being fried in pans, seasoned with powdered cheese, smothered in sauce and mixed with instant noodles, with some posts garnering more than 4 million views.

Although the toothpicks are made from sweet potato or corn starch and shaded green by food colouring, the ministry cautioned that their safety as a food product had not been verified.

“Please do not eat (them),” it said in a post on X, formerly known as Twitter.

Officials described the biodegradable products as hygiene items, similar to cups and straws, and not subject to the same safety regulations as food.

The potential health risks do not appear to have deterred content creators. 

“It’s very crispy,” said one TikTok user after frying the toothpicks.

Another online comment read: “I feel like I shouldn’t eat them, but they look delicious,” reported the Straits Times.

The Korean authorities have previously issued warnings over the social media trend of “Mukbang”, which features people eating unusual dishes or excessive amounts of food.

The government has previously expressed concern that such videos could encourage obesity.