Mainland netizens were shocked to see their ice cream sticks could “never melt” even by setting them ablaze or placing them in room temperature for more than an hour, while the manufacturer reassured the public safe consumption of its ice cream products.
The controversy was started by short videos on the internet, where netizens tried different ways to melt an ice cream stick, including heating it with a lighter or placing it in room temperature.
Yet, only the surface of the ice cream was burnt in netizens' lighter experiment. The ice cream didn't melt as well after it was left on the table at 31 degree Celsius for more than an hour.
The said ice cream sticks belong to a high-end brand Chicecream, also known as Zhong Xue Gao, on the mainland.
Many expressed concerns if the manufacturer adds to much food additive during production and is it safe to have an ice cream stick that “never melt.”
Last Saturday night, Chicecream published a post on Weibo and stressed “never-melting” ice cream products do not exist. The company continued that only little water is put into the formula and the ice cream is expected to become sticky and gluey, but not completely watery, as it melts.
“Ingredients in solid state can never turn in water no matter how they melt,” it also wrote on Weibo.
Chicecream on Wednesday morning released another statement to further explain that a food addictive called carrageenan is added into the ice cream for the form, which is why the ice cream can still keep its shape as it melts.
The statement also spelled out the weighing of major ingredients of its ice cream sticks and confirmed the production abides by the state's food safety regulation on addictive.
Chicream said heating or “sunbathing” its ice cream products is not a scientific way to determine the quality. Yet, it welcomed the public or media to launch formal investigation into the matter in a scientific manner and said the company will provide full assistance.
