<Anchor>
A famous Chinese ice cream product, which does not melt well even at high temperatures and even when brought to fire, has been embroiled in controversy over safety.
The manufacturer said that it meets the safety standards and started to evolve, but the controversy does not subside.
This is Reporter Junmo Moon.
<Reporter> The
controversy began on Weibo, a Chinese social media site.
A netizen posted an article and a video saying that the ice cream sold by Zhongxuegao, a Chinese ice cream company, does not melt even after an hour at a high temperature of 31 degrees.
Then another netizen posted a video of setting the ice cream on fire with a lighter and a torch, but it did not melt for a while, except for a dark brown color.
Netizens raised suspicions, saying, "I put special chemical additives so that they do not dissolve easily" and "Is the product with these additives safe for the human body?"
As the controversy spread, Xuegao Zhong clarified, "I added a 'viscosity enhancer' to prevent it from melting easily, but it meets the national food safety standards."
But the doubts did not fade.
In an Internet poll, when asked whether they would eat this ice cream, 45% answered 'I'm worried that it will affect my health'.
People's Daily, the official newspaper of the Communist Party of China, also commented, "Safety of food is the most important thing, and practical verification is necessary to completely quell public suspicion."
Founded in 2018, Zhongxuegao has solidified its position as a luxury brand by releasing expensive ice creams exceeding 30,000 won in Korean money.
However, it is expected that the brand image will suffer considerable damage as it is engulfed in safety controversy.