A luxury Chinese ice cream company has faced severe criticism following the widespread circulation of a video showing its expensive ice cream seemingly not melting when exposed to heat sources. In the video, which has garnered over 500 million views on the popular Chinese website Weibo, a person holds a lighter near the high-priced ice cream, which appears to remain intact, according to the South China Morning Post.
The company stirred controversy earlier this week after revealing that its products do not melt at high temperatures or when exposed to fire, raising questions about the ingredients in its offerings. Videos shared by internet users showed the ice cream not melting when one user attempted to burn a portion with a lighter, and the report noted that smoke appeared in the video after the ice cream contacted the fire, releasing the smell of burnt food.
Moreover, in another clip, the ice cream remained sticky instead of melting into liquid as regular ice cream would when placed in a room with a temperature of 31 degrees Celsius for over 50 minutes. Internet users began to wonder about the contents of this ice cream, named Chicecream, which has been dubbed the "Hermès of Ice Cream" by many in Shanghai, in reference to the French luxury goods company, due to the high prices of its products, with some flavors from the first release selling for 70 yuan (approximately $10.50) or more.
Officials at Zhong Xue Gao, based in Shanghai, stated that "all of its products conform to the quality standards set by the Chinese national authority," according to the South China Morning Post. In a statement released on Weibo, the company claimed, "The main ingredients of the coconut-flavored ice cream are milk, cream, coconut flesh, condensed milk, and milk powder, with 40% of this ice cream consisting of solids."
They noted that they added 0.032g of carrageenan, a seaweed extract, to each 78g ice cream product, which complies with national regulations. Some studies have indicated that carrageenan can cause health problems and potentially cancer, although the presence of cancer risk associated with carrageenan is described as "controversial." The manufacturer indicated that carrageenan is widely used in ice cream and beverages, stating that "carrageenan gum helps milk proteins maintain stability." Consumers, however, remain unconvinced about the actual safety of the ice cream and why it is priced so high.
