A latest TikTok craze of eating deepfried toothpicks has prompted a warning that their safety as food has not been verified.
The tooth picks are made from sweet potatoes or food starch and not the less environmentally-friendly plastic versions.
The items are also made more edible by using seasoning such a powdered cheese.
The latest craze prompted a health warning from South Korea's food ministry which urged people not to eat fried toothpicks made of starch in a shape resembling curly fries, after the practice went viral in social media posts.
Video clips showing people consuming the deep-fried starch toothpicks with seasoning such as powdered cheese have racked up thousands of likes and shares on TikTok and Instagram.
"Their safety as food has not been verified," the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety said in a posting on Wednesday on social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter. "Please do not eat (them)."
Subscribe or register today to discover more from DonegalLive.ie
Buy the e-paper of the Donegal Democrat, Donegal People's Press, Donegal Post and Inish Times here for instant access to Donegal's premier news titles.
Keep up with the latest news from Donegal with our daily newsletter featuring the most important stories of the day delivered to your inbox every evening at 5pm.