How Dangerous Is the New ‘Tanghulu’,’Glass Fruit’ Trend on TikTok?

tanghulu TikTok trend tiktok safety

By Danielle Ong , Parent Herald Sep 06, 04:37 am

Photo: (Photo : Popo le Chien / Wikimedia Commons)

TikTok has influenced many viral trends since it launched. But while some trends are fun, there are others that could be dangerous.

One of the latest trends that could put people at risk is the making of tanghulu---a sweet treat also known as candied or glass fruit.

Explaining the Tanghulu Trend

Tanghulu, or "glass fruit," is a traditional Chinese snack popular in Asia. This snack is made by coating fruits with a hard sugar syrup. After it cools, the coating cracks when bitten.

Traditional Tanghulu recipes use hawthorn berries. These fruits have a strong sour flavor.

Modern recipes, including those posted on TikTok, use other fruits. Common fruits used include grapes and strawberries.

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Why Is Tanghulu Dangerous?

To achieve that glossy sugar coating, recipes instruct viewers to dissolve sugar in water to extreme temperatures of at least 300 degrees Fahrenheit. Without careful handling, the sugar syrup can easily cause severe burns, particularly among children and teenagers.

Sugar has sticky properties that allow it to cling to skin and other surfaces. This property means sugar syrup would have more time to do damage when it comes into contact with surfaces.

Shriners Children's Boston sounded the alarm in a press release. Health officials said they have seen an increase in severe burns in children after the Tanghulu trend went viral.

Many of the burns in children were caused by spilled hot sugar, the health officials said.

"When sugar is melted in the microwave like this, it has a high heat capacity, meaning it stores the heat energy," Dr. Ryan said. "If spilled, it can create a severe scald burn, much like spilling hot soup, but it can cause a much deeper burn because of sugar's properties."

The health officials also warned against potential burns if the sugar syrup is ingested. Hot sugar syrup can cause serious injuries to the mouth, tongue, and throat.

Recipes for the treat require Tanghulu to be dipped in an ice bath after the fruits are coated. The syrup will harden once cooled, but the fruit inside could still be scalding. Eating it immediately after an ice bath can cause burns.

Moreover, doctors said some people suffered burns from melted plastic containers and shattered glass containers used to melt the sugar.