WITH eye-catching packaging and unusual appearances, some Internet-famous foods have been enjoying popularity among young people. However, the potential safety risks of such hot-selling novelty foods should not be ignored, the Shenzhen Evening News reported. A beverage with packaging that looks like an IV bag, which has gone viral on a short-video sharing platform, has been found for sale at a restaurant in Futian District, according to the News. The beverage, called “magic potion,” has packaging very similar to the IV bags at a hospital. It is served with a set of items, including an IV bag hanger, IV tubes and a flow regulator. However, there is no label on the packaging, such as the name of the contents or the date of production, the reporter with the News found. A staffer with the restaurant told the reporter that the drink is selling like hot cakes, and the hanging bags can be filled with wine or other drinks. Each bag can be used only once. The reporter subsequently found that this kind of drink is also available on an e-commerce platform, with a price ranging from 3 yuan (US$0.42) to 100 yuan. “It’s cool to eat a big meal with an ‘IV bag,’” a woman surnamed Chen told the reporter. She spent 33 yuan on the novelty drink. However, more than a few citizens have expressed concerns about children seeing beverages packaged like medical treatments, thinking they might confuse the IV bags for beverages in the future. Zhu Danpeng, an analyst in China’s food industry, told the News that the drink caters to consumers’ demand for fresh and special tastes, but it may mislead minors. According to Zhu, such drinks should be standardized in order to avoid causing confusion among minors. Su Shuchao, a Shenzhen-based lawyer, noted that the drinks should have warning signs or instructions on the label in accordance with law. According to Zhu, relevant departments should innovate supervision mechanisms and formulate relevant emergency measures or guidelines to establish a standard for the supervision of Internet-famous foods. (Zhang Yu) |