Disposable plastic eating utensils are not nature-friendly. Such non-biodegradables that can end up in oceans injure, if not kill, birds and fish that accidentally eat them. 

The danger posed by plastic led to the development of biodegradable utensils that are ideal for restaurants to minimize the garbage that pollutes rivers and seas. There are now organic plates, spoons, forks, and drinking straws derived from plants. 

For example, a biodegradable knife sold on naturecutlery.com is made of crystalized polylactic acid, which is corn starch and chalk. The chalk makes it heat resistant up to 80 degrees and not easily breakable when cutting meat, according to the site. 

The same goes for bio-plastic spoons and forks, which are non-toxic, harmless, sanitary, safe for food contact, and compostable. 

However, in South Korea, health authorities have issued a public warning against a particular biodegradable after-dinner accessory shown on TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube being used in a way that was not intended. 

In one of the videos, several pieces of the accessory, also called a dental pick, puffed up when deep-fried and sprinkled with powdered cheese and other seasonings before being consumed.

“This is not a product to eat,” the nation’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety wrote in its warning posted on X, New York Post reported. 

With copycats of the demo video spreading, cooking biodegradable green toothpicks and eating them because they taste like rice cake, as described by one YouTuber, is now trending on social media. 

Most of the toothpicks in South Korea are made of corn or potato starch mixed with sorbitol, a sugary alcohol found in fruits that acts as a natural laxative in large concentrations, according to NYP. 

So health officials have good reason to warn against crunching on the toothpicks as they haven’t been approved for human consumption, NYP reported.