‘Biodegradable’ Doesn’t Mean ‘Edible’: Doctors Sound Alarm Over Packing Peanut Eating Trend
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Packing peanuts, also known as Foam Peanuts, are used for packaging and cushioning material used to prevent damage to fragile objects during shipping.
Experts say it can cause bloating, pain and gas. (Photo Credit: Instagram)
Social media has introduced us to some truly bizarre food trends, but the latest one might just take the cake—or rather, the packing material. A new trend making waves online has left health experts deeply concerned, as people are now eating biodegradable packing peanuts, mistakenly believing they are edible.
Yes, you read that right! Packing peanuts—also known as foam peanuts—are typically used as cushioning material to protect fragile items during shipping. However, some TikTok users are treating them as a late-night snack, claiming they dissolve in the mouth and are therefore safe to eat.
According to the New York Post, several online shoppers have taken to TikTok to argue that these foam chunks are not just biodegradable but also consumable. One viral video even shows a young woman casually munching on the packing peanuts, with the on-screen text reading, “Did anyone know that Lush packing peanuts are edible??”
While several users stated that they no longer feel like “a weirdo” for their unusual snack preference, experts cautioned that biodegradable packing peanuts should not be consumed, as it could be dangerous for their health, the NY Post reported. It can cause bloating, gas and pain in the stomach.
As soon as the portal dropped a post on Instagram regarding people consuming packing peanuts, it captured the audience’s attention, prompting several reactions from them. An Instagram user wrote, “Biodegradable is not edible.” Another commented, “This reeks of the Tide pod challenge and I’m scared. Can we put all of those people on a separate island?” One of them stated, “So the parents are going to blame this behaviour on who? Most likely the person so desperate and willing to do anything for attention. Low self-esteem.”
A person stated, “Willing to do anything for attention, they didn’t get from their parents when they were young. These people go on social media and do whatever just for likes.”
“We start to have to write “Do not eat” on anything for all ages,” read a comment. Another comment reads, “People are strange.”
One of them stated, “And they wonder why we have so many microplastics in our bodies.”
What’s your take on this?
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