Just 1 Pack Exceeds Daily Limits: A Look Inside Spicy Midnight Snacks

[Anchor]

Recently, convenient spicy foods such as frozen chicken feet and beef large intestines have been gaining popularity. However, a test revealed that the spicy compounds varied by more than twofold among products, and they were also found to be high in sodium and cholesterol.

Reporter Kwon Ran has the details.

[Reporter]

Coated in spicy seasoning, chicken feet and beef large intestines are popular as late-night snacks or drinking accompaniments because they are easy to cook and readily available at convenience stores and supermarkets.

The Korea Consumer Agency compared 6 types of frozen chicken feet and 5 types of beef large intestines sold on the market.

The content of capsaicinoids, which create the spicy flavor, varied by up to 2.4 times, ranging from 23 mg to 56 mg per 1 kg of product.

Based on Gochujang's five-tier spice classification standards, 10 products fell into the level 1 category, while Nong협 Mokuchon's "Saengsaeng Pocha Direct-Fire Boneless Chicken Feet" reached level 2, making it the spiciest.

The problem lies in cholesterol and sodium.

The sodium contained in a single pack was up to 84% higher than the daily nutritional reference value, while cholesterol reached up to 117%.

In particular, Dongwon F&B's "Midnight Restaurant Spicy Beef Large Intestines" had the highest sodium content at 1,682 mg, and Lotte Shopping's "Yorihada Spicy Beef Large Intestines" had a cholesterol content of 351 mg, meaning that consuming just one pack well exceeded the daily limit.

However, safety tests regarding heavy metals, microorganisms, and food additives showed that all 11 products met the relevant standards.

[Interview / Son Ji-young / Senior Researcher, Living Environment Test Division, Korea Consumer Agency: There was a significant difference in spiciness among the products. Strong spiciness can irritate the stomach, so please choose according to your personal sensitivity.]

The agency advised that since these are often consumed additionally as late-night snacks or side dishes after a meal, consumers should carefully compare nutritional information before making a choice.

Video by Kim Jin-won
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.