Doctors warn against TikTok viral "glass fruit" trend – why is it dangerous?

More and more young people want to make so-called "glass fruit," but they're burning themselves in the process. Doctors are now warning against the "glass fruit" trend – here's why it could be dangerous to your health!

Cooking influencer Jasmine and Tea demonstrates how she heats sugar water in the microwave and dips fruit into it.
Cooking influencer Jasmine and Tea demonstrates how she heats sugar water in the microwave and dips fruit into it.  © Collage: Screenshot/TikTok/@jasmineandtea & By Andrewhaimerl, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

The idea behind glass fruit is simple.

Just heat a sugar and water solution in the microwave or in a pot until it boils, then dip the fruit in. Let the glass fruit pieces dry and then enjoy the crunch.

But the seemingly harmless cooking trend is not without its drawbacks, reports the New York Post, with the Shriners Children's Hospital in Boston issuing an urgent warning against glass fruit at the end of August.

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Within two weeks, the hospital had to treat two young patients who had accidentally scalded themselves with boiling "glass fruit" mixtures.

Cooking enthusiasts previously shared the dangerous recipe on social media.

In a video shared by TikToker Jasmine and Tea in April, which has already been viewed 20 million times, the influencer explains how to prepare glass fruit – a Chinese specialty – in the microwave at home.

She recommends heating the sugar and water mixture in 30-second intervals for around five minutes until it boils.

However, if you splash yourself with the sugar mixture, doctors warn that you could risk third-degree burns.

If your skin turns leathery and black after contact, you should definitely go to hospital ASAP.

Cover photo: Collage: Screenshot/TikTok/@jasmineandtea & By Andrewhaimerl, via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY-SA 4.0

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