By Ko Dong-hwan
The government warned Tuesday about the dangers of concocting or drinking soju mixed with wasps and other insects, which some people believe is good for their health.
The cocktails of clear distilled liquor and the insect ingredients can be highly dangerous, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety warned.
The ministry said wasps, centipedes, earthworms, red ants, snakes and plants like the dictamnus root, rhododendron and monkshood are poisonous and potentially fatal when mixed with soju.
The ministry issued the warning after TV programs showed people hunting for wasps and their nests and then mixing them with soju at home.
"People consider the wasp-based soju valuable and make it at home to present as a gift," the ministry said. "But wasps must not be used like this and the cocktail can be harmful to humans."
Wasp venom can cause a strong allergic reaction in humans that can cause choking and death, according to the ministry.
The ministry disapproved wasp of being used as a supplementary health ingredient. But the regulation hasn't stopped people from concocting and trading the cocktail on- and offline.
Online posts are still claiming that wasp-based soju has therapeutic effects for asthma, arthritis, invigoration and impotence.
The ministry said consumers should check the authority's list of wildlife ingredients that must not be used for producing. They also warned people not to buy liquor without checking the ingredients and that wildlife ingredients' can cause liver inflammation, vomiting, stomachache and nausea.
It is a South Korean custom to mix soju with wildlife ingredients ranging from insects to reptiles, plants and roots, in the belief that the mixture is good for health. Depending on the ingredients, the cocktails must be stored and ripened for different lengths of time before drinking. Wasp-based cocktails should be stored for at least one year, during which time the insects' venom mixes evenly with the soju, according to experts.
To check which ingredients can be dangerous, the ministry offers information at online portal foodsafetykorea.go.kr.
 |
| Some South Koreans believe mixing soju and wasps and drinking the ripened liquor is good for health. / Courtesy of Daum blog |
The cocktails of clear distilled liquor and the insect ingredients can be highly dangerous, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety warned.
The ministry said wasps, centipedes, earthworms, red ants, snakes and plants like the dictamnus root, rhododendron and monkshood are poisonous and potentially fatal when mixed with soju.
The ministry issued the warning after TV programs showed people hunting for wasps and their nests and then mixing them with soju at home.
"People consider the wasp-based soju valuable and make it at home to present as a gift," the ministry said. "But wasps must not be used like this and the cocktail can be harmful to humans."
Wasp venom can cause a strong allergic reaction in humans that can cause choking and death, according to the ministry.
The ministry disapproved wasp of being used as a supplementary health ingredient. But the regulation hasn't stopped people from concocting and trading the cocktail on- and offline.
 |
| A wasp nest with larvae in a bottle of soju / Courtesy of Daum blog |
The ministry said consumers should check the authority's list of wildlife ingredients that must not be used for producing. They also warned people not to buy liquor without checking the ingredients and that wildlife ingredients' can cause liver inflammation, vomiting, stomachache and nausea.
It is a South Korean custom to mix soju with wildlife ingredients ranging from insects to reptiles, plants and roots, in the belief that the mixture is good for health. Depending on the ingredients, the cocktails must be stored and ripened for different lengths of time before drinking. Wasp-based cocktails should be stored for at least one year, during which time the insects' venom mixes evenly with the soju, according to experts.
To check which ingredients can be dangerous, the ministry offers information at online portal foodsafetykorea.go.kr.
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