Viral video of blowtorched Oreos cookie sparks health concerns, internet questions safety

A video showing Oreo cookies not burning after being blowtorched for 30 seconds has gone viral, raising concerns about their safety. The clip, shared on December 19 by the account @Space_PatriQt17 on X, has gained over 10.2 million views and thousands of likes.

The video showed an Oreo cookie resisting intense heat without burning. This unusual reaction left many people worried, with some claiming the cookies might contain harmful chemicals.

One user, @MarioNawfal, shared the video, writing, “The only way I am eating Oreos from now on…” Others made humorous comments, asking, “Can a house made out of Oreo cookies survive a fire?” and “Why don’t firefighters wear Oreos?”

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December 20, 2024

However, many raised serious concerns about health risks. A user wrote, “Oreo cookies laced with cancer-causing flame retardant chemicals?” Another said, “After seeing that, I’m no longer eating Oreos.”

To address these worries, Grok, an artificial intelligence platform, explained that the cookie’s resistance to burning comes from its ingredients like cocoa, sugar, soy lecithin, and palm oil. These components make it difficult for the cookie to catch fire.

This video also brought attention back to past allegations against Oreo’s parent company, Mondelez. The company has faced criticism for sourcing cocoa linked to child labour and environmental harm. Mondelez was also accused of making false claims about its products being “100% sustainably sourced.”

While experts say the fire resistance doesn’t make Oreos unsafe to eat, the video has left people questioning both the cookie’s composition and the company’s practices.