While some people enjoy the taste of snail noodles and others do not, news of a Chengdu, China, snail noodle shop using odor enhancers on Thursday (March 21) left many snail noodle enthusiasts unable to accept it. Currently, the market regulatory authorities have initiated investigations into the suspected illegal activities of the involved companies. Customer service representatives of several well-known snail noodle brands have responded, stating that their snail noodles do not contain any added odor enhancers.
Inspectors from the Chengdu Market Supervision Bureau recently visited a takeout snail noodle shop where the monthly sales reached four to five thousand servings, with a platform rating of 4.7 stars. However, upon arrival, the staff discovered that the shop’s containers had not been cleaned for a long time, suspecting that the foul smell of the snail noodles was emanating from these utensils. Additionally, they found “snail noodle odor-enhancing sauce” inside the counter, describing it as emitting a “painful mask” of fumes. Currently, the shop has been temporarily closed, and its online delivery service has also been suspended pending further rectification.
In response to the news, many snail noodle enthusiasts expressed their disbelief, with some netizens questioning why odor enhancers were added when snail noodles already have a strong natural aroma. Others, including netizens from Guangxi, commented, “It’s said that Guangxi’s snail noodles smell bad once they leave Guangxi.” Indeed, there are several merchants on e-commerce platforms selling products such as snail noodle odor-enhancing sauce and concentrated snail paste. A customer service representative from one store mentioned that the products can be used at home or commercially, requiring only 5 grams per pound of broth to intensify the snail flavor. When asked about the use of large amounts of additives, the customer service representative stated that the products are all produced by legitimate manufacturers and their ingredient compositions comply with national standards.
On the other hand, customer service representatives from several well-known snail noodle brands responded differently. The customer service representative from the official flagship store of Haohuanluo stated that their snail noodles do not contain any added odor enhancers or any additives not allowed by the country, emphasizing that their flavor primarily comes from the fermented taste of the snails. The customer service representative from Shoubao’s flagship store mentioned that their products undergo testing by third-party inspection agencies, ensuring their quality. The customer service representative from Liziqi’s flagship store stated that the production quality and factory environment are supervised and tested by relevant departments, and their products are also tested by third-party inspection agencies, reassuring the public.
It is understood that snail noodle soup is made by stir-frying snail meat with pig bones, star anise, chili, fennel, and dozens of other natural spices, while snail noodles are made from rice noodles cooked in snail noodle soup, with many ingredients such as fried tofu skin, fried peanuts, pickled green beans, vegetables, and mushrooms. However, the soul of snail noodles lies in the fermented sour bamboo shoots, which bring a unique flavor distinct from other rice noodles.