Source: French to English Tester Published on: 2026-05-12
Source: The Conversation – France in French (3)– By Anne Parizot, Emeritus Professor of Information and Communication Sciences, University of Burgundy Europe
Markers of a new globalized street food,bubble tea,fluffy pancakesandcorn dogsThey seduce with an attractive, playful aesthetic or surprising textures, and are widely popularized on TikTok, Instagram, etc. But these foods are generally too fatty, too sweet, too salty, and ultra-processed. When consumed regularly, as an afternoon snack or snack, they raise health questions that research will have to explore.
Spectacular textures, vibrant colors, and delicious hashtags: a new generation of street food is designed as much to be photographed and shared online as to be enjoyed, like the famous Dubai chocolate, contributing to their global success.
Also to read:
The viral marketing of Dubai chocolate
Thebubble tea– a drink filled with black pearls rising to the surface of a milk tea –, thefluffy pancake– a thick pancake trembling like a soufflé –, or even thecorn dog, a breaded sausage that stretches into long strands of melted mozzarella… widely spread on thesocial networks, all illustrate the transformation of the contemporary relationship with food. Eating becomes a visual, social, and digital experience.
While these products are appealing due to their creativity and playful aspect, they also raise a question ofpublic health. Behind their attractive appearance often lie preparations that contain a lot of sugar, fats, or salt, whose repeated consumption can contribute to dietary imbalances.
A globalized street food
In theEuropean cities, stained glass windows ofbubble tea, stacks offluffy pancakestrembling orcorn dogsgiants now invade shopping streets and shopping centers. Originating fromTaiwan, ofJapan, ofSouth Koreaor from the United States, they embody a globalized street food that circulates rapidly among urban cultures.
Traditionally defined by the FAO(Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, 1990)like the sale of ready-to-eat food and drinks in public spaces, street food has undergone significant transformation. Food trucks, pop-up markets, culinary festivals now make the street a gastronomic stage where food becomes apractical, cultural, and media phenomenon.
In France,France Updatenotes that this fast food even includes local products, illustrating what the daily newspaperle Mondedescribed as“On-the-go terroir”… far from, however, the healthy local products such as forgotten vegetables.
Also to read:
Rutabaga, Jerusalem artichoke: what the return of “forgotten” vegetables reveals about our relationship with food
A sensory aesthetic… but fatty, sugary, ultraprocessed foods…
The new street food aims to create novel textures and an immediate taste experience. Its success largely relies on textures and colors. Soft pearls ofbubble tea, lightness of soufflé pancakes and crispiness ofcorn dogsproduce a strong sensory experience.
These receiptsoften use sugar, starch, fats, additives, and other markers of ultra-processing intended to stabilize textures or enhance visual appeal.
Also to read:
Ultra-processed foods: How to help consumers identify and avoid them?
This pursuit of sensory effects nonetheless contributes to nutritional compositions that prominently feature sugar, fats, or salt, which raises public health concerns when these products become regular consumption.
Spotlight on three viral food icons
Thebubble teaorboba tea, born in Taiwan (1980), combines sweet tea, milk (or plant-based cream), and gelled tapioca pearls. Its success also relies on its playful aspect andhis marketing vocabulary–boba,chewy pearls,creamy milk tea– Like the references offered by the brands Tiger Sugar or Moomin Boba. However, a standard glass can containbetween 30 and 60 g of sugar, which can promote excessive calorie consumption, tooth decay, and/or weight gain.
Thehashtags(#bubbletea, #boba, #bobalife, #foodie) associate the product with a universe of friendliness (sharing), indulgence (sweet, pearls), and lifestyle (lifestyle). OnTikTok, the presence of #fyp(in full_letters_for you page_, which means “customized page”), and #foryou(“for you”) associated withbubble teaindicate the integration of the productin viral circuits and algorithmic discovery.
Thefluffy pancakes(Japanese soufflé pancakes), popularized in cafes in Tokyo and Osaka in the early 2000s, musttheir airy textureTo beaten egg whites and the addition of sugar and leavening agents.
Their aesthetic, often described asfluffy(“soft”)airy(“aerated”)_ orcloud-like(“like a cloud”), fuels their virality on social networks. But accompanied by syrup, cream, they easily reach350 to 500 kcal per serving, with a rapid carbohydrate intake.
Their worldwide diffusion is accompanied by hashtags (#fluffypancakes, #pancake blower, #foodporn, #brunch) emphasizing texture and aesthetics: the wobbly pancake becomes a culinary spectacle, highlighting the airy, the light “soufflé”cloud-likesends towards aesthetics and virality in Instagram hashtags (#ふわふわパンケーキ or #soufflepancakes), thewobble(tremor), the height and the visualperfect for photosand the sensory experience “airy” “soft” “jiggly” (trembling) reveal a tactile novelty compared to classic pancakes. Sensation and visuals are highlighted even before naming the ingredient.
Thecorn dogsÂ: originating from American popular fairs,their origin would also be Koreanbefore their migration to the United States.
They combine sausage and fried corn dough, served on a stick. One versionkorean corn dogoffers variations topped with mozzarella, coated with panko breadcrumbs or even pieces of potatoes.
The spectacular videoscheese pull(spectacular stretching of the cheese) contribute to its viral spread through sensory terms:crunchy(crispy),gooey(tights),cheesy(cheesey) emphasizing the texture and indulgence. OnTikTok, hashtags (#koreancorndog, #cheesepull, #foodadventures, #foodlover) refer to an isotopy of discovery and virality, even fusion with local specialties.
If we believe the list of ingredients used in the making of corn dogs (cheese, corn dough, etc.), their nutritional profile nonetheless raises concerns about a high intake of fats and salt.
Thus, food, language, and images contribute to the construction of a shared gastronomic imagination. The recipes are taken up by thewebsitesofkitchento carry them outAt home.
But then who is the target?
We hypothesize, which must be confirmed, that the influence of social networks and the language used suggest that the target audiences would be as follows:
1 – Urban youth (15-35 years old) would constitute the core target: they are particularly sensitive to food trends, novelty, and the visual aesthetics of products.
2 – Active social media users are also targeted: colorful and photogenic preparations are designed to be shared online, transforming the act of consumption into digital content.
3 – Finally, the gastronomic curious are attracted by culinary experimentation and novel textures (chewy, sparkling, crunchy).
Marketing language helps build this social identity: fast, visual, and largely English-speaking, it values immediate pleasure and visibility on social networks more than the nutritional aspect.
A recent study on the impact of platforms examines the use ofbubble teaas a cultural object and instrument of“gastrodiplomacy”for Taiwan.
Between dietary pleasure and a health challenge
The new icons of street food ultimately tell us as much about our way of eating as about our way of communicating: in connected cities, food is no longer just a matter of taste or nutrition, but also of images, language, and social identity. But while these trends reveal a global culinary creativity, these street food products hide, behind their names and linguistic and/or photographic characteristics, food products that are too fatty, too sugary— in short, calorie bombs — also ultra-processed.
These products are not necessarily problematic when consumed occasionally. The public health issue lies more in their normalization in daily eating habits when consumed as snacks or treats. The question is not to ban them, but to emphasize the importance of moderation and a balanced diet. Lightened versions – reduced sugar, oven-baked, less processed ingredients – also make it possible to reconcile pleasure and nutritional attention.
This article is part of a broader reflection on contemporary transformations of food cultures and consumption practices in urban spaces.
Anne Parizot does not work for, advise, hold shares in, or receive funds from any organization that could benefit from this article, and has declared no other affiliation than her research institution.
–ref. Bubble tea, fluffy pancakes, corn dogs… when the new street food of social networks also raises a health question –https://theconversation.com/bubble-tea-fluffy-pancakes-corn-dogs-when-the-new-social-media-street-food-also-raises-a-health-question-281296