B2 – Upper Intermediate
Spicy South Korean ramen noodles are back on Danish supermarket shelves, delighting fans who had missed the fiery instant noodles. The popular Buldak line from Samyang Foods was pulled from stores in June after authorities warned that its high capsaicin levels could pose health risks. Following a partial reversal of the ban, shoppers in central Copenhagen were able to get their hands on the hot noodles once again.
Read the article or watch the video to learn more.
Vocabulary Questions:
- What does “contested” mean in this context? “Samyang, which sells the products worldwide, had contested the ban, and on Thursday celebrated the reversal by feeding its noodles to social media influencers, gathered on a ferry adorned in the firm’s bright-red colors on Copenhagen’s harbor.” Make a sentence with this. Give a synonym.
- What’s the meaning of “to exceed critical level“? “But the ban was lifted last month for two of the three variants after further examination of the spicy noodles showed that they did not exceed the critical capsaicin level.” Use this phrase in a sentence.
- What’s the meaning of “to pose risk“? “Stores in Denmark in June removed three variants of South Korean Samyang Foods’ Buldak instant ramen line after the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration found the noodles’ high capsaicin level posed a serious health risk.” Create a sentence and give a synonym.
Discussion Questions:
- Do you think the partial reversal of the ban was a good decision? Why or why not?
- How might cultural differences influence the popularity of spicy foods in different countries?
- What might be reasons foods and drinks could be prohibited in a country?
- Do you think Europe is an untapped market for spicy food products? Explain.
- How do you think food regulations should balance public safety and consumer choice?
- Talk about other food bans that you know of.
- What would you do if a food you loved was temporarily banned—would you wait for it to return or switch to alternatives?