A high-end restaurant in Shanghai, China, has showcased a dish made from processed elephant dung, leading to heated discussions in online communities, according to the South China Morning Post (SCMP).
On the 18th, SCMP reported that a popular food blogger with over 400,000 followers posted about the restaurant with the title, "A new restaurant in Shanghai, pushing the boundaries of the unknown."
Famous for its eco-friendly cuisine, the restaurant presented desserts made from leaves, ice coated with honey, and sterilized elephant dung. The course, themed around the rainforest, consisted of 15 dishes and was priced at 3,888 yuan (approximately 750,000 won) per person.
Elephant dung is rich in dietary fiber and is sometimes used to make paper. However, it has sparked controversy regarding whether the dessert made from elephant dung meets China's food safety law standards, even if it underwent a sanitization process. Locally, opinions have been mixed, with some deeming the unusual dish surprising and others finding it disgusting.
According to Jiufai News, one of the restaurant's two founders is of Chinese Blang ethnicity, while the other is from France. They reportedly spent seven years researching the menu in Yunnan Province, southwestern China, before opening the restaurant.
Currently, the restaurant has suspended operations. Local health authorities have confiscated the ingredients and are investigating potential violations of food safety laws.