TikTok Is Grossed Out Because Drumstick Ice Cream Won't Melt — But There's a Very Simple Explanation

It's not as scary as you think.

There's serious controversy brewing on TikTok over just what the hell is going on with Nestlé Drumstick.

Over the last week, several influencers have taken to their TikTok pages to share their startling discovery that the beloved Dumstick, invented way back in 1928, simply will not melt. No matter how long you leave it out on your counter. 

"What you're looking at here is the aftermath of a Drumstick ice cream cone that has been sitting out for 22 hours now," TikToker OliverBubs09 says in his video, which has amassed more than 21 million views, showing the alleged Drumstick he left out overnight. "Just think. Your kids are eating this. Heck, I was eating it. But I will not eat it any longer. I will never eat these again."

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While it can seem concerning, it all comes down to reading the packaging correctly. You see, these Drumsticks aren't made with ice cream, but rather "frozen dairy dessert," which differs in ingredients. As Agro and Food Processing explains, "Most simply put, ice cream is made of milk solids or fats, whereas frozen desserts use vegetable oil, or Vanaspati." 

It's a difference you can see right on the packaging for Drumsticks:

Dairy Product Solids, Sugar, Skim Milk, Peanuts, Corn Syrup, Bleached Wheat Flour, Coconut Oil, Cream, Maltodextrin, Palm Oil, Cocoa, Palm Olein, Reduced Minerals Whey, Propylene Glycol Monostearate, Soybean Oil, Soy Lecithin, Cellulose Gel, Guar Gum, Monoglycerides, Carob Bean Gum, Salt, Natural Flavor, Cellulose Gum, Milk, Chocolate, Annatto Color.

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Specifically, ingredients like the guar gum listed above are used to "thicken, stabilize, add texture to food, and yes, help prevent ice cream from melting," Consumer Reports explained in 2017 after another video of a Walmart-branded ice cream sandwich failing to melt went viral. It added, "What's also important: Some gums may not be safe for everyone to eat," and even created this video to showcase just how long some of these frozen desserts can last in the sun.

In response to the 2017 viral video, a spokesperson for Walmart shared with HuffPost, 

“Our ice cream sandwiches make use of very simple, commonly-used food techniques that help slow the melting process." The spokesperson added, "This technique includes adding thickener to the cream, creating a honeycomb-like structure which helps to slow the melting process. When the product starts to melt, and liquid evaporates, you are left with what appears as foam.”

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We reached out to Nestlé for comment but did not hear back by the time of publication. If you are looking to go additive-free for your ice crea, you may want to try making your own. Here are 18 homemade ice cream recipes to perfect before summer begins. But fair warning, these scoops will melt — so eat it quickly. 

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