User:Ouyang Yihong

Spicy Gluten Strips: From Street Snack to International Snack Phenomenon

Ouyang Yihong: 202470081650

Abstract: Spicy gluten strips, a small snack bursting with intense spicy aroma, was once considered a symbol of “low-end junk food” in China. However, in recent years, it has undergone a striking transformation—from a “rustic” street treat to a trendy and iconic snack. Deeply loved by consumers across China, Spicy gluten strips is also gradually entering international markets, where many foreigners regard it as a unique and addictive representation of Chinese snack culture. With an expanding consumer base, upgraded production processes, and a renewed interest in traditional flavors, it has evolved from being “just for schoolkids” to a symbolic Chinese leisure food.

I. The History and Evolution of Spicy gluten strips

The origin of Spicy gluten strips can be traced back to the 1990s in Pingjiang County, Hunan Province. Known for its traditional soybean product industry, local factories in Pingjiang experimented with chili oil and spices to preserve bean-based products like bean curd strips. Unexpectedly, this spicy variation was well-received by students and factory workers.

In 1998, companies like Weilong Food in Hunan began to standardize production and packaging of spicy bean-based snacks and named them “Spicy gluten strips.” Unlike traditional dried tofu, these snacks used mianjin (wheat gluten), which provided a more elastic and chewy texture suitable for mass production. As urbanization accelerated and the snack food industry grew, Spicy gluten strips quickly gained popularity nationwide. With its spicy flavor, low price (1 RMB per pack), and strong aroma, it became a staple in convenience stores and schools. Many copycat brands like “Moyu Shuang,” “Latidehuan,” and “Bangbang Spicy gluten strips” also emerged.

As consumption expanded, concerns over food safety grew. Investigative reports from CCTV exposed illegal additives and unsanitary conditions in small workshops, leading to widespread criticism and labeling Spicy gluten strips as “junk food.” Under public scrutiny, many unregulated producers exited the market, and leading brands pushed for standardization. (Huang, 2024) With China’s soft power rising, Spicy gluten strips began to appear in overseas Chinese supermarkets and e-commerce platforms, even catching the attention of foreign influencers. In 2022, a U.S.-based TikTok food vlogger tried Weilong Spicy gluten strips in a video that gained over 20 million views, introducing the term “Spicy gluten strips” to global audiences.

II. The Production Process of Spicy gluten strips

Though commonly perceived as a soybean product, Spicy gluten strips is primarily made from mianjin, a high-protein gluten extracted from wheat flour. It offers a chewy texture that mimics meat, making it ideal for savory snack development.

The production of Spicy gluten strips involves the following steps:

1.Gluten Preparation: Mix wheat flour with water, knead and rinse to remove starch, leaving elastic gluten.

2.Steaming and Shaping: The gluten is steamed and flattened or cut into thin strips.

3.Seasoning: The strips are then tossed in a heated mixture of chili powder, cumin, Sichuan pepper oil, soy sauce, salt, MSG, and other spices.

4.Packaging: After flavoring, the Spicy gluten strips is sealed in sterilized packaging to preserve freshness and extend shelf life.

In recent years, increasing awareness of food safety has driven more manufacturers to adopt automated production lines with cleanroom facilities and modern testing systems to ensure product hygiene and quality.

III. Cultural Transmission of Spicy gluten strips

Spicy gluten strips’s popularity in China coincides with the rise of digital culture. On social media and video platforms, it evolved beyond a snack and became a cultural icon. (Wu, 2024) According to the 2020 China Leisure Food Industry Report, Spicy gluten strips market reached billions of RMB, with students, young adults, and urban white-collar workers forming its main consumer base. (Wang, 2024) Spicy gluten strips became a “lifestyle” snack, featured in trends like “Spicy gluten strips challenges” and live-streamed snack sales on platforms like Weibo, Douyin, and Bilibili.

Internationally, Spicy gluten strips’s spread followed a unique path. Initially adopted by overseas Chinese communities, it gradually gained appeal among foreign consumers. In countries like the U.S., Canada, Singapore, and Malaysia, Spicy gluten strips is recognized as a “Chinese spicy quick snack.” With cross-border e-commerce booming, brands like Weilong launched products on platforms such as Amazon and eBay, adjusting packaging and flavors to suit local tastes.

Conclusion

In summary, Spicy gluten strips has transformed from a local street snack into a modern industrial product and national favorite. It is now gaining international recognition as a representative of Chinese flavor and snack innovation. Spicy gluten strips’s journey reflects not only successful taste and branding strategies but also the evolution of China’s food industry. With ongoing improvements in quality standards and cultural exposure, Spicy gluten strips is poised to shine in diverse global markets and become a truly iconic Chinese snack on the world stage.

Terms and Expressions

Spicy gluten strips 辣条

Street snack 街头小吃

Mianjin (wheat gluten) 面筋

Cross-border e-commerce 跨境电商

Snack food industry 小食品行业

Leisure food 休闲食品

Automated production line自动化生产线

Packaging and sealing 包装与密封

Flavoring mixture调味混合料

Food safety standards 食品安全标准

Questions

1.What is the origin of Spicy gluten strips, and how did it evolve into a mainstream snack?

2.How does the production process of Spicy gluten strips ensure quality and safety in modern manufacturing?

3.What factors contributed to Spicy gluten strips's transformation from a “low-end” snack to a popular international product?

4.How has social media influenced the cultural spread of Spicy gluten strips in China and abroad?

5.In what ways are Spicy gluten strips brands adapting to health-conscious trends and global consumer demands?

Answers

1.It originated in the 1990s in Hunan and Hubei, China, made primarily from wheat gluten. Initially a cheap snack popular in rural areas, it evolved into a mainstream product through industrial production and improved packaging.

2.Modern latiao factories use automated production lines, food-grade ingredients, and comply with safety systems. Major brands conduct regular raw material testing and product traceability.

3.Factors include better packaging, branding, product reformulations (e.g., low-sodium versions), celebrity endorsements, and e-commerce strategies for export.

4.Platforms like Douyin, Weibo, and YouTube popularized Spicy gluten strips through food challenges, reviews, and comedy skits, boosting its visibility and appeal among young consumers worldwide.

5.Brands now offer preservative-free, low-fat, and high-protein options, enhance bilingual packaging, and expand cross-border e-commerce to meet health-conscious and international consumer needs.

References

[1] Ma Keao, Huang Xing. “Latiao Museum”: A New Perspective and Practical Research on Snack Brand Marketing Management [C]. Proceedings of the 19th Annual Conference on Chinese Management – Marketing Forum, Chinese Society for Management Modernization, 2024: 112–120.

[2] Xu Dianbo, Hu Meng, Wu Youliang. Pingjiang Creates a Culinary Legend [N]. Hunan Daily, 2024-05-12.

[3] Wang Shenzhen. Weilong: Growth that Changes Destiny [J]. Sales and Marketing, 2024, (10): 8–20.

[4] Wu Fangfang. The Viral Path of the 0.5 Yuan Latiao [J]. China Highway, 2024, (12): 44–46.

[5] Huang Tingting. Strong "African Vibe", Booming Trade and Economy [N]. Hunan Daily, 2024-03-28.

[6] Xinhua. Across China: Latiao: The popular Chinese snack goes global [J]. 2016

AI Statement:

I used the following AI tool to assist in writing my final paper: DeepSeek

Key Prompts Used

Structure Determination

Prompt:

Based on cultural studies of snack foods, analyze the typical chapter structure. Then propose a general structure for a new chapter on the cultural evolution and globalization of Spicy gluten strips.

Output:

The chapter structure includes: (1) Historical origins and regional cultural roots; (2) Industrialization and quality standardization; (3) Symbolic meaning in consumer culture; (4) Media and social media influence; (5) Globalization and cultural adaptation.

Literature Analysis and Citation Selection

Prompt:

Given selected literature, extract at least five concise quotes per source that align with the chapter themes for citation.

Output:

Using CNKI, Google Scholar, and news outlets, literature on Latiao’s history, cultural symbolism, industrial processes, and media presence was selected. Key quotes were extracted supporting each section's argument.

Text Composition and Refinement

Prompt:

Write a 1500-character academic paper in Chinese following the approved structure, integrating extracted citations and maintaining clear thematic progression.

Output:

An initial draft was generated, then manually refined to remove redundant citations, improve logic flow, and standardize technical terminology.

English Translation and Quality Assessment

Prompt:

Create a bilingual glossary of technical terms. Then translate the Chinese manuscript into English. Conduct a detailed paragraph-by-paragraph translation quality assessment focusing on fidelity, fluency, and terminology consistency.

Output:

The final English translation was polished based on assessment feedback to ensure natural, accurate, and consistent expression of Spicy gluten strips’s cultural development.

辣条：从街头小吃到国际零食的蜕变

欧阳易红：202470081650

摘要：辣条，这种散发着浓烈香辣气息的小食品，曾被视为“低端零食”的代表，却在近些年来完成了从“土味”到“潮味”的华丽转身。它不仅深受中国各地消费者的喜爱，还逐渐走向国际市场，成为许多外国人眼中“另类而上头”的中式零食代表。随着消费群体的扩大、生产工艺的升级，以及市场对传统风味食品兴趣的回升，辣条已经不再是“只属于小学生的零食”，而是逐步转型为一种具有代表性的中国特色休闲食品。

一、辣条的历史发展

辣条的起源可以追溯到20世纪90年代，诞生于中国湖南省平江县。彼时，平江是传统豆制品加工的重要产地，为了延长豆制品的保质期，工厂开始尝试用辣椒、植物油和多种香辛料调制成酱料，对豆筋、豆皮等豆制原料进行加工，没想到这种做法受到了学生和工人群体的追捧。 1998年，湖南卫龙食品公司等企业开始将这种香辣豆制品进行标准化包装，并命名为“辣条”，正式投放市场。不同于传统豆干，这些辣条使用的是面筋（小麦蛋白），具有更好的弹性和嚼劲，且能大规模生产。随着城市化进程的加快和小食品行业的发展，辣条迅速在全国范围内走红。（黄婷婷，2024）它以其辛辣刺激的口感、低廉的价格和强烈的香气，成为全国中小学生、小卖部的标配零食。价格便宜（1元可买一大包），口味刺激，加之广告投入少，凭借“口碑传播”迅速在城乡走红。大量模仿品牌如“魔芋爽”“辣得欢”“棒棒辣条”等开始涌现。 随着辣条消费人群扩大，食品安全问题也逐渐被放大。央视《每周质量报告》曾报道部分小作坊使用违规添加剂、环境脏乱，引发社会广泛关注。一度，“辣条=垃圾食品”的标签流传甚广。面对舆论压力，辣条企业开始洗牌，一批小作坊退出市场，大企业加快标准化进程。此外，随着中国文化在海外影响力提升，辣条作为代表性零食逐渐出现在海外华人超市、跨境电商平台，甚至被外国网红博主体验、评测，引发讨论。2022年，一位美国TikTok美食博主在平台上挑战吃“卫龙辣条”，视频获得超过2000万播放量，“辣条”一词开始出现在外国网友评论中。

二、辣条的制作工艺

辣条虽然以“豆制品”著称，但严格来说，它并不完全由黄豆制作，而是采用一种名为“面筋”的原料。面筋是一种高蛋白小麦制品，具有良好的弹性和韧性，非常适合模仿肉类的口感。 辣条的制作大致可以分为以下几个步骤： 1.面筋制备：将面粉加入水中搅拌，洗去淀粉后，留下富有弹性的面筋； 2.蒸煮成型：将面筋进行蒸煮，并通过压片机压制成薄片或条状； 3.调味加工：将蒸煮成型的面筋条投入到调味料中，包括辣椒粉、孜然、花椒油、酱油、食盐、味精等，在加热状态下充分拌匀； 4.包装保存：调味完成后，辣条被送入包装车间进行密封包装，以延长保质期和维持口感。 值得一提的是，近年来随着食品安全意识的提高，越来越多辣条企业开始使用全自动化生产线，配备洁净车间和现代化检测设备，以确保产品的卫生与质量。

三、辣条的文化传播

在中国，辣条的传播几乎伴随着网络文化的兴起。尤其是在社交媒体和短视频平台的推动下，辣条逐渐突破了单纯的小吃范畴，成为网络文化中的重要元素。（伍芳芳，2024）根据《2020年中国休闲食品行业报告》显示，辣条市场已经达到数百亿规模，且主要消费群体为年轻人、学生以及都市白领。这一现象反映出，辣条已经不再是简单的“便宜零食”，而是成为了年轻人对生活的“态度”，是社交媒体话题的来源之一。诸如“辣条挑战”、“辣条带货”等话题，在微博、抖音、B站等平台上频频出现。辣条的国际传播路径较为独特。从最早的华人群体开始，辣条逐渐走出国门，成为海外市场中新奇的中国零食。（王深圳，2024）在一些国家，辣条被看作是“中国风味的速食零食”，尤其在美国、加拿大、新加坡、马来西亚等地的华人社区中，辣条有着广泛的消费基础。随着跨境电商的崛起，像卫龙这样的品牌开始在亚马逊、eBay等国际电商平台上线，进入到欧美等国家的零食市场。 综上所述，辣条作为一种源于中国地方的小吃，经历了从街头食品到现代工业零食的转型，不仅在国内成为家喻户晓的“国民零食”，也逐步走向国际，赢得了越来越多海外消费者的关注与喜爱。它的成功不仅是口味创新和营销策略的体现，更是中国休闲食品产业发展的缩影。随着食品安全标准的提升与文化传播的加深，辣条的未来有望在更多元的消费市场中持续发光发热，真正成为具有全球影响力的中国特色零食代表。

术语

Spicy gluten strips 辣条

Street snack 街头小吃

Mianjin (wheat gluten) 面筋

Cross-border e-commerce 跨境电商

Snack food industry 小食品行业

Leisure food 休闲食品

Automated production line自动化生产线

Packaging and sealing 包装与密封

Flavoring mixture调味混合料

Food safety standards 食品安全标准

问题

1.辣条的起源是什么？它是如何演变成主流零食的？

2.辣条的生产工艺如何确保在现代制造中达到质量与安全标准？

3.哪些因素促成了辣条从“低端”零食转变为受欢迎的国际产品？

4.社交媒体如何影响了辣条在国内外的文化传播？

5.辣条品牌在面对健康消费趋势和全球市场需求时做出了哪些适应？

答案

1.辣条起源于20世纪90年代的中国湖南和湖北地区，以面筋为主要原料。最初是作为廉价的小吃在乡镇流行，后来通过工业化生产和包装升级，逐渐进入超市和电商平台，成为主流零食。

2.现代辣条生产采用自动化流水线，使用食品级调味剂，并严格遵守食品安全管理体系。大品牌还会定期进行原料检测和产品追溯。

3.包装设计、品牌营销、产品升级（如低油、低钠版）、明星代言和电商出口策略共同推动辣条从乡土食品变成国际“网红”零食。

4.抖音、微博、YouTube等平台上的挑战视频、美食测评、搞笑短剧让辣条获得全球曝光，尤其吸引年轻人尝试和讨论，增强其文化影响力。

5.企业推出无防腐剂、低脂、高蛋白版本，并加强英文包装和跨境电商渠道，满足国际消费者对健康和可读标签的要求。

参考文献

[1] 马克翱, 黄星. “辣条博物馆”：零食品牌营销管理的新视角与实践研究 [C]. 第十九届中国管理学年会——营销管理专题论坛论文集, 中国管理现代化研究会, 2024: 112–120.

[2] 徐典波, 胡猛, 吴友良. 平江创造“舌尖上的传奇” [N]. 湖南日报, 2024-05-12.

[3] 王深圳. 卫龙：让增长改变命运 [J]. 销售与市场, 2024, (10): 8–20.

[4] 伍芳芳. 五毛辣条的“出圈”之路 [J]. 中国公路, 2024, (12): 44–46.

[5]黄婷婷. “非洲风”浓郁“经贸热”升温 [N]. 湖南日报, 2024-03-28.

[6]Xinhua. Across China: Latiao: The popular Chinese snack goes global [J]. 2016