How a Chinese company making industrial-grade food additives accidentally took over TikTok

Glycine, an amino acid known for its umami taste, is suddenly all the rage on TikTok. And everyone is focused on glycine specifically from Donghua Jinlong, a Chinese chemical manufacturer.

But why?

The glycine TikTok trend is the latest in a series of seemingly random, mundane, collective fascinations on the app.

And though the hashtags #glycine and and #DonghuaJinlong have been used in less than 2,500 and 100 videos respectively, many TikTokers' enthusiasm for the trend is making it seem more widespread.

@hines_catch_up #stitch with @Tenacious Clothing it meets the most stringent national testing #donghuajinlong #quality #glycine #industrialgradeglycine ♬ original sound - ????

What is glycine?

Glycine, or C₂H₅NO₂, is an amino acid created when proteins are broken down by water. The human body produces glycine naturally and the acid works as a neurotransmitter in our central nervous systems.

Glycine is also important in industrial food and medicinal production, too. Food Grade Glycine enhances flavor and can be used in pharmaceuticals to stabilize injectable formulas and medications.

What is Donghua Jinlong?

The glycine manufacturer, which is based in Shijiazhuang, China, produces many types of glycine, including industrial-grade glycine, refined glycine, and glycine derivatives. Donghua Jinlong was established in 1979 and has steadily grown from small plants and factories to a large manufacturer.

"With the increasing innovation capability, stable and excellent production capability and improvement of service ability, DHJL has won the trust of the customers," the company's website states, "and has built long term relationship with many global top companies."

In December 2023, Donghua Jinlong began posting on TikTok. Since then, it posted 40 videos boasting its large facilities and its prominent role in establishing glycine industry standards, and explaining the company's history.

@donghuajinlong Since 1979，Glycine comes from here. #donghuajinlong #glycine #industrial #IndustrialgradeGlycine #RefinedGlycine ♬ original sound - DONGHUA JINLONG

What's the significance of Donghua Jinlong on TikTok?

The joke is essentially a charade in which many TikTokers are interested in a hyper-specific chemical manufacturer that makes industry-specific videos online. But because TikTok's algorithm pushes content that is going viral, a snowball effect can happen once a few people start having fun.

Many of the company's videos now have tens of thousands of views and have received a flood of enthusiastic—and comedic—comments.

"Please adopt me!" one TikToker commented on a video showcasing the architecture of Donghua Jinlong's plant.

"My search is finally over," another TikToker wrote in response to a video about Donghua Jinlong meeting industry standards. "I’ve been looking for industrial grade glycine, but only high quality!"

"Waiter!! One industrial grade glycine please," a commenter said on the company's first TikTok video. "Chilled, shaken, and on the rocks."

The company also recently announced its pivot into food-grade glycine, earning cheers.

But that's not all: TikTokers are making videos about Donghua Jinlong and its products, too.

Last week, comedian Dan Yang posted a TikTok listing what he believes to be the company's three best products—besides, of course, its industrial-grade glycine. In his opinion, Donghua Jinlong's sodium glycinate (an amino acid neurotransmitter nutrient), pharmaceutical grade glycine, and iron glycinate (an iron supplement) are worth checking out.

@realdanyang Donghua Jinlong does so much more than just create high quality indistrial grade glycine #comedian #glycine #donghuaedit #brainrot ♬ Innovation Technology - ZydSounds

Cities By Diana, a TikToker who makes satirical videos about geography and urban studies, went viral last week for her own take on a Donghua Jinlong video. In it, she zooms in on the company's factory on Google Earth and lists its professional accomplishments and important qualities. Cities By Diana's video had over a million views on Monday.

"Are you tired of being cucked by inferior industrial and food-grade glycine suppliers?" the video's voiceover states. "Fear not glycine girlies. Edge yourself down to Donghua Jinlong."

@citiesbydiana Don't get CUCKED by inferior glycine suppliers. Donghua Jinlong's Industrial Grade Glycine is the superior choice. ????????????️???????????? #glycinetok #industrialglycine #brainnourishment #bestglycine #satire #brainrot #donghuajinlong #glycine ♬ original sound - ????????????????????

And in another viral video from user @macce.keychain, they satirically hate on Donghua Jinlong and remind viewers that there are other glycine manufacturers besides the now popular company.

"You girls act like the only place you can get your industrial grade glycine is from Donghua Jinlong," Mace said in their video. "Newsflash: There's so many other better places that you can get your industrial grade glycine if you know where to look."

@macce.keychain #donghuajinlong #glycine #industrialglycine ♬ original sound - Macey

But @JaneDoe0018 gave viewers a reality check: All this joking about loving a Chinese manufacturer on TikTok, a Chinese-owned social media platform, could make Congress suspicious.

In March, the House of Representatives passed a ban on TikTok, citing worries about Chinese propaganda and national security concerns; the bill is yet to reach the Senate. Last year, many state governments banned the use of TikTok at public universities and institutions, too.

"We are dangerously close to this trend being played in front of Congress as evidence that the U.S. population has been brainwashed by China," the @JaneDoe0018 said in their video. "Anyways, when are you guys buying your glycine? Because I'm thinking now."

---

The internet is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here to get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.

Sign up to receive the Daily Dot’s Internet Insider newsletter for urgent news from the frontline of online.

The post How a Chinese company making industrial-grade food additives accidentally took over TikTok appeared first on The Daily Dot.