A manufacturer and distributor have recalled an entire batch of melon-flavored cream buns — a popular convenience store item — after a string of consumer complaints about a foul odor. The cause was traced to a flavoring supplier's labeling error that led to durian flavoring being mixed into the product.
Consumers who purchased the cream buns at convenience stores filed a wave of refund and exchange complaints on the manufacturer's official website, Channel A reported Wednesday.
The backlash grew as reviews spread across online communities and social media. "I opened the packaging and it smelled like a sewer," one consumer wrote. Others described the odor as smelling "like human waste," saying they immediately threw the product in the trash.
An investigation found that the flavoring supplier had mislabeled durian flavoring as melon flavoring before delivering it. The manufacturing plant failed to identify the raw material and fed the durian additive directly into the production line.
Durian is a tropical fruit native to Southeast Asia known for its intensely pungent smell. The odor is so strong that some countries, including Singapore and Thailand, ban the fruit from public transportation entirely.
The flesh itself is highly sweet, earning durian the title "king of fruits" in the region. However, a combination of hydrogen sulfide and ester-based compounds produces a smell that many Korean consumers find unfamiliar and off-putting.
Approximately 20,000 units of the affected product are estimated to have reached the market. The company began a full recall immediately upon identifying the issue and has since resumed sales with properly manufactured products. The food company that commissioned production said it is "processing exchanges and refunds."
The incident has drawn industry attention as it occurred amid rapid expansion of the convenience store refrigerated bakery market. Cream buns have become a core revenue driver for convenience store chains since private-label competition intensified after 2022, with new product launch cycles growing shorter.
An industry official noted that as launch speeds increase, the risk of carelessness during raw material inspection also rises, and called for a comprehensive review of quality control systems across the supply chain.