{
  "id": 642117,
  "title": "Franchise malatang contains 2.7 times recommended daily sodium intake",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/franchise-malatang-contains-2-7-times-recommended-daily-sodium-intake",
  "topic": "science",
  "section": "Science",
  "published": "2026-08-12T07:37:03.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Korea Times",
    "slug": "the-korea-times",
    "url": "https://www.koreatimes.co.kr/lifestyle/travel-food/20260812/franchise-malatang-contains-27-times-recommended-daily-sodium-intake"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A recent investigation by the Korea Consumer Agency has revealed that a popular Chinese-style soup sold at major franchise chains in Korea, known as malatang, can contain sodium levels equal to more than double the recommended daily intake. The study, which examined the nutritional content of malatang from 20 different franchise chains, found that on average, a single bowl contained 5,380 milligrams of sodium, which is 269 percent of the recommended daily intake of 2,000 milligrams.\n\nIn addition to the high sodium content, each bowl of malatang also averaged 49 grams of fat, approximately 90.7 percent of the recommended daily intake. However, the actual sodium and fat intake could be even higher, as serving sizes varied widely among the franchises, from as little as 842 grams to as much as 1,945 grams.\n\nThe saltiest malatang examined contained a staggering 11,192 milligrams of sodium, while the least salty contained only 3,251 milligrams. Similarly, the fat content in each bowl ranged from a mere 16 grams to a whopping 95 grams. On average, a bowl of malatang contained 952 calories, 81 grams of carbohydrates, and 52 grams of fat, with the carbohydrates and protein making up 25 percent of the total calories.",
  "summary": "A spicy Chinese-style soup sold by major franchise chains in Korea can contain sodium equivalent to 2.7 times the recommended daily intake, an investigation found. The Korea Consumer Agency released the findings Tuesday after examining the nutritional content of malatang from 20 franchise chains. According to the report, a single bowl contained an average of 5,380 milligrams of sodium, equivalent…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Korea Times",
        "title": "Franchise malatang contains 2.7 times recommended daily sodium intake",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/12/franchise-malatang-contains-2-7-times-recommended-daily-sodium-intake-643025",
        "published": "2026-08-12T07:47:03.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}