PYEONGCHANG: You had one job! Norwegian chefs hoping to buy 1,500 eggs to feed hungry Olympic athletes have had their dinner plans scrambled after a mix-up with a grocery order.
Norway’s army of nutritional experts were left shell-shocked in Pyeongchang when a lorry delivered 15,000 eggs, apparently because an online purchase got lost in translation.
“We received a truck-load of eggs,” chef Stale Johansen told Norwegian news agency NTB after being left with egg on his face.
“We were quite surprised when they came carrying the eggs — there was no end to it, incredible!“
While vastly experienced in keeping their athletes in peak conditions, Norway’s chefs appear to have cracked under the early pressure, but at least their athletes will get plenty of protein.
Norway’s chef de mission Tore Ovrebo saw the funny side, calculating that the country’s delegation of 121 athletes and officials would have to eat 124 eggs each.
“It was an extra zero on the order, so 1,500 to 15,000,” he explained.
“They will probably use them I guess and I don’t know, maybe the people that supplied us with them will take them back. It’s not a big issue.”
What is certain is that Norway’s team of chefs will need a crash course in Korean — or to polish their Google Translate skills — if they want to avoid another eggs-traordinary culinary fail at these Olympics.
Norway’s Olympians shell-shocked as they are sent 15,000 eggs
Norway’s Olympians shell-shocked as they are sent 15,000 eggs
Thai coffee chains cut default sugar content in coffee and tea drinks in a new health push
- The Health Department says Thais consume 21 teaspoons of sugar daily, far exceeding the World Health Organization’s recommended six teaspoons
- Officials warn this increases obesity and diabetes risks. A survey found iced coffee and bubble tea contain high sugar levels
BANGKOK: For many Thais, a meal doesn’t feel complete without an iced coffee or tea so sugary it could pass for dessert. The government, concerned about the health consequences, wants them to dial it back.
Starting Wednesday, nine major coffee chains across the country have pledged to cut the default sugar content in some of their drinks by half in a government initiative aimed at tackling excessive sugar consumption.
According to the Health Department, Thais consume an average of 21 teaspoons of sugar per day, more than three times the World Health Organization’s recommended limit of six teaspoons. Health officials warn that such high intake increases the risk of obesity, diabetes and other diseases.
The initiative is the first significant step to change consumers’ sugar consumption behavior, said Amporn Benjaponpitak, the director general of the department.
Pakorn Tungkasereerak, the department’s deputy, said 2025 data show that about 45 percent of Thais aged 15 and older are obese, while 10 percent of the population has diabetes.
A survey by the Bureau of Nutrition found that a 22-ounce (650-milliliter) iced coffee contains an average of nine teaspoons of sugar, while a 10-ounce (300-milliliter) serving of bubble milk tea — an iced milk tea with tapioca pearls known as boba — can contain as much as 12 teaspoons.
Sirinya Kuiklang, an office worker, said she approves of the changes. She already orders her drinks at just 25 percent of the standard sugar level, but she is aware that many others consume too much sugar.
“It’s good for Thai people,” she said.
Another office worker, Porwares Tantikanpanit, said he has enjoyed his non-coffee beverages at their current sugar levels but is willing to adjust if shops reduce the sweetness.
However, putting the policy into practice may prove challenging. Officials have said each brand can apply the initiative as they see fit.
Some customers have expressed confusion in response to social media posts promoting the initiative, asking how to order drinks with the level of sweetness that they prefer. Several brands said that the reduction applies only to certain menu items.
