Are you in the market for some industrial, pharmaceutical, or food grade glycine? Then look no further than Donghua Jinlong, TikTok‘s favourite glycine supplier.

A TikTok meme has users extolling the virtues of glycine – an amino acid that builds protein – from Chinese chemical manufacturer Donghua Jinlong after the company’s advertising videos went unexpectedly viral. Numerous creators are spreading the good word about Donghua Jinlong’s products, affirming that it’s the only commercial glycine manufacturer for them. 

Most TikTok users will never need to purchase glycine, much less do so on an industrial scale. That hasn’t stopped them from enthusiastically standing by the Shijiazhuang-based company, with satirical discourse praising Donghua Jinlong’s glycine and defending it from naysayers cropping up all over TikTok. 

Some have even taken to disparaging the company’s competitors, confidently declaring that no other industrial glycine manufacturer could possibly match Donghua Jinlong’s high standards. After all, Donghua Jinlong has “over 40 years of research and manufacturing experience”, “a whopping 31 patents under their belt,” and is “tirelessly striving for a better life for humanity.”

How did the Donghua Jinlong TikTok meme begin?

The Donghua Jinlong glycine meme was unwittingly sparked by the company’s own TikTok account @donghuajinlong, which uploaded its first video in early December last year. 

Set to an instrumental soundtrack that could easily score The Sims 4‘s building mode, the 37-second video featured sweeping overhead shots of industrial buildings below the text, “How strong is made in China Since 1979 Glycine comes from here.” The clip ended with the rather optimistic request for viewers to “follow for more,” the creator apparently believing that there’s a significant demand for drone shots of Chinese factories on TikTok. 

Yet the TikTok algorithm works in mysterious ways, and Donghua Jinlong did indeed find an eager audience — though perhaps not one it was expecting. The glycine manufacturer’s videos were pushed out to users’ For You pages, instigating interest in the company and its unconventionally straightforward TikTok advertising.

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All of Donghua Jinlong’s videos follow a similar format to the first, with many including a voiceover detailing the merits of its ISO22000, ISO9001, ISO14001, ISO45001, BRC, FAMI-QS, kosher, halal, and REACH certified glycine. Donghua Jinlong’s most popular TikTok was uploaded in late March, and has over 661,000 views and 70,000 likes at time of writing. 

“Unlock Donghua Jinlong’s food grade glycine in 2024,” says the computer-generated voiceover. “Suitable as a flavour enhancer, sweetener, and nutritional supplement.”

The appeal of TikTok’s Donghua Jinlong’s glycine meme largely lies in its absurdity. TikTok is a popular platform among younger people, rife with fun dance trends, “get ready with me” story times, and social commentary. It is also filled with influencers promoting the next Amazon must-have, showing off Shien hauls, or otherwise enticing viewers to drop cash on the latest trending item that they promise will improve your life.

Donghua Jinlong’s earnest videos advertising a product most have never heard of to a demographic that has no use for it provided an unusual break from TikTok’s typical content. These humorously unexpected advertisements inspired users to respond with a similar enthusiasm and conviction, creating their own videos passionately sharing the benefits of sourcing glycine from Donghua Jinlong.

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Donghua Jinlong has not responded to Mashable’s request for comment. However, it looks as though the company can’t quite comprehend its newfound viral fame. While several TikTok commenters have requested Donghua Jinlong-branded apparel, the glycine manufacturer has typically reacted with polite confusion — alongside enthusiasm at any praise for its glycine.

“Sorry, it hasn’t been mentioned yet,” the account replied to a query about T-shirts. “It seems like you don’t understand me yet.”

What is glycine, and what is it used for?

Glycine is the smallest and structurally simplest amino acid — organic molecules that are essential building blocks for proteins. As a solid, it takes the form of a crystalline white powder that tastes sweet and dissolves in water.

Small amounts of glycine are naturally found in some high-protein foods, including meat, dairy, and legumes, as well as naturally in the human body. The chemical acts as a neurotransmitter, and is particularly prominent in the brainstem and spinal cord.

Though glycine is considered a nonessential amino acid, the anti-inflammatory substance still plays an important role in our biological processes. A minor shortage of glycine won’t adversely impact your health, but an acute deficiency may have a negative impact on your immune response, growth, and metabolism of nutrients. Glycine supplements are used to treat various metabolic disorders, inflammatory diseases, obesity, cancers, and diabetes, as well as enhance sleep and support neurological function. 

On the other hand, an excessive buildup of glycine can cause severe neurological problems, including cognitive impairment, intellectual disabilities, and seizures. Humans generally only require two grams of glycine from their food per day, so taking unnecessary, unprescribed glycine supplements can have a significant adverse impact. 

In short, please don’t go ingesting glycine just for the memes, food grade or not.

If against all odds you actually are in need of commercial quantities of glycine, the type you order will depend on what you’ll be using it for. Glycine has a multitude of uses in various industries, including food production, pesticide manufacturing, and even electronics. It also comes in different grades according to its purpose. 

Donghua Jinlong supplies four different types of glycine. Food grade glycine can act as a sweetener, flavour enhancer, and preservative. Industrial grade glycine is more suitable for water treatment, increasing the uptake of dye in fabric, and other unedible uses. Pharmaceutical standard glycine is used to create drugs and cosmetics. Finally, feed additive glycine is added to animal fodder to supplement their nutrition.

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Many TikTok users have made comments suggesting that they frequently consume Donghua Jinlong’s food grade glycine, some even eating it straight from a bowl. Fortunately, it’s safe to assume that this is a joke, just like the Tide Pod Challenge and NyQuil chicken memes before it. Unfortunately, the joke is also in a prime position to fly completely over the head of U.S. politicians. The U.S. is currently attempting to completely ban TikTok, claiming that the video sharing app exerts a harmful Chinese influence over America’s youth.

“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, so keep that one in mind please,” TikTok creator @janedoe0018 noted. “Anyways, when are you guys buying your glycine? Because I’m thinking now before the prices [rise].”