Sweet Warning
Tuesday 18th December 2001
All Council Environmental Health Sections have been advised by the Food Standards Agency that children should not eat certain mini cup fruit jelly products that contain Konjac because of the risk of choking on sweets.
The Agency is seeking their removal from sale.
The sweets have a number of different brand names including: ABC Mini Fruit Bites New Choice Mini Fruit Gels Rolin Mango Jelly Cup
The jellies are contained in caps about the size of individual pots of milk or coffee cream. They are dome shaped with a diameter of about 3cm tapering to 2cm. They have a rounded edge and are sealed with a foil lid. The sweets are sold in various package sizes (e.g. bags, plastic jars) or individually.
Some packets may be labelled with precautionary advice.
Children tend to remove the foil and suck out and effectively inhale the sweet, which contains a soft slippery type jelly with a hard, fruit flavoured gum centre. This increases the risk of choking. The jellies contain a particular ingredient, Konjac, which does not dissolve easily and could stay stuck in the throat and have been linked to a number of deaths from choking around the world.
All local outlets are being contacted to check if these are stocked and advice is being given to remove them from sale. If necessary formal action will be taken to remove them from sale.
If anyone is aware of these being on sale in the area they should contact the Food and Licensing Team of the Trading Standards Team at the numbers below.
Initial indications are that whilst this product has been stocked by shops in this area in the past, there are none currently on sale in Clackmannanshire.
For further information contact the Food and Licensing Team on 01259 452534 or the Trading Standards Team on 01259 452575.
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