Authorities sound alarm on dangerous snack after hazardous substance found in stores
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As we navigate the aisles of our local supermarkets, we often take for granted the safety of the products on the shelves.
However, a recent discovery has raised alarms about a seemingly innocent treat, especially for your grandchildren who love a sweet snack.
Authorities are urging consumers to check their pantries and avoid the product due to serious safety risks associated with its consumption.
NSW Health issued a warning after it was found that 11,300 mini jelly cups containing a hazardous substance known as konjac were being sold by three Western Sydney businesses.
Konjac, derived from the konnyaku plant, is a food additive that prevents the jelly from dissolving properly when ingested.
This can lead to a choking hazard and potentially block the stomach.
The presence of konjac in these mini jelly cups is particularly concerning because it has been linked to fatalities both in Australia and internationally.
The additive, also known as conjac, glucomannan, taro flour, or yam flour, has a history of causing harm.
In fact, importing and supplying banned mini jelly products can result in hefty fines—up to $50 million for corporations or $2.5 million for individuals.
The issue came to light after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) tipped off NSW Health in July about suppliers in Wetherill Park and Wentworth Point who had imported the products.
Additionally, a customer complaint to the ACCC revealed that a retailer in Banksmeadow was stocking the jellies.
‘As a result, each business was issued an embargo notice to stop the sale of the products, ordered to destroy their stock and submit a voluntary recall for products which may have been sold,’ a NSW Health spokesperson stated.
‘Only one packet of the banned mini jelly products was sold by the traders involved in the compliance operation, which was returned to the supplier and subsequently destroyed.’
‘NSW Fair Trading was in attendance when the rest of the banned mini jelly products identified during inspections were destroyed to ensure they no longer posed a risk to consumers,’ they added.
NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Natasha Mann has urged consumers to be vigilant and read the ingredients of mini jelly cups to ensure they do not contain konjac.
‘The traders in this instance worked with our investigators, but let the destruction of these goods be a message to businesses thinking about importing banned mini jelly products—we will take action,’ she said.
It's important to note that in Australia, cups containing konjac are banned if they have a height or width of 45mm or less.
This regulation came into place following tragic incidents, including the death of a three-year-old boy from Sydney in 2000 after consuming one of these cups and a two-year-old who nearly died the year before.
A government statement from 2002 highlighted that the confectionery posed a global issue, leading to eight fatalities in Japan, five in the United States, and one in the United Kingdom.
In 2018, a Melbourne woman was hospitalised after consuming Japanese konjac noodles, which caused her stomach to expand to five times its normal size, resulting in severe pain and vomiting.
Doctors attributed this to the noodles not breaking down and obstructing her stomach.
Have you or someone you know encountered these hazardous jelly cups? Share your experiences in the comments below to help raise awareness within our community. Let's keep each other safe and informed!
However, a recent discovery has raised alarms about a seemingly innocent treat, especially for your grandchildren who love a sweet snack.
Authorities are urging consumers to check their pantries and avoid the product due to serious safety risks associated with its consumption.
NSW Health issued a warning after it was found that 11,300 mini jelly cups containing a hazardous substance known as konjac were being sold by three Western Sydney businesses.
Konjac, derived from the konnyaku plant, is a food additive that prevents the jelly from dissolving properly when ingested.
This can lead to a choking hazard and potentially block the stomach.
NSW Health found mini jelly cups with the hazardous substance konjac, posing a choking risk, being sold by three businesses in western Sydney. Credit: NSW Health
The presence of konjac in these mini jelly cups is particularly concerning because it has been linked to fatalities both in Australia and internationally.
The additive, also known as conjac, glucomannan, taro flour, or yam flour, has a history of causing harm.
In fact, importing and supplying banned mini jelly products can result in hefty fines—up to $50 million for corporations or $2.5 million for individuals.
The issue came to light after the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission (ACCC) tipped off NSW Health in July about suppliers in Wetherill Park and Wentworth Point who had imported the products.
Additionally, a customer complaint to the ACCC revealed that a retailer in Banksmeadow was stocking the jellies.
‘As a result, each business was issued an embargo notice to stop the sale of the products, ordered to destroy their stock and submit a voluntary recall for products which may have been sold,’ a NSW Health spokesperson stated.
‘Only one packet of the banned mini jelly products was sold by the traders involved in the compliance operation, which was returned to the supplier and subsequently destroyed.’
‘NSW Fair Trading was in attendance when the rest of the banned mini jelly products identified during inspections were destroyed to ensure they no longer posed a risk to consumers,’ they added.
NSW Fair Trading Commissioner Natasha Mann has urged consumers to be vigilant and read the ingredients of mini jelly cups to ensure they do not contain konjac.
‘The traders in this instance worked with our investigators, but let the destruction of these goods be a message to businesses thinking about importing banned mini jelly products—we will take action,’ she said.
It's important to note that in Australia, cups containing konjac are banned if they have a height or width of 45mm or less.
This regulation came into place following tragic incidents, including the death of a three-year-old boy from Sydney in 2000 after consuming one of these cups and a two-year-old who nearly died the year before.
A government statement from 2002 highlighted that the confectionery posed a global issue, leading to eight fatalities in Japan, five in the United States, and one in the United Kingdom.
In 2018, a Melbourne woman was hospitalised after consuming Japanese konjac noodles, which caused her stomach to expand to five times its normal size, resulting in severe pain and vomiting.
Doctors attributed this to the noodles not breaking down and obstructing her stomach.
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