Hong Kong has proposed banning the sale of mini konjac jelly cups from April next year over the products’ choking-hazard risks, with anyone caught selling such goods to face a maximum penalty of six months in jail and a fine of up to HK$50,000 (US$6,370).
The amendments will be presented to the Legislative Council next Wednesday. Mini-cup jellies containing konjac with a height or width of 45mm (1.77 inches) or less will be banned starting April 1 if the move is successful.
All other konjac jelly products would also be required to come with a warning sign.
The proposed amendments to the Food and Drugs (Composition and Labelling) Regulations were prompted by a coroner’s suggestion last year that such products should be prohibited due to the risk of choking.
The recommendation followed the death of a seven-year-old girl in 2021, who was determined to have died from choking on confectionery jelly at school.
“Non cup-shaped konjac jellies are usually consumed through a small opening in the packaging, while larger or non pre-packaged konjac jelly is typically eaten with a teaspoon, posing a relatively lower choking risk,” said Dr Cheung Yung-yan, a consultant with the Centre for Food Safety.
