Hong Kong authorities seek ban on certain mini konjac jelly cups

Hong Kong authorities have proposed banning the use of konjac in cups of mini jelly under a certain size, following a coroner’s suggestion that the government consider prohibiting such products due to the risk of choking.

The proposal was outlined in a paper to the Legislative Council ahead of a panel meeting on Thursday, with the document highlighting the government’s plans to update food safety regulations covering konjac-containing confectionery jellies and metallic contamination thresholds.

The paper said Chief Executive John Lee Ka-chiu had set out in last year’s policy address to “review food safety standards for metal content in food … with reference to international standards and practices”.

The review would also take into account “the dietary habits and styles of the Hong Kong population, risk assessment results and stakeholders’ concerns”, it said.

On the subject of konjac jellies, the paper said that while the thickening agent was considered a safe food additive, it posed choking hazards, particularly in mini-cup jellies, due to their texture and how they were consumed.

The document cited a coroner’s recommendation to the Centre for Food Safety last year that such products should be banned after the death of a seven-year-old girl in 2021 was determined to have resulted from choking on confectionery jelly at school.