Company halts production of Konnyaku Batake jelly products
If you’ve lived in Japan for a while, chances are you’ve probably encountered the above-pictured Konnyaku Batake jelly snacks. Anyone who has eaten such a snack should be well aware of the fact that the konjac jelly has a rubbery texture and can be difficult to chew, and some tend to swallow them in one gulp. This is fine for most adults, but common sense dictates that small children and the elderly should probably chew these snacks well before swallowing.
Some people have choked and died on Konjac jelly before, so producers placed big warning labels on their product packages stating that it should not be eaten by small children and the elderly.
That warning label should have been enough, but apparently it was not. Last month, A mother in Hyogo Prefecture fed Konnyakku Batake jelly to her 1-year-old son, and much to her shock, he choked on it and died.
As a result, the company that produces the snacks has halted production of Konnyaku Batake. The Health Ministry has suggested that the konjac jelly producers to increase the size and number of warning labels, but it is unclear if this company will bring back Konnyaku Batake.
When I heard that the company had halted production of the snacks, I was shocked. Having see the big red warning labels on the snacks before, I believed that the company had done its part in pointing out the obvious to would-be buyers.
Similar reactions can be fond on 2-channel. Many have posted comments stating that the existing warning labels were enough, and that a responsible parent would never feed a small child something that is very difficult to chew and swallow. One user even posted a graph and statistics showing that far greater numbers of Japanese people choke to death on mochi, and some have wondered if mochi will also eventually be banned as a “dangerous” food.
