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The Czech Agriculture and Food Inspection Authority (CAFIA) alerts in particular parents of small children against consumption of jelly sweets containing the food additive konjac. They can be sold as an individual confectionery in the shape of cupcakes labelled as “mini-jelly” or “mini-cups” with a flavouring of different fruits. The European Commission has already prohibited to place them on the market in EU countries because according to the information from certain third countries they could pose a risk to small children and the elderly.

Although the importation and releasing these sweets into circulation is banned within the Community (Decision 2002/247/EC), the Authority has found out on the basis of information from the Consumer Advisory and Informative Service that they are likely to be found on the Czech market. Jelly sweets containing konjac are mostly sold individually and very often they lack proper labelling or labelling in the Czech language which is also inconsistent with regulations in force.

The food additive (E 425) known as “conjac, konjac, konjac gum, yam flour or glucomannan etc.”, is used as a thickener in production of certain foodstuffs, mainly in Asian countries. It is also added in jelly sweets which have probably caused chocking of several children in Australia, United States and UK in previous years. Each mini jelly cup is about the size and shape of single-serve coffee creamer.

Konjac contained is, unlike gelatine, dissolved only with difficulties and the size and shape of jellylike sweets can cause that they easily slide down the throat, where they can become lodged. According to the precautionary principle CAFIA warned against these dangerous sweets two years ago. However, at that time jelly mini-cups were not on the Czech market.

CAFIA inspectors pay heightened attention to this issue. So far they have detected several cases of these sweets in the trade network. They have banned them on the spot from releasing into circulation.

Konjac remains to be used in production of some other foodstuffs since the ban of the European Commission (Directive 2003/52/EC) of its usage relates only to jelly sweets, notwithstanding their shape.

Photo: Examples of some jelly mini-cups