Printer friendly versionKonjac in trouble
Konjac mannan has no sooner been approved in the EU than it has found itself in trouble! Konjac is very popular in Asia as the major ingredient in dessert jellies. Particularly the small 'mini cup type products that have been so popular in Asia over many years. However after several incidents of small children choking on the jellies manufacturers are finding that the growing export market for the mini cup jellies is rapidly closing down.
On 17th august 2001 the Canadian government issued a warning that the mini cup gels posed a threat and had caused a death in Canada and several in the USA. Later on the 7th December the US government withdrew 16,000 mini cups of the 'Mothers Pride and 'NATA' labels. This was followed later on the 15th January by the withdrawal of a variety of brands under the general ownership of Walong marketing. On the 30th January two products from the Anhing company where withdrawn and finally on the 15th February all mini cup gels containing konjac were banned in the USA. The most recent proposal, and the most wide reaching, has come from the French government who have proposed the banning of all such products made from konjac, carrageenan,agar or alginate.
Technically konjac is not the real culprit. The problem is making a tough, rubbery gel about the right size to block in someones throat and replacing the konjac with another gum to give a similar texture is not the answer. The French government have realised this and are correct that a similarly dangerous product could be made by any number of gums. However the legislation will need to be carefully considered to ensure that it does improve public safety by addressing the issue of the size and mechanical properties of the gel rather than targeting specific gums and allowing manufacturers to move to another, equally dangerous system.
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