Candy tested for choking hazard

Food safety experts in the UAE are investigating a jelly cup type of candy following the reported deaths of three children from choking on it in the United States last week. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of the U.S. has issued a nationwide warning to consumers of the potential choking hazard posed by the jelly cups imported from Asia, which are also available in Dubai.

The municipality is investigating the problem and will issue a decision after that. Khalid Sharif, Head of the Food Control Section at Dubai Municipality, said: "This problem involves the size of the candy and the instructions on its label.

"We have a set of procedures that will be implemented to analyse the situation." The statement issued by the FDA said that some of the candy bears warning labels, suggesting that it is not to be eaten by children or the elderly. Yet others warn of choking as a hazard and to chew the candy well. Some of the candy is sold with no warning label at all.

Sharif said: "Dubai Munic-ipality has very strict regulations. Earlier, a type of candy called jawbreakers was stopped from being sold as they were found to be too hard for children to chew. "Similarly candy shaped like cigarettes and bombs was banned as it gave the wrong message to children.

"The civic body is very careful about what is sold in the market and especially made available to children." The jelly cup type candy from Asia is sold in several fruit flavours in small sealed plastic cups that may or may not contain a chunk of fruit. Each jelly cup is about the size of a single-serve coffee creamer. It is sold under a variety of names.

"We are very strict with our regulations and checks which involves all aspects of the food items sold in Dubai including size and labelling," Sharif said. "But safety of the community is of the utmost importance to us and we will investigate the matter fully." Saudi Arabia issued a ban on that type of candy on Friday and recalled all such products from the market.