Urgent warning to parents as popular snack recalled over choking risk

PARENTS have been warned not to give their children a popular snack over choking fears.

Health chiefs said the affected treats contain banned ingredients that could cause "a choking hazard" to kids.

Oriental Foods Distributor, which manufactures New Choice jelly, has recalled several flavours, including taro and tropical.

The sweets are sold in 1kg jars that contain 120g jelly cups.

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) said the food item is considered unsafe for human consumption.

The desserts have Konjac flour and Carrageenan which are banned jelling ingredients for being too hard to swallow.

Health chiefs said: "The products can present a choking hazard due to the consistency, solubility, shape, size and manner of consumption of the food.

"The products can be projected from the cup or capsule in one piece by exerting pressure at the tip and therefore may cause choking hazard."

The FSA has urged anyone that has bought the jelly products not to eat them.

Instead, they should return them to the store they bought them from for a full refund (with or without a receipt).

Oriental Foods Distributor will put up notices in shops that sell the jelly to explain what shoppers can do if they purchased any.

The urgent warning comes after another alert was issued over similar jelly sweets.

LIUM jelly were recalled, including the Ume & Strawberry jellies, Ume & Mango jellies and the Ume & Maracuja jellies.

Food safety chiefs raised concerns over an unauthorised gel forming additive within the sweet product.

Elsewhere, a popular lollipop was recalled over fears the sticks were dangerously sharp.

Health chiefs said the sharp ends could "cause injury" to children.

Bumerang Ltd, which manufactures Candy Stars Lollipops, recalled 50,000 lollies of several different flavours, including apple, orange, strawberry and assorted fruit.