EU bans dangerous jellies

One can always depend on EU politicians for bizarre and arbitrary decrees. First there was their decision to reclassify carrots as fruit. Now they've decided to ban jelly mini cups, recognizing them as the obvious threat to public safety that they are. Apparently they're afraid that someone might choke on the things, even though no one has ever done so in the past. File this under 'sounds like a hoax, but actually isn't.'
Update: Apparently there have been deaths attributed to these jelly mini cups. Not in Europe, but in Canada. So it seems like the European bureaucrats are vindicated.

Food Politics

Posted on Tue Apr 13, 2004


Comments

Hmmm, I'm as skeptical as they come, but the "jelly cup deaths" thing is real, as far as I know. It's been in the news for a few years (low-level) here in the US.

Here's one alleged citation of such a death:
http://www.rense.com/general16/killer.htm

Please investigate: if the alleged deaths of kids are phony (like the death of Mikey from eating Pop Rocks candy), please let us know!
Posted by Kevin O'Hare  on  Wed Apr 14, 2004  at  12:36 AM
I've seen an hour long documentary on the subject. the jelly is supposed to stick inside the throat of children in such a way that there's very little you can do to save the victim.
Posted by Emily  on  Wed Apr 14, 2004  at  07:14 AM
The "carrots are fruit" thing isn't the folly it is passed on as.

It's down to Portuguese jam: they make jam using carrot.

Root vegtables are use to extend jam and save on more expensive fruit - in this case it is the "fruit".

Not quite a hoax but misinformation.
Posted by Peter  on  Wed Apr 14, 2004  at  12:27 PM
The "jelly" cups are not jelly - more like some very firm gel called conjac or konjac.

The FDA is way ahead of the Europeans on this one (2001), and there have been cases of choking in the US. http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/NEWS/2002/NEW00801.html
Posted by Oren  on  Wed Apr 14, 2004  at  02:44 PM
Extending on what Peter says, this tale concerns the European Jam Directive: a food standard about quality and ingredients of jams. The Portuguese were allowed a get-out on the required fruit content because they traditionally use carrot; this didn't define carrot as a fruit. Any claims about weird European directives usually come from Anti-European UK newspapers, and need checking against Euromyths.
Posted by Ray  on  Wed Apr 14, 2004  at  09:56 PM
Trust the canadians to choke on jelly, or at least create a hoax so perfect that it is misinterpreted

And blame the Europeans for being so damned stupid for falling for it!!!!!
Posted by J  on  Thu Apr 15, 2004  at  02:08 PM
Attn readers,

I live in Taiwan, where the majority, if not all, of the jelly mini cups are made. These treats haven't been banned here as far as I know even though children here and abroad have died or suffered after eating them.

It is no hoax. The one place in the world where you can find every type of consumer product that might kill you is in Taiwan or China.
Posted by Dempsey Haupt  on  Tue Apr 20, 2004  at  04:45 PM
Maybe Bush should ban pretzels. heh
Posted by Distortion  on  Fri Jul 02, 2004  at  01:07 PM
Have you heard about the EU regulation banning the use of ropes when you can use scaffholding instead? That must really take the fun out of mountain climbing. To find more examples of left-wing socialist nannyism, you need not look any further than the EU!
Posted by #1  on  Tue Jul 13, 2004  at  04:44 PM
looking for my brother
Posted by Dan Haupt  on  Wed Aug 31, 2005  at  01:19 AM
I almost choked on that godforsaken candy one time, Never again did I dare to put another one in my mouth
Posted by Eva  on  Sat Aug 12, 2006  at  07:24 PM
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