Following the incident of the 10-year-old child choking on “eyeball candy”, Public Health Malaysia has revealed that the candy might be too sticky, and potentially deadly, a hazard for children.
A tragic wake-up call
The danger first became painfully real when a 10-year-old boy in Penang tragically lost his life after accidentally swallowing an eyeball-shaped gummy candy at school.
The child’s choking incident, despite frantic rescue efforts, shocked the community and raised urgent questions about the safety of these eye-catching sweets.
The sticky experiment
Determined to uncover the truth behind the candy’s menace, Public Health Malaysia conducted a revealing experiment.
In a video posted on social media, an experimenter destroyed several of these brightly coloured eyeball candies using a pestle and mortar.
The result? The candies quickly dissolved into a sticky, paste-like substance. This unexpected transformation underscores the candy’s hidden danger: once in the mouth, its gooey consistency can easily block a child’s airway.
Why stickiness is a deadly issue
The problem isn’t just the candy’s unsettling design—it’s the way it behaves once it meets saliva.
The sticky, elastic texture and relatively large size of these treats mean that if they aren’t properly chewed, they can slip down a child’s throat with alarming ease.
Unlike solid foods that break down into manageable pieces, this paste-like substance can form an impenetrable blockage, making emergency rescue efforts incredibly challenging.
A call for safer treats
Public Health Malaysia is now urging schools, local shops, and street vendors to rethink selling such hazardous sweets.
The organisation emphasizes that children, especially those still mastering the art of chewing, are at a higher risk of a sticky mishap that could lead to tragic outcomes.
Parents are also urged to be extra vigilant and keep these high-risk candies out of reach.
As the community reels from the shock of a preventable tragedy, this revelation serves as a stark reminder: sometimes, what appears to be a delightful treat can hide a dangerously sticky secret.
Earlier on, they posted another post highlighting the danger of the eyeball candy.
For the safety of our children, it’s time to reconsider the snacks we allow into their world.
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