Korea Consumer Agency tests 20 Chinese-made snacks; bacterial growth found in one product, sales halt recommended

A Korea Consumer Agency researcher conducts a bacterial detection test on mala-flavored snacks. [Korea Consumer Agency]
A Korea Consumer Agency researcher conducts a bacterial detection test on mala-flavored snacks. [Korea Consumer Agency]

The Korea Consumer Agency announced Tuesday that some imported snacks — including mala-flavored konjac and freeze-dried jellies — pose hygiene and dental risks, and recommended that sales of certain products be halted.

From December last year through January, the agency tested and evaluated 20 Chinese-made snack products sold at unmanned ice cream and stationery vending stores within 200 meters of elementary schools in the Chungcheong region, assessing their quality and safety.

As a result, one product — "Xiang La Wei" konjac jelly — tested positive for bacterial growth, failing microbial safety standards. Under Ministry of Food and Drug Safety regulations, retort foods must show no bacterial proliferation.

The agency recommended that the product's importer and distributor suspend sales and offer refunds to consumers. The importer said it has no remaining retail inventory and plans to refund customers who purchased the product.

The "ASMR Crispy Earth-Shaped Freeze-Dried Jelly" showed significant variation in hardness even among units of the same product. Its maximum recorded hardness of 118 newtons exceeded the average chewing force of children aged 6 to 11 by more than double, raising concerns about dental damage.

Most mala-flavored snacks are oil-processed foods made with soybean oil and similar fats, making them susceptible to rancidity. The agency found, however, that they are classified as ordinary jelly or pickled food products — categories not subject to rancidity management standards.

Acid value measurements of the mala-flavored snacks tested — an indicator of fat rancidity — ranged from 0.51 to 3.66. Ministry of Food and Drug Safety guidelines require that oil-fried or oil-processed confectioneries, breads and rice cakes maintain an acid value of 2.0 or below.

The mala-flavored snacks also contained high levels of sugar and sodium. "Jindazhu Xiang La King Oyster Mushroom" and "Glutinous Rice Latio" were found to reach a child's sufficient daily sodium intake after just two servings, warranting caution.

Among candy products, one 180-gram "Chewy Jelly Blueberry Flavor" item alone delivers 642 kilocalories — the equivalent of four bowls of rice. Its sugar content of 55 grams also exceeded the recommended daily limit for added sugar.

The agency recommended that the businesses involved suspend sales of the problematic products and strengthen quality and hygiene management to protect children's food safety and prevent consumer harm. It also plans to ask the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety to strengthen safety monitoring of new-type imported snacks, including mala-flavored products.

"When consuming snacks, be careful not to take in excessive sodium and sugar, and take care to avoid dental damage when eating hard freeze-dried jellies," the agency said.


spa@heraldcorp.com