BEIJING: China is cracking down on “wax bottle candy”, a popular snack among children that is also sold abroad, over food safety concerns.
Known for their chewy texture and colourful appearance, the candies – known colloquially as “la ping tang” – are made from beeswax and contain syrup. They’ve seen a recent surge in popularity, driven by influencers showcasing the snack.
But a lack of proper labels such as production dates, quality certificates and manufacturer details has been ringing alarm bells among food safety authorities.
At least six Chinese provinces, including Gansu, Hubei and Sichuan, are cracking down on the popular treat, according to local news outlets, conducting spot checks on businesses and confiscating non-compliant products. Reports did not indicate when such measures began.
In Yuzhong county in Gansu province, officials inspected 68 businesses around schools over the weekend. More than half were ordered to remove the candies from their shelves and close to 100 boxes of the treats were confiscated, local news site China Daily reported.
Other cities have issued health warnings to consumers, stating that while the beeswax used in making the candies is not toxic, some manufacturers have been found to use inferior or industrial wax which poses potential health risks.
The sweet treats are meant to be chewed to release and savour the syrup within, rather than swallowed whole.
