'Eyeball gummy' turns into gooey paste that can block airway if not chewed through

Public Health Malaysia has urged shops and street vendors to consider taking the "eyeball gummy" off the shelf following the death of 10-year-old boy Mohamad Fahmi Hafiz in Penang after he choked on one.

He had bought the sweets from outside his school on Feb 18 and collapsed in class. He was taken unconscious to Penang Hospital, where he died two days later.

The choking incident raised urgent questions about the safety of the sweets.

In response, Public Health Malaysia posted a Facebook reel in which it crushed the sweets and showed how they turned into a sticky paste.

The gooey paste can easily block a child's airway if accidentally swallowed, creating a barrier that would make rescue efforts difficult.

Parents are also urged to be vigilant and keep the sweets away from their children.

Malaysia's Health Ministry ordered two online platforms to remove ads promoting the eyeball gummy.

Bernama quoted Health Minister Dzulkefly Ahmad as saying: "We also instructed district health offices across the country to conduct enforcement on physical premises and seize the remaining products being sold."