Thai FDA warns against illegal wax candies sold online

The agency warned that such food products are illegal in Thailand and that it instructed online shopping platforms on Friday to cease their sale.

Dr Narong Aphikulvanich, FDA’s acting secretary-general, said failure to remove such “illegal products” from their virtual shelf could lead to a maximum fine of 30,000 baht per count.

Searches for this “wax candy” on popular online shopping platforms like Lazada and Shopee on Saturday came up empty. However, the candies were still being offered for sale by vendors on the TikTok online platform.

Many consumers and social media users have voiced concerns about the prevalence of these colourful wax candies, saying they can be dangerous for children as the wax part of the product is inedible.

These candies usually come in different shapes and contain fruit-flavoured syrup. The wax is typically food-grade and non-toxic, but it is meant to be chewed, not swallowed.

FDA deputy secretary-general Veerachai Nalawachai said the wax is not edible and should not be swallowed. He also said that the wax candies sold online do not carry a food label in Thai, so consumers have no details about the production process or if it is safe for consumption.

“So people should not eat it,” he warned, adding that the FDA will strictly enforce the law against anyone selling wax candies without permission.

Meanwhile, Prof Chaowanee Chupeerach, deputy director of Mahidol University’s Institute of Nutrition, warned that swallowing the wax can be dangerous as it can block the throat or the digestive system since the human body cannot digest wax.

“Also, we have no information about chemical residue in the product,” she said. “We don’t know if the syrup in the wax candies comes from sugar or sweetener, or whether it contains any chemical substances. So, it’s best to avoid eating it.”