Oct 20, 2021 (NHK) - Consumer affairs officials in Japan are calling on parents to exercise caution following the death of a 10-month-old baby who suffocated on a bite-sized piece of bread.
The National Consumer Affairs Center of Japan on Tuesday released the name of the foodstuff involved. A firm in Osaka, western Japan, produces the bread, which comes in pieces about 3 centimeters by 3 centimeters in size.
The officials said a baby boy in Okinawa suffocated and died after eating a piece of the bread in March 2020.
The product's packaging says adults should be careful when giving the product to babies. It also says that the product is for babies aged about 10 months and older.
The officials said the baby who died likely put one whole piece in his mouth when his parents were not looking.
They also received a report of an 11-month-old baby suffocating after eating the product.
The maker of the product offered condolences on the death of the baby and offered an apology to any customers who had been inconvenienced. It said it is modifying the package and improving the product.
The National Consumer Affairs Center said adults should themselves eat foodstuffs they plan to give to infants less than a year old to check how difficult it might be to eat, regardless of what the packaging says.
They said a baby should be given water to moisten its mouth and throat before eating, and that adults should keep a close eye on infants until it is clear they have swallowed their food.
Source: ANNnewsCH
