Dangerous honeycomb wax sweets trend sweeps social media in Thailand

Social media is on fire with the sale of a potentially dangerous dessert, known as honeycomb wax sweets or simply, wax sweets. These cute, colourful treats conceal a hidden risk.

A consumer posted on Facebook today, December 8, about a certain type of sweet that resembles a candle wax stick but contains a sweet filling. The shell, which is made of wax, has a texture similar to a candle. Some people bite into it, suck out the sweet syrup, and then spit out the wax, reported Sanook.

“The wax sweets trend is so strong that everyone seems to be following it. I understand that it’s edible, but I want people to realise that it also carries a hidden danger, especially for children. This wax sweet or whatever you want to call it, is a fruit-flavoured syrup coated in beeswax. You just bite and suck out the sweet syrup, that’s it.

“Many people think of it as a solid sweet, easy to eat and edible in its entirety. But they don’t know that swallowing beeswax is strictly prohibited. Imagine chewing a candle, can you manage that? And then you also have to swallow it. It’s hard for the stomach to digest, even more so than before.

“I would like to warn you that if possible, don’t eat this kind of sweet at all. I don’t know what’s so delicious about it. There’s no FDA approval, but it’s not good for children to eat. Even though there’s a warning, I still want to remind everyone. Avoid it if you can. You don’t have to follow every trend.”

Dr Pirat Lokapathana, also known as Dr Cat, added his perspective to the debate.

“In the past, it was a sweet that came in the form of a long beeswax bottle, more than a finger-long. The middle was filled with syrup and to eat it, you would bite the top, throw it away, and squeeze out the sweet syrup to suck it up. Some were tube-shaped, and few people ate the bottle. It was like sucking nectar from a needle but in a larger quantity. Now it comes in different shapes, and the syrup cannot be fully squeezed out.”

Many netizens expressed concern about the danger to children who may not fully understand the situation. They believe that the FDA or related agencies should inspect and promote public awareness about this issue.