| Haw flakes | |||||||||||
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| A roll of haw flakes and a haw flake | |||||||||||
| Traditional Chinese: | 山楂餅 | ||||||||||
| Simplified Chinese: | 山楂饼 | ||||||||||
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Haw flakes are Chinese sweets made from the fruit of the Chinese hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida, genus Crataegus). The dark pink candy is packaged using twenty-two one millimeter-thick candy discs and sold in packs of ten. They are also frequently given away after a consultation with a traditional Chinese doctor.
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History
Haw flakes are manufactured in China, and can easily be found in many parts of Asia. In Hong Kong they have been around since the 1970s. There has been virtually no change in the recipe or taste from the original version. By far the largest seller of haw flakes is the Shandong Foodstuffs Import & Export Corporation of Qingdao, Shandong, China. Packages that have been imported overseas have come from the Qingzhou Jiahe Food Corporation company (州市嘉禾食品有限公司). The snack may be available in select overseas Chinatowns.
Variety
Gourmet haw flakes are also available at specialty Chinese markets. Gourmet haw flakes tend to be larger than the Shandong haw flakes (gourmet haw flakes are about the size of a silver dollar whereas the Shandong haw flakes are about the size of a quarter). They also tend to be more chewy than crispy and have a more vibrant flavor.
Regulation
Haw flakes have been seized on several occasions by the United States Food and Drug Administration for containing Ponceau 4R (E124, Acid Red 18), an unapproved artificial coloring.[1][2]
See also
References
- ^ Enforcement Report for August 29, 2001. FDA Enforcement Report. United States Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved on 2007-07-02.
- ^ Enforcement Report for August 16, 2000. FDA Enforcement Report. United States Food and Drug Administration. Retrieved on 2007-07-02.
