Hi-Chew
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| Japanese snack food | |
| Hi-Chew | |
| Japanese name | ハイチュウ (haichū) |
| Maker | Morinaga & Company |
| Ingredients | Chewy Candy / Taffy |
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Apple, Banana, Blood Orange, Blueberry, Calamansi, Camu Camu, Cantelope, Cola, Dekopon, Dragon Fruit, Golden Apple[disambiguation needed], Grape, Grapefruit, Green apple, Hokkaido Melon (Cantaloupe), Kiwi, Lemon, Lime, Lychee, Mango, Mixed Fruit, Orange (and Valencia Orange), Passion Fruit, Peach, Pineapple, Strawberry, Strawberry Cheesecake, Yogurt (Aloe, Peach and Strawberry), Yuzu, Cotton candy, Soda, Grape soda, Pudding, Watermelon |
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Hi-Chew (ハイチュウ Haichū) is a fruit-flavored chewy Japanese candy sold by Morinaga & Company.
About the candy
This soft chewy candy was first released in 1975. It was re-released in its current shape (a stick of several individually wrapped candies) in February 1986.
The candy actually derived from several older models. The origins of Hi-chew began when Taichiro Morinaga sought to create an edible kind of chewing gum that could be swallowed because of the Japanese cultural taboo against taking food out of one's mouth. By combining his chewy caramel with strawberry flavoring, Morinaga was able to create a new kind of candy. This led to the introduction of the candy called Chewlets in 1931. However, Morinaga had to rebuild his company after World War II, and Chewlets was reintroduced in the form it is known today- Hi-Chew.[1]
Hi-Chew candies are individually wrapped in logo-stamped foil or plain white wax paper (depending on the localization). Each individual candy piece consists of an outer white coating (this is the same for most flavors) and a colored, flavored interior. The exceptions to this rule are the Strawberry Cheesecake, Yogurt, and Cotton Candy flavors, which have an outer colored coating with a white, flavored inside, whereas the Cola flavored Hi-chews are brown colored all through. The texture is similar to a cross between chewing gum and fruit-flavored candies in the United States such as Laffy Taffy or Starburst, they are also said to remind many of the long discontinued Bonkers[citation needed]. Hi-chew can be found widely in shops in Taiwan, Shanghai, Singapore, and Hong Kong. Specialist shops in other countries also stock this product, including some 7-Eleven locations in the United States, Cost Plus World Market locations, and also many import stores[citation needed]. In Walt Disney World, Epcot in Florida, Hi-Chew can be also found sold in a smaller package and translated into English.[citation needed] Special editions are sometimes released.
Hi-Chew's ingredients include: Glucose syrup, Sugar, Hydrogenated Palm Kernel Oil, Gelatin (derived from pork[citation needed]), Natural and Artificial Flavors, Strawberry juice from concentrate, DL-Malic Acid, Citric Acid, Emulsifiers, Sodium lactate Solution, Natural colors (Beta-Carotene, Carmine). Hi-Chew is neither kosher, halal nor vegetarian.[2]
As the main ingredients are glycogen and palm oil, it is relatively simple to remove if it becomes stuck on clothing. By applying a warm, wet towel, the candy will soften and wash off.[3]
In America
Hi-Chew is available in seven flavors in the United States: Strawberry, Green Apple, Mango, Melon, Grape, Peach, and Banana, but there is 131 flavors sold in china. In the case that it cannot be found in stores, Hi-Chew can readily be found online for purchase.[3] Currently, stores that carry Hi-Chew are primarily clustered on the West and East Coast.[4] A recent development with Hi-Chew is that it has become a gluten free product. Though Hi-Chew itself never actually contained gluten ingredients, it is now produced in facilities that do not process other gluten containing products. However, this is only true for products that have a "Best by" date in 2012.[5] Though Hi-Chew is gluten free, it does contain gelatin ingredients, so it is not halal, kosher, or vegetarian.[3]
Morinaga's American branch donated Hi-Chew in support of athletic programs in northern Utah and Los Angeles. Hi-Chew was donated to help fund raise for soccer and football programs northern Utah high schools as well as football programs in Los Angeles county high schools. Morinaga donated a total of 7000 Hi-Chew sticks to the schools, with about 500 sticks going to each high school.[6]
Product Recall
In 2008, Morinaga recalled some of its Hi-Chew products due to complaints that rubber-like material had been found in the candy. The source of this rubber turned out to come from a piece of a worker's glove that had fallen into the cooking vat in the Morinaga factory located in Hyogo prefecture. The Green apple and Grape flavored Hi-chew that had an expiration date of 2009 were recalled.[7] Some of the affected Hi-Chew products also had been exported to Hong Kong, where the Centre for Food Safety monitored the situation and warned the public against purchasing or eating them.[8]
External links
↑Jump back a sectionReferences
- ^ "Hi-Chew "Our Story"".
- ^ "Frequently Asked Questions | Hi-Chew".
- ^ a b c "Hi-Chew FAQ".
- ^ "Hi-Chew "Where to Find It"".
- ^ "Hi-Chew What's New".
- ^ "Morinaga Donates HI-CHEW to Support High School Athletics".
- ^ "Morinaga issues recall of Hi-chew candy".
- ^ "Recall of Sweets Due to Possible Contamination with Small Rubber Pieces".
