Jellies from Japan almost always use konjac and fruit juice, which are key to their delicious texture and flavour. So when it comes to jelly, there is no fair comparison between those produced in Japan and Australia. This here is MannanLife Konnyaku Batake Grape. MannanLife is Japan’s largest manufacturer of konjac snacks.

The jellies are individually sealed heart-shaped plastic cups. Notes on both the external and internal packaging advise customers to cut the product into smaller pieces before serving it to small children or the elderly. This follows an incident in 2008 where a 21-month-old Japanese boy choked to death on a frozen MannanLife konjac jelly and prompted the company to halt production temporarily.

The jelly is a translucent deep red-brown colour with a bright grape aroma that recalled the juice of fresh red grapes.

The same bright flavour of red grapes came through from the start of each bite and developed with a balanced sweetness and prominent, rich flavour by mid-bite, and leaving a minimal aftertaste. In addition to their flavour, these jellies deliver a delightful bounce – it’s jelly that can be chewed, giving just the right amount of resistance on your teeth without being too firm or melting into a pudding on contact.

This MannanLife Konjac Jelly Grape contained 300 g or 12 pieces each of 25 g. It was produced in Japan and purchased in Ōsaka, Japan in 2018.