Dar es Salaam, Tanzania – What begins as a simple act of affection—handing a child a colorful, toy-filled snack—has in some tragic cases turned into a fatal mistake in Tanzania.
A growing number of incidents involving children choking on small toys concealed in popular packaged snacks have raised serious safety concerns among health experts and parents alike.
Marketed widely in local shops and roadside kiosks, these affordable and brightly packaged treats are especially popular in urban and peri-urban neighborhoods. The snacks often contain tiny toys—plastic balls, mini cars, whistles, marbles, or doll accessories—tucked inside the packaging alongside candy or biscuits.
But behind the joy these gifts bring, there is a darker reality.
In a chilling case reported earlier this year, a four-year-old child in Morogoro choked to death after swallowing a miniature ball that had come with a snack his older sibling had bought from a street vendor.
The toy had no warning label, and the snack’s packaging bore no instructions or age restrictions.
Health workers at the local clinic were unable to save him.
Sadly, this is not an isolated case. In the past 12 months alone, Tanzania’s Ministry of Health has recorded over 20 cases of children suffering from airway blockages linked to snack-pack toys, five of which have been fatal.
“These toys are a silent hazard,” says Dr. Jane Mwakipesile, a pediatrician at Muhimbili National Hospital. “Many parents do not even realize these gifts can pose a serious threat. The packaging is colorful and playful, which creates a false sense of safety.”
A major concern is the lack of regulatory oversight. Most of these snack products are either locally manufactured with minimal safety standards or imported informally from neighboring countries.
The Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) has yet to enforce specific guidelines regarding the safety of food-associated toys, despite the rising risks.
“We are reviewing our policies,” said an official from TBS who requested anonymity. “But enforcement takes time, and the market is flooded with such products.”
Child safety advocates are now urging for immediate government intervention, including:
Banning or restricting the importation of toys within food items.
Imposing strict labeling requirements and age warnings.
Conducting public awareness campaigns to educate parents and vendors.
Some parents, like 33-year-old Salma Yusuf from Mbeya, have started boycotting these snacks altogether. “I would rather buy plain biscuits or fruit. I can’t risk my child’s life over a cheap toy,” she said.
Until regulations catch up, pediatricians recommend that parents:
Always supervise young children when consuming snacks.
Avoid giving packaged snacks with hidden toys to children under 5.
Immediately remove any small objects from packaging before handing it to a child.
Retailers, too, have a role to play. Shopkeepers should educate themselves about the risks and prioritize safer products, especially in low-income communities where awareness is limited.
As children across Tanzania continue to consume these seemingly innocent treats, the risk remains real and pressing. Without prompt action, more families could be faced with avoidable heartbreak.
