Seemingly harmless sweets hide a deadly secret - they contain a banned killer ingredient which has been linked to the deaths of children worldwide.

The jelly treats have a coconut gel at the centre called konjac which can become lodged in a child's throat.

Trading standards officers in Sussex believe the sweets could be on sale to youngsters across the county.

They have scoured retail outlets to ensure none of them is selling the potentially lethal products.

The sweets are sold under a number of different brand names, including ABC Mini Fruit Bites and Natco Jelee Mini Pots.

The soft, slippery jellies come in dome-shaped plastic cups with a foil lid, similar to a mini pot of milk or a coffee creamer. They are sold in bags, plastic jars or individually.

Children may suck out and swallow the sweet whole. Children's deaths all over the world have been blamed on choking on the sweet.

Konjac is a binding ingredient which does not dissolve easily and increases risks of the sweets becoming stuck in the throat.

The European Commission (EC) banned the sale of the sweets containing konjac in 2002.

After the ban, manufacturers reformulated the jelly mini-cups sweets, using seaweed extract or other gums as a binding ingredient instead of konjac so the sweets would dissolve in the mouth more easily.

Despite the ingredient change, the EC has banned jelly mini-cup sweets amid concerns they still pose a choking hazard.

Bob Tidy, lead East Sussex county councillor for community safety, said: "Our trading standards officers work very closely with the Food Standards Agency in an effort to keep consumers safe."

East Sussex trading standards have not yet found any outlets in Sussex where the sweets are being sold but are warning parents to check what their children buy.