Haw flakes
Haw flakes are Chinese sweets made from the fruit of the Chinese hawthorn. Appearance wise, it takes on a pale/dark pink candy and is usually formed into discs two millimeters thick. It is most commonly packaged in cylindrical stacks with label art resembling Chinese fireworks. The sweet and tangy snack is usually served to guests along with tea or as a treat for children. It is sometimes consumed with bitter Chinese herbal medicine to aid digestion.
Variety
Gourmet haw flakes are also available at specialty Chinese markets in the West. Gourmet haw flakes tend to be larger than the regular Shandong haw flakes.Low-sugar and additive-free haw flakes aimed towards the health conscious are readily available in China but less so in the West. They will vary from pale beige to reddish brown in color.
Regulation
Haw flakes have been seized on several occasions by the United States Food and Drug Administration for containing Ponceau 4R, an unapproved artificial coloring. Ponceau 4R is used in Europe, Asia and Australia but is not approved by the US FDA.Currently, certain brands of haw flakes contain Allura Red AC as the red coloring. In Europe, Allura Red AC is not recommended for consumption by children. The food coloring was previously banned in Denmark, Belgium, France and Switzerland, but is now approved in the whole EU as Food additive E 129.