Three people mistakenly eat laundry pods distributed during election campaign in Taiwan

As Taiwan prepares for its presidential elections, a startling incident unfolded when a candidate distributed laundry pods that were mistaken for candy by some people.

According to Taiwanese media, laundry pods packaged like candy were distributed as freebies during the Kuomintang (KMT) presidential nominee Hou Yu-ih's campaign in Changhua city.

After three people were hospitalised for mistakenly eating laundry pods, Hou Yu-ih's campaign office apologised for the incident and pledged to "disseminate information that the 460,000 laundry pods distributed by the campaign were not intended for consumption."

Three people including two elderly residents, identified An 80-year-old man and an 86-year-old woman, sharing the surname Hung, were rushed to a hospital in Changhua County after mistaking laundry pods for food after accidentally ingesting laundry pods.

After undergoing gastric lavage, the process of stomach washing, they were able to return home. were subsequently discharged.

The campaign distributed laundry pods featuring images of Hou and his running mate Jaw Shau-kong. The packaging also included printed instructions, with a handy tip, "One pod tackles up to 8 kilograms of laundry."

As per medical professionals, ingesting laundry pods can cause intense burning sensations and severe stomach upset. In severe cases, chemical burns to the stomach lining can lead to vomiting blood.

People expressed concerns over the decision to distribute laundry pods as campaign materials. Moreover, the packaging lacked any clear warnings against consuming the pods.