[3] Konjac is cultivated in warm subtropical to tropical areas of East and Southeast Asia, from China and Japan south to Indonesia and Vietnam (USDA hardiness zone 6–11).

[8]: 00:09:44  Nakajima Toemon developed a method to produce konjac flour in 1776, which are more durable for transportation and storage, contributing to their wider consumption.

[8]: 00:10:44 Konjac is grown in East and Southeast Asia and it is prized for its large starchy corms, used to create a flour and jelly of the same name.

[5]: 595 Konjac is consumed in parts of China's Sichuan province; the corm is called moyu (Chinese: 魔芋; lit.

Perhaps because of several highly publicized deaths and near-deaths in the San Francisco Bay Area among children and elderly people caused by suffocation while eating konjac candy, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued product warnings[13] in 2001, and there were subsequent recalls in the US and Canada.

[14] Unlike gelatine and some other commonly used gelling agents, konjac fruit jelly does not melt readily in the mouth.

[15][16][17][18] Some konjac jelly snacks are not of a size and consistency that pose a choking risk, but are nonetheless affected by the government bans.

[19] Some products that remain in East Asian markets have an increased size, unusual shape, and more delicate consistency than the round, plug-like gels that were associated with the choking incidents.

[citation needed] The snacks usually have warning labels advising parents to make sure their children chew the jelly thoroughly before swallowing.

[22] MannanLife konjac jelly's packaging added a note to consumers, advising them to cut the product into smaller pieces before serving it to small children.

[23] Konjac corm powder has a noticeably fishy smell and is used as an ingredient in vegan alternative seafood products.

[27] In traditional hand papermaking in Japan, konnyaku imparts strength to paper for dyeing, rubbing, folding—and other manipulations, such as momigami.