Arsenic in Kids’ Candy? Here’s What You Need to Know

For most families, candy may seem like a harmless treat. But what if you learned arsenic was detected in the sweets your children eat? 

Earlier this year, Florida’s Department of Health released findings that many parents might never have expected to see connected to the food their children eat — detectable levels of arsenic in popular candy.

The department is raising awareness to ensure parents have all the facts.

As part of the Healthy Florida First Initiative, Florida’s Department of Health tested 46 candy products. The results, which are published on exposingfoodtoxins.com, showed arsenic was detected in 28 of the products they tested.

The candies with arsenic included gummy bears, Laffy Taffy, Nerds, SweeTarts, Trolli Sour Brite Crawlers, Jolly Rancher Hard Candies, Twizzlers, KitKats, Snickers, Skittles, Sour Patch Kids, Tootsie Rolls and more. 

The full candy list and arsenic levels can be found here.

State officials say the initiative’s goal is transparency — to give families access to information about contaminants that may be in everyday food.

In addition to testing candy, the Department of Health also tested baby formula and bread.

Florida Governor Ron DeSantis believes this is one way Florida is partnering with the “Make America Healthy Again” mission to protect consumers, ensure food safety and offer transparency.

Allie Beth Stuckey had Florida’s First Lady, Casey DeSantis, on her podcast to discuss the findings. Stuckey opened the show saying, “People have the right to not be poisoned.”

When asked why Florida conducted the tests, Florida’s first lady responded, “First of all, it’s the right thing to do.” She said it started as a “trust, but verify” effort, and they were concerned with the results.

Florida officials say the report and findings are intended to raise awareness among families whose children may have unknowingly been exposed.

According to the Healthy Florida First Initiative, the “goal of this initiative is to identify and evaluate chemical contaminants that may be present in products commonly consumed by the general population. Testing focuses on substances and contaminants that may pose potential health risks, particularly for children.”

The release of data has not been without controversy. Critics have leveled several accusations against Florida’s testing.

Critics contend that the report didn’t include detailed information about sample sizes or batch variability, making it difficult to know whether the findings were isolated or typical.

They also criticized the data for not distinguishing between organic and inorganic forms of arsenic, as inorganic arsenic is generally considered more harmful.

The National Confectioners Association said Florida’s results are inaccurate because they used the “wrong test.” According to this industry group, “Florida’s false conclusions about arsenic in candy are based on a testing method that is known to produce inaccurate results in food products. Using the wrong test leads to incorrect results, unnecessary alarms, and widespread confusion….”

Other criticism focused on context. Arsenic is present in many foods, including rice, fruit and vegetables because it naturally occurs in the environment. According to these folks, detecting arsenic does not necessarily indicate a serious health risk. Risk depends on long-term exposure dosage and frequency.

Supporters of Florida’s initiative argue that the testing is primarily about raising awareness, not making a final conclusion about the safety of certain foods.

Florida’s Department of Health sees the report as another way to provide families with information about environmental toxins they might not otherwise know about.

Supporters also emphasize that transparency is vital for consumers. Making test results public allows consumers to consider the data and decide for themselves whether they wish to change their consumption of certain foods.

For some families, Florida’s report may not change anything beyond reinforcing moderation in the family’s eating schedule.

For other families, the findings may warrant a more serious investigation into environmental toxins in their family’s diet.

To see the full list of detectable toxins in baby formula and bread, click here.