A new state investigation has parents giving the candy aisle a harder look.
Florida health officials revealed that more than half of the candies they tested contained detectable arsenic, raising fresh concerns about how heavy metals slip into foods marketed to children.
The Florida Department of Health analyzed 46 candy products sold online and in stores across the state. Twenty-eight came back positive for arsenic — a finding that ignited immediate questions about safety standards, testing methods, and how much exposure kids actually face.
The testing is part of the state’s Healthy Florida First initiative — a broader push aimed at auditing products commonly eaten by children. Officials say the goal is transparency, not panic.
But the numbers got plenty of attention anyway.
What Florida Found
State scientists purchased name-brand candies — the kind sold in nearly every gas station and supermarket — and sent them to a certified lab. Using EPA Method 6010D, the lab measured total arsenic levels.
Important detail:
The method cannot distinguish between organic arsenic (typically considered less harmful) and inorganic arsenic (the toxic type linked to long-term health risks).
After testing, the department calculated how much of each candy a child could theoretically consume in a year before hitting the state’s benchmark for exposure. No recalls were issued, and officials stressed that actual risk depends on long-term diet, body weight, and overall exposure to heavy metals.
Candy Industry Pushes Back Hard
The National Confectioners Association (NCA) quickly disputed the report.
Industry representatives argued that Florida relied on benchmarks that don’t match federal standards and don’t reflect the FDA’s ongoing surveillance through its Closer to Zero program.
The NCA also warned that modeling risk based on hypothetical, high-volume yearly consumption could cause “unnecessary confusion,” insisting that confectionery products routinely test far lower in federal datasets than Florida’s numbers suggest.
Candy makers maintain that their products remain safe when eaten occasionally — a message echoed by federal regulators.
Florida officials responded by saying their testing is intended to supplement, not replace, federal oversight.
The Candies That Reached Florida’s Lowest Annual Threshold
These products reached the smallest annual quantity required to hit the state’s benchmark — meaning fewer pieces push exposure into the concern range, according to Florida’s calculations:
- Nerds (grape/strawberry) — approx. 96 pieces per year
- SweeTarts Original — 48 pieces
- Sour Patch Kids — 36 pieces
- Skittles — 48 pieces
- Trolli Sour Brite Crawlers — 12 pieces
- Jolly Ranchers (sour apple/strawberry) — 6 pieces
- Twizzlers Strawberry — 4 pieces
- Tootsie Rolls — 8 pieces
- Snickers — about 2.5 bars per year
- Kit Kat — about 2.5 bars per year
A full list appears at ExposingFoodToxins.com.
Florida emphasized that the findings highlight a need for continued monitoring — not a mandate for families to ditch candy entirely.
Bottom Line
Heavy metals can enter food through soil, water, and manufacturing processes, and they show up in everything from rice to baby food. The new Florida report adds candies to the growing list of products under scrutiny.
Parents, meanwhile, are left weighing conflicting messages: state officials urging transparency, and candy makers insisting their products remain safe.
More federal investigation is expected.
Medical Disclaimer
This article is for informational and educational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional with questions about health, nutrition, or food safety.
