by Denise Wauters
Florida health officials have released new candy testing results aimed at giving parents clearer information about products commonly marketed to children. The findings are part of the state’s Healthy Florida First initiative, which focuses on food safety, transparency, and public access to testing data.
The DOH tested 46 candy products from 10 companies for the presence of heavy metals. According to the results, arsenic was detected in 28 of the products tested, prompting additional evaluation of potential exposure—particularly for children, who may consume candy more frequently or in smaller body-weight amounts.
Among the candies where arsenic was detected were a mix of well-known and commonly purchased treats, including Black Forest Gummy Bears, Laffy Taffy Banana, Nerds (Grape and Strawberry), SweeTarts Original and SweeTarts Rope, Trolli Sour Brite Crawlers, Hershey’s Cookies ’N’ Creme, Jolly Rancher Hard Candy (Sour Apple and Strawberry), several varieties of Twizzlers, Kit Kat, 3 Musketeers, Snickers, Original Skittles, Sour Patch Kids (multiple flavors), Swedish Fish, and Tootsie Roll products.
State officials said the goal of the testing is to provide families with accessible information and encourage accountability among manufacturers, not to restrict products or create unnecessary alarm.
Part of a Larger Food Transparency Effort
The candy testing follows the recent release of infant formula testing results, in which DOH analyzed 24 infant formula products sold both online and in stores across Florida.
Together, the infant formula and candy testing efforts are intended to give parents more insight into commonly consumed products and to support informed decision-making.
Where to Find the Full Results
Both the infant formula testing results and the candy testing results are publicly available online. Families who want to review the full data can find it at ExposingFoodToxins.com.
