Florida officials are taking a closer look at what sits on the candy aisle, and the latest results might make parents think twice before handing out treats. Governor Ron DeSantis, joined by First Lady Casey DeSantis and Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo, announced on Monday that the state has finished a new round of safety tests on candy sold in stores.
The findings, released in The Villages, show that some common sweets contain heavy metals.
The testing was done by the Florida Department of Health as part of a state program called “Healthy Florida First.” The department looked at 46 different candy products from 10 different companies. According to the report, they found arsenic in 28 of those products.
The state said these findings have led them to look deeper into health risks for children who eat these sweets. (The complete list is below)
This isn’t the first time the state has tested food for kids recently. RELATED: Florida First Lady DeSantis Tells Fox: ‘Systemic’ Heavy Metals Detected In Baby Formula
Earlier this month, Florida officials released results from a similar study on infant formula. In that study, the health department tested 24 products from seven major brands and found higher-than-expected levels of heavy metals, including mercury, lead, and cadmium. The Governor said these efforts are all about transparency and giving families the information they need to make good choices.
First Lady Casey DeSantis emphasized that parents shouldn’t have to worry about whether the food in grocery stores is quietly harming their kids.
She noted that the goal is to bring “sunlight” to the food supply so people know exactly what they are buying. Dr. Ladapo added that food needs to be as safe as possible and that sharing these risks with the public is a necessary step to get the food industry to improve.
On Tuesday, the National Confectioners Association reached out to the Tampa Free Press and said, “Chocolate and candy are safe to eat and can be enjoyed as treats as they have been for centuries. The recent announcement from the State of Florida is misguided and demonstrates a glaring lack of transparency related to data-driven, scientific safety thresholds and the evaluation of confectionery products. It will result in confusion among consumers, regulators, and lawmakers. Alternatively, the FDA’s Closer to Zero Initiative was created to reduce dietary exposure to naturally occurring elements (such as arsenic), and is currently working on arsenic action levels for foods consumed by children. Florida has chosen sound bites over science – ignoring this science-based program in favor of publishing unsourced materials that amount to little more than a scare tactic. Food safety and product quality remain our highest priorities, and we remain dedicated to being transparent and socially responsible – and we follow the science.”
The initiative is part of a larger push by the state to focus on clean food systems and medical freedom. Officials said they hope this data helps hold companies accountable for what they market to children.
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