What type of candies tested positive for arsenic levels?
1. What the tests covered and the headline finding
The Florida Department of Health’s Healthy Florida First testing program analyzed 46 candy products from 10 manufacturers and announced that 28 items showed “elevated” or detectable levels of arsenic compared with the state’s screening benchmarks [1] [3].
2. Types and brands specifically cited by multiple outlets
News coverage and the state’s ExposingFoodToxins listing highlight a range of sweets found to contain elevated arsenic: gummy bears and other gummy-style candies, Twizzlers, Nerds, Tootsie Rolls, SweeTarts, Jolly Rancher hard candies, Snickers, and Swedish Fish are repeatedly named in reports summarizing the state’s results [4] [3] [5].
3. Additional products and flavor-specific notes reported
Several outlets and the ExposingFoodToxins summary single out other items and flavors—examples include Tootsie Roll Industries’ Fruit Chew Lime and Laffy Taffy Banana, while some flavors of the same brand did not test high (for example, Laffy Taffy Cherry reportedly did not), and Smart Sweets products also appear on the list of items with elevated readings [6] [2].
4. Scale and practical examples offered by officials
Florida officials used concrete comparisons to illustrate exposure: the state said more than six Jolly Rancher hard candies could exceed an estimated annual safe arsenic intake for a child, and that in some instances multiple pieces of other candies could push a child beyond the screening benchmark [7] [5].
5. Context, natural occurrence, and regulatory tension
Officials emphasized that arsenic is naturally present in many foods but said levels in some candies exceeded concentrations typical even in foods known for arsenic, like rice; the announcement came as Florida expands its Healthy Florida First testing after earlier infant-formula testing [8] [9]. Manufacturers and industry groups questioned the testing method and interpretation, citing the FDA’s Closer to Zero initiative and arguing the state’s release risked alarm without following federal science-based processes [8] [10].
6. Where the public list lives and reporting limits
Florida posted specific product results on the ExposingFoodToxins.com site (the state’s public list), which media outlets cite; the news reports summarize many of the named products but direct readers to the state’s list for the complete inventory, so the most authoritative enumeration of the 28 products is on that site [2] [4].
7. Caveats, competing viewpoints and what remains uncertain
Independent federal standards and enforcement are still evolving—FDA work on action levels for arsenic in foods consumed by children is ongoing—and some manufacturers say the state’s benchmarks and sampling protocols differ from federal guidance, which leaves open questions about the public-health implication of “elevated” readings versus legally actionable contamination [10] [8]. The available reporting documents which candies tested positive but does not resolve long-term exposure risk assessments or regulatory outcomes; those require follow-up from federal agencies and peer review [8].