Originally published February 15 2006
FDA lowers acceptable level of lead in candy to protect children from poisoning
by Mike Adams, the Health Ranger, NaturalNews Editor
Michael Kashtock, senior advisor for plant product safety in the Office of Plant and Dairy Foods at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition, discusses the FDA's recent decision to lower the acceptable level of lead in candy to 0.1 part per million.
Federal health officials have proposed new guidelines to further reduce trace levels of lead found in certain candies.
The old level was 0.5 ppm for candy products likely to be consumed frequently by children.
"The effect will be a fivefold lowering of the current level," said Michael Kashtock, senior advisor for plant product safety in the Office of Plant and Dairy Foods at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration's Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition.
"We believe that these steps will further reduce an already minimal risk in lead exposure in candy," Kashtock said at a news conference Thursday.
The agency's announcement followed the testing of certain types of Mexican candy products that showed lead levels significantly above those currently allowable in the United States.
Certain candies imported from Mexico, however, have higher levels, apparently as a result of ingredients such as chili powder and salt.
Those products include lollipops coated with chili and powdery snack-type mixtures of salt, lemon flavor and chili powder, the FDA said.
A certain amount of lead in foods such as candy is unavoidable, because sugar, for instance, has lead in it, Kashtock explained.
But with these guidelines, the FDA expects that Mexican manufacturers will "take additional steps in the processing of chili and salt to reduce the avoidable occurrence of lead," he added.
"For candies that have significant consumption potential, we do believe that we can take enforcement action at or very near the 0.1 ppm level," Kashtock said.
"We have laid out steps that we think manufacturers of these types of candies can take to comply with the guidance," Kashtock said.
The guidance will appear in the Federal Register, and public comments and suggestions will be accepted for 75 days after its publication.
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