California Sues Over Lead in Candy

[ElsewheresDaughter]

http://www.google.com/url?sa=X&oi=news&start=0&num=1&q=http://story.news.yahoo.com/news%3Ftmpl%3Dstory%26cid%3D541%26ncid%3D751%26e%3D9%26u%3D/ap/20040712/ap_on_he_me/mexican_candy


By DON THOMPSON, Associated Press Writer

SACRAMENTO - California's attorney general has sued 33 companies that make or sell imported candies, after state tests showed the candy contains lead at levels that may be harmful to children.

Attorney General Bill Lockyer asked a Los Angeles Superior Court judge on Friday to block sales of the sweets until they include warnings as required by California's Proposition 65. The initiative, approved by voters in 1986, requires warning labels on anything that potentially could cause cancer or birth defects, and contains stricter guidelines than state or federal health standards.


Tests conducted by the state Department of Health Services show the candies contain potentially harmful levels of lead. All the candy is made in Mexico except for one company that imports its candy from Brazil.


"Lead ranks as a major health hazard for children, who can suffer serious learning disabilities from even low levels of exposure. When a product as popular among children as candy contains lead, consumers and parents deserve to know," Lockyer said in a statement.

more...

Environmental Health Coalition: www.environmentalhealth.org

[havocmom]

1. Last week, lead in small toys. This week in candy. Lead can cause

brain damage in kids. What, we aren't dumbing down the population fast enough to suit the Corporate Overlords? Are they now resorting to poison known to cause brain damage in children?

Language vile enough to express my contempt and disgust for these evil entities simply does not exist!

[KoKo]

2. The lead could be in the equipment that makes the candy. Mexico and

China seem to always have problems with their imports having lead. Also they might not have regulations about lead based paints like the US does
so of course they send this stuff out.

I don't think it's done on purpose but without regulation on what imports can contain it means that Globilization is hazardous to all our health. And, yes the Corporations are happy as can be to "outsource" to get around any regulations.

[havocmom]

5. Outsourcing = more than just cheap labor. Also = no environmental

safeguards. Companies will go where they can get away with murder by pollution if they can save a couple of bucks. Bhopal cocktail anyone?

[mom cat]

7. And don't forget the mercury batteries in cereal boxes. n/t

[KoKo]

8. I try to look at every label on what I buy, no matter how much in a rush I

am, because so much is being imported today. I pass up the frozen veggies from Mexico...(hard to find but it's there if you look long enough) in favor of those grown here. I look on the boxes of fresh fruit and veggies in the bins to see if I can find where they are grown (sometimes that's impossible and if you ask they say "I dunno' lady!)

Food shopping is a nightmare for me lately. I dread it, and I love to cook but it's turning me off. And, forget the tasteless veggies bred to retain shelf life that all taste the same...American or imported they all look and tast the same...like nothing.

Even the spices are weird today. I don't know if they are importing cheaper varieties or the Global Climate has changed the flavors...but nothing is as it seems...

OTOH....I could just be "paranoid." :D

[LibLabUK]

3. Wha?

"Attorney General Bill Lockyer asked a Los Angeles Superior Court judge on Friday to block sales of the sweets until they include warnings as required by California's Proposition 65."

How about declaring it unfit for human consumption, destroying any stock seized, and banning the sale of any residual stock?

Seriously though... tainted sweets need only have a warning label?

[eleonora]

4. "Warning: surgeon says this candy may contain lead."

[One_Life_To_Give]

6. How much lead?

I see the artical doesn't say how much lead is in the candy. Although it appears it is legal ffor sale in 49 of 50 states with it's current level of lead. (Is it more or less than my hands pick up from the keyboard typing this message?)

Also did the manufacturer intend this candy to be sold in CA? Or is this a variety to be sold only in the ohter 49?

[struggle4progress]

9. Lead is a cumulative poison. Low-levels don't promise safety. eom

[ElsewheresDaughter]

10. even small amounts of lead causes .....

Lead can cause damage to the central and peripheral nervous systems, blood system and kidneys in humans. Lead accumulates in the environment, and has highly acute and chronic toxic effects on plants, animals and microorganisms. Children suffer developmental effects and loss of mental ability, ADHA, ADD,behavior problems, juvinile deliquentcy, and adult criminal behavior, even at very low levels of exposure.

[One_Life_To_Give]

12. Yes But.

I don't dispute that lead causes health issues. My questions concern what levels are acceptable. According to information I found at the FDA website (Links in message below) a level of 0.1PPM is acceptable for sugar. The limit for candy was set at 0.5PPM since sugar was limited to 0.5PPM at the time the regulation was made.

Hence if the candy had a level of 0.7PPM we can agree that it violates federal regulations and should be pulled. If it has a level 0f 0.001PPM it may not be practical to reduce it further. Also that level may not have a detectable health risk.

The limit from prop 65 is 0.5ugm/day. Which equates to consuming 500 gms of 0.1PPM sugar per day or 100gms of 0.5ppm sugar per day or 100gms (3 1/2 Oz) of candy per day, meeting the FDA 0.5PPM standard.

[One_Life_To_Give]

11. Fed Reaction

It appears the FDA has been aware of the Candy issue for some months.

http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/%7Edms/pbltr.html

http://www.fda.gov/bbs/topics/news/2004/NEW01048.html