The DeSantis administration on Monday reported that state testing for heavy metals in 46 candy products from 10 manufacturers detected the toxic element arsenic in 28 items.
The testing, conducted by an independent “certified” laboratory for the Florida Department of Health, was part of DeSantis’ Healthy Florida First initiative to provide families with information about products marketed to children.
First lady Casey DeSantis presented the results during a news conference in The Villages with her husband, Gov. Ron DeSantis, and Florida Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo.
The concern extends beyond single servings, she said. Arsenic exposure accumulates over time and across multiple foods, meaning children may consume far more than safe levels throughout a year. Parents and grandparents often do not realize the potential risks.
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A significant part of the problem, she said, is how candy is marketed, packaged and consumed.
“These levels are problematic when evaluated over the course of a year, and this is where the distinction is so crucially important,” she said. “The concern here is not necessarily about one single piece of candy on one single day. The concern is … when these products are consumed as they realistically are, repeatedly over time, exposure can exceed what the Department of Health is determined to be safe.”
Take Nerds, for example. “Consuming more than 96 Nerds in a year exceeds what is considered a safe annual arsenic exposure for children,” DeSantis said.
But 96 Nerds is far below the amount found in a typical box, which can contain 2,000 or more pieces, and movie-theater-sized boxes contain roughly 8,000.
Swedish Fish and Jolly Ranchers show similar patterns, she said. Others showing levels of arsenic included SweeTarts, Jolly Ranchers, Twizzlers, Sour Patch Kids and Tootsie Rolls.
Candies that did not include higher levels of arsenic included Hershey Milk Chocolate Bar, Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Whoppers, M&M’s, Twix and Milky Way. Among 13 candies marketed as healthier or organic, only two tested above safe arsenic levels.
Ladapo said long-term exposure to arsenic, particularly during childhood, has been linked to developmental impacts, effects on the immune system and increased cancer risk.
He added that children are particularly vulnerable because they eat more food relative to their body weight, often have a less diverse diet, and their organs are less able to metabolize and excrete toxins.
“It's shocking to imagine, but it takes very little arsenic consumed on a regular basis to increase your likelihood of cancer,” he said.
The first lady emphasized a need for transparency and accountability.
“The takeaway, I think, is very simple, Casey DeSantis said. “There should be a reasonable expectation that chemicals do not quietly make their way into our food supply. Consumers deserve transparency. Parents deserve information to make informed decisions. ... Companies should be held to standards that we know from the evidence are achievable.”
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In a statement on its website, the National Confectioners Association called the state’s testing “misguided” and with “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,” the organization said. “… Florida has chosen sound bites over science … publishing unsourced materials that amount to little more than a scare tactic.”
The association also said Florida’s methodology relied on “screening benchmarks” that do not align with current federal regulatory standards or recognized peer-reviewed science for confectionery products.
The Health Florida First initiative, announced this year by the governor and first lady, focuses on food safety, transparency and consumer health. It was developed to align with the Trump administration’s "Make America Healthy Again" movement.
The state previously reported test results of 24 infant formula products that showed elevated levels of heavy metals compared to health-based screening benchmarks, including mercury, arsenic, cadmium and lead.
“There’s a lot more to go,” Ladapo said. “There's plenty of dirt unfortunately to uncover.”
Test findings can be viewed at exposingfoodtoxins.com.
