NUTRITION

Lead Found In Some Halloween Candy

ASHLAND, Ohio (CAP) - Researchers at Ashland University are urging the Consumer Products Safety Commission to issue a recall of some brands of Halloween candy after preliminary testing showed unsafe levels of lead. Researchers said in some instances there were up to 100 times the allowable level of lead.

"Our lab tests detected lead at widely varying levels in the samples of candy upon which we tested," said lead researcher Dr. Malik Shetty. "We are urging the CPSC to recall this candy before our kids eat it, get fat, and go crazy."

Among the candy recommended for recall are Hershey's Milk Chocolate with Lead Chunks, Reese's Ledrageous, and Nestle Toll House Semi-Sweet Lead Morsels. Other brands could be added as further testing is done.

"Boy, I long for the days when all you got was a razor sticking out of your Snickers," said Greg Jenkins of the Consumers Union's food division. "At least you could see that. Although, I suppose these chunks of lead in this Hershey's bar are pretty obvious.

"And tasty," Jenkins added as he took a bite. "No, wait, that's nougat."

An executive at Nestle who spoke on the condition of anonymity told CAP News the company is simply responding to the marketplace and "giving people what they pine for."

"With Mattel pulling all their toys off the shelves, where are kids gonna get their lead?" the executive lamented. "You wanna tell a three-year-old to stop sucking on Dora? I don't wanna deal with that.

"Much less of a hassle to just hand her a candy bar and be done with it," he added.

The head of public relations at Hershey's echoed the sentiment and said it's all about giving consumers a choice. "Almond Joy's got lead," Shirley Tran told CAP News over the phone, "Mounds don't."

The CPSC has to conduct its own tests on a product before it can order a recall and they've been too busy eating Jeno's frozen pizzas and Banquet pot pies to have room for dessert.