Why Parents Are Concerned That This Easter Candy With Dangerous Ingredient Is Still Available in Stores
You’ll want to double check your Easter treats this year.
A popular sweet treat is causing concern among parents for its potentially harmful ingredient list.
Peeps—the sugar-coated marshmallow candy popularized especially around Easter time due to its bunny shape—includes Red Dye 3, an additive considered a known carcinogen by the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
“Food dyes, synthesized originally from coal tar and now petroleum, have long been controversial because of safety concerns. Many dyes have been banned because of their adverse effects on laboratory animals or inadequate testing,” according to a study published on the NIH website.
The abstract further stated, “Red 3 causes cancer in animals, and there is evidence that several other dyes also are carcinogenic.”
“Several studies have linked some artificial food dyes, including Red Dye 3, to hyperactivity and other neurobehavioral effects in children,” according to Consumer Reports. “While Red Dye 3 poses risks to people of all ages, young children may be the most vulnerable because of their small body weight and higher levels of exposure.”
Peeps brand flavors known to contain the harmful ingredient include:
- Peeps Pink Marshmallow Chicks
- Peeps Pink Marshmallow Bunnies
- Peeps Lavender Marshmallow Chicks
- Peeps Lavender Marshmallow Bunnies
- Peeps Hot Tamales Marshmallow Chicks
- Party Cake Peeps
- Peeps Fruit Punch Marshmallow Chicks
- Peeps Wildberry Marshmallow Bunnies
Pennsylvania-based parent company Just Born, Inc.—which also manufactures and markets a variety of other candies like Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews, Hot Tamales, Mike and Ike, Teenee Beanee jelly beans, and Zours—noted that Red Dye 3 is “currently an approved colorant for use in candy by the FDA.”
“We manufacture all our candies in compliance with FDA regulations, sourcing our ingredients and packaging exclusively from reputable suppliers who adhere to high quality and safety standards. We also provide consumers with information on our packaging and our websites to help them make informed choices about our products,” the company told TheStreet when asked about its ingredients.
Just Born, Inc., did, however, say they were open to altering the colorants of its products, should it become a viable avenue for them to take. “Our product development team is continually exploring opportunities to provide expanded options for our consumers, including colors derived from natural sources that can deliver the same visual impact and stability as their certified counterparts.”
Next: What Does the Easter Bunny Have To Do With Easter? Easter Bunny Origins Explained
For more latest Food & Drinks News Click Here
Denial of responsibility! FineRadar is an automatic aggregator around the global media. All the content are available free on Internet. We have just arranged it in one platform for educational purpose only. In each content, the hyperlink to the primary source is specified. All trademarks belong to their rightful owners, all materials to their authors. If you are the owner of the content and do not want us to publish your materials on our website, please contact us by email – [email protected]. The content will be deleted within 24 hours.