Toxic Waste has issued a recall for one lot of Short Circuits Bubble Gum due to high lead levels.

Toxic Waste Recall

Toxic Waste is a candy company that produces a range of very sour candies. As someone who really likes sour candies, this one keeps catching my eye. I’ve probably eaten Toxic Waste candies at some time in the past.

In January, some flavors of the Toxic Waste Nuclear Sludge candies were recalled due to elevated lead levels. The entire line was discontinued later in the month.

The most recent recall concerns Toxic Waste Short Circuits Bubble Gum that was sold from January 4, 2011 until March 18, 2011. The lot number is 15070SC12 and the UPC is 0 89894 31001 3.

Customers who purchased Toxic Waste Short Circuits Bubble Gum should return them uneaten to the place of purchase for a full refund.

The lead was found after the FDA tested the gum. Lead levels were 0.189 parts per million (ppm). The regulatory limit is 0.1 ppm for lead.

Defunding the FDA

Like the Nuclear Sludge line, which was also recalled for elevated lead levels, Short Circuits Bubble Gum is imported from Pakistan. With the new Food Safety Modernization Act, imported food must conform to the same standards that domestically-produced food must conform to. This seems like a no-brainer, but it wasn’t the law before.

The FDA is apparently trying to keep up with testing imports. However, Congress is looking to cut funding to the FDA (and the USDA and EPA) below last year’s funding levels. Consumers won a good piece of legislation last year with stronger protections for our food supply. Now we need to be sure that the FDA can continue protecting us.

Let your senators and representatives know what you think of cutting funding to protect our food supply. You can find your senators by entering your zip code. You can find your representatives the same way.

Image of Toxic Candy Waste barrels by cosmic_spanner, used with Creative Commons license.

Image of Short Circuits bubble gum, courtesy of FDA.