Circle City Marketing and Distributing, which is doing business as (DBA) Candy Dynamics, Indianapolis, Indiana, just issued a candy recall over lead poisoning concerns, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) just announced. Circle City Marketing and Distributing is recalling all of its Toxic Waste® brand Nuclear Sludge® products, all flavors, 0.3 oz (8 g) size pieces. The product is imported from Pakistan.
On January 13, 2011 “as we’ve previously written” the company recalled Toxic Waste Brand® Nuclear Sludge®, Net wt. 0.7 oz (20g) size, all flavors. With this recall of the smaller piece size, the company has now recalled all products labeled as “Nuclear Sludge®.”
Further testing by the company indicates that while some of the smaller sized products were below the FDA limit, some contain elevated levels of lead (0.101 parts per million to .311 ppm; the U.S. FDA tolerance is 0.1 ppm) that could potentially cause health problems, particularly for infants, small children, and pregnant women. Because of this, the company is now recalling all lots and all flavors of the smaller-sized product distributed from the product’s inception in May 2009 through January 2011.
The smaller sized products are identified as:
- Toxic Waste® Nuclear Sludge® Cherry (UPC 0 89894 81901 1)
- Toxic Waste® Nuclear Sludge® Green Apple (UPC 0 89894 81701 7)
- Toxic Waste® Nuclear Sludge® Blue Raspberry (UPC 0 89894 81801 4).
Each individual piece has a net wt. of 0.3 oz (8 g) and were sold individually, as part of a ‘Party Bag’ or Membership kit, and packed in 30 ct., 80 ct., and 120 ct. bags and a 120 ct. fishbowl. No other “Toxic Waste®” brand product, besides those labeled “Nuclear Sludge®” is affected by this recall.
The recalled Nuclear Sludge® products were distributed nationwide in retail stores and through mail orders. The product was also distributed in Canada and in very limited quantities in Guatemala, Ireland, Jordan, Korea, Mexico, and El Salvador. The company is discontinuing the sale of Nuclear Sludge® products in the U.S.
Candy Dynamics is sending recall notices to its direct customers. Anyone in possession of the recalled product should telephone the company for information on destruction of the product: Eileen O’Neal at 317-228-5012, Monday through Friday from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Eastern Standard Time (EST).
No illnesses have been reported to date in connection with this problem; however, the Symptoms of Lead Poisoning are not always immediately evident and are often difficult to identify. Exposure to lead in children and unborn children can cause Lead Poisoning Symptoms that include brain and nervous system damage, behavioral and learning problems, slowed growth, hearing problems, headaches, mental and physical retardation, and behavioral and other health problems. Of particular concern is the developing brain because negative influences can have long-lasting effects and can continue well into puberty and beyond. Once poisoned, no organ system is immune. Lead is also known to cause cancer and reproductive harm and, in adults, can damage the nervous system.
Children with lead poisoning may experience irritability, sleeplessness or excess lethargy, poor appetite, headaches, abdominal pain with or without vomiting “generally without diarrhea” and constipation, and changes in activity level. A child with lead toxicity can be iron deficient and pale because of anemia and can be either hyperactive or lethargic. Lead exposure and poisoning can show up dentally, for instance, lead lines on gingival tissue. In adults there may be motor problems and an increase in depressive disorders, aggressive behavior, and other maladaptive affective disorders as well as problems with sexual performance, impotence and infertility, and sleep disorders; they may be oversleeping or have difficulty falling asleep.
