Sigismonti 1 Peterson & Webb

BRIEFING Can Mexican Candy Kill You?

Mexican candy has been around for a long time and is even homemade, but can it really kill you? diet or eliminating the lead from How Can This Candy the patients blood. Blood levels Kill You? Some Mexican candy can are usually increased which can contain lead. Lead is a be very dangerous for a human. naturally occurring metal Lead poisoning is very harmful that can poison humans if and should be taken very it is consumed or inhaled. seriously. Lead poisoning can cause many problems including; Does All Mexican Candy brain damage, stunted Contain Lead? growth, hearing No, not all Mexican candy impairment, and even contains lead, but many kidney problems (Medlin). The Worker wearing a mask while making companies still sell their candy even Mexican candy. lead can come from the chilies in if they notice it does. In the USA the chili powder. Lead can get into Mexican candy is usually safer, the powder when the ingredients are being ground because the U.S checks the candy before selling it up with the machines (Candy). Also it can enter to other businesses, especially in California. the chilies while they are growing, because lead Online, people create indexes, which contain the can be found in dirt residue. Even though candy different Mexican candies that have lead. This can be very tempting to eat, think twice before way people can figure out which candies are buying Mexican candy. contaminated so they know not to buy them. Without these indexes there is no way of seeing the contaminated candy with the naked eye. What Are The Effects of Lead Poisoning? Lead exposure can occur when lead dust and Hopefully, the companies will figure out a way to fumes are inhaled or ingested from contaminated stop lead from entering the candy in the first place. food and water (Lead). When too much lead enters the body it can create harmful effects. Some Avoid Consuming Most Mexican Candy of the popular symptoms Even though Mexican candy can Mexican Candy Wrappers Also of lead posioning are be delicious, it is very harmful to a Contaminated With Lead. neurological, persons health. Some Mexican Gastrointestinal, and candy contains lead, which is "These candies are being contaminated Reproductive effects. Like during their processing and not from lead- dangerous to the human if too seizures, impaired much is consumed. Lead based inks on wrappers," said Vincent Iacono, compliance officer for the Food and concentration, nausea, poisoning can occur too, which Drug Administration, who voiced concern constipation, can cause brain damage, that not enough focus has been placed on miscarriages, and more miscarriages, and many more chili and tamarind, an internal state report (Lead). When lead harmful effects. The next time a obtained by the Register said. poisoning has been person buys Mexican candy they "Chili, salt, sugar, citric acid ... everything diagnosed, the first thing should check online to make sure has lead," said Javier Arroyo, an official for to do is to stop all it is safe. popular Mexican candy company Grupo exposure from lead. Lorena, who says the company works hard Which could mean a new to keep ingredients and packaging below
federal lead limits. "It's not easy," he said. Should I Eat That? Project, HTHI Fall 2013

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Works Cited
"Candy." Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 01 June 2009. Web. 08 Oct. 2013. http://www.cdc.gov/nceh/lead/tips/candy.htm "Lead Exposure in Adults - A Guide for Health Care Providers." Department of Health, Mar. 2009. Web. 11 Oct. 2013. http://www.health.ny.gov/publications/2584/

Medlin, Jennifer. "Lead: Sweet Candy, Bitter Poison." National Center for Biotechnology Information. U.S. National Library of Medicine, 14 Oct. 2004. Web. 08 Oct. 2013. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC1247598/

Should I Eat That? Project, HTHI Fall 2013