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Sweet treats: 19 claims about candy and chocolate, verified
· Confirmed
In Short: The National Confectioners Association (NCA) has responded to a Florida Department of Health study that asserted there were elevated levels of arsenic present in a wide range of big brand sweets, reports Neill Barston.
In a statement, the NCA said, “Chocolate and candy are safe to eat and can be enjoyed as treats as they have been for centuries.” The NCA also criticized Florida's approach, stating that the state had chosen “sound bites over science – ignoring this science-based program in favor of publishing unsourced materials that amount to little more than a scare tactic.”
The Florida Department of Health study reportedly examined around 48 types of treats, with approximately 28 said to have been impacted by the issue. However, the NCA has moved to refute these claims.
Consumer Reports (CR) found that dark chocolates with comparatively higher levels of cadmium and lead were present in more than two dozen dark chocolate bars tested. Dark chocolate is preferred by many consumers due to its potential health benefits, but CR’s results indicate that these benefits may be overshadowed by the presence of heavy metals.
According to CR, Americans eat approximately 10 pounds of chocolate per year, and nearly 90% of Americans say they have purchased chocolate candy in the previous three months.
Taylor Swift brought homemade sourdough chocolate chip cookies to the Law & Order: SVU cast while filming their Emmys 2026 sketch, according to Kelli Giddish. Giddish told Women In Entertainment in a Sept. 15 interview that the cookies were sourdough, brown butter, chocolate chip, and that she was “really pleased” with them.
Social media users repeatedly urge caution about supposedly contaminated treats or the dangers of some of the products' ingredients. Snopes has investigated 19 rumors, true and false, about sweet treats over the years.
If you purchased certain Hershey’s dark chocolate products, you may be eligible to join a recently filed Milberg class action lawsuit and recover money damages.
The FDA’s Closer to Zero Initiative was created to reduce dietary exposure to naturally occurring elements such as arsenic, and is currently working on arsenic action levels for foods consumed by children.
As Halloween approaches each year, frenzied rumors about candy and chocolate multiply.
The NCA's response highlights the ongoing debate over the safety of popular confectionery products, particularly dark chocolate, which is often marketed as a healthier option. The Florida Department of Health study and Consumer Reports findings add to the complexity of this debate, raising concerns about the presence of heavy metals in chocolate.
Background
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Ahead of the November midterms, claims of election fraud, lost ballots, and poll worker mismanagement are spreading widely, according to Snopes.
What's confirmed
- The Florida Department of Health study reportedly examined around 48 types of treats, with approximately 28 said to have been impacted by the issue. However, the NCA has moved to refute these claims.
- Consumer Reports (CR) found that dark chocolates with comparatively higher levels of cadmium and lead were present in more than two dozen dark chocolate bars tested. Dark chocolate is preferred by many consumers due to its potential health benefits, but CR’s results indicate that these benefits may be overshadowed by the presence of heavy metals.
- According to CR, Americans eat approximately 10 pounds of chocolate per year, and nearly 90% of Americans say they have purchased chocolate candy in the previous three months.
- Taylor Swift brought homemade sourdough chocolate chip cookies to the Law & Order: SVU cast while filming their Emmys 2026 sketch, according to Kelli Giddish. Giddish told Women In Entertainment in a Sept. 15 interview that the cookies were sourdough, brown butter, chocolate chip, and that she was “really pleased” with them.
- Social media users repeatedly urge caution about supposedly contaminated treats or the dangers of some of the products' ingredients. Snopes has investigated 19 rumors, true and false, about sweet treats over the years.
- If you purchased certain Hershey’s dark chocolate products, you may be eligible to join a recently filed Milberg class action lawsuit and recover money damages.
- The FDA’s Closer to Zero Initiative was created to reduce dietary exposure to naturally occurring elements such as arsenic, and is currently working on arsenic action levels for foods consumed by children.
- As Halloween approaches each year, frenzied rumors about candy and chocolate multiply.
- The NCA's response highlights the ongoing debate over the safety of popular confectionery products, particularly dark chocolate, which is often marketed as a healthier option. The Florida Department of Health study and Consumer Reports findings add to the complexity of this debate, raising concerns about the presence of heavy metals in chocolate.
What's still developing
- The National Confectioners Association has responded to a Florida Department of Health study that asserted there were elevated levels of Arsenic present in a wide range of big brand sweets, reports Neill Barston.
- Hershey’s acquired Lily’s Sweets, a confectionary brand known for its low-sugar products, in 2021.
- Whether dark chocolate is truly “healthy” is debatable.
- We rely on advertising to help fund our reporting.
- 'Yes, Heinz Created a "Chocolate Orange Mayo" in the UK'.
- 'Marijuana Edibles, Halloween Candy, and a History of Hysteria'.
- "They were sourdough, brown butter, chocolate chip." "And I'm kind of a cookie snob," the actress continued, "so I was really pleased." Giddish, 46, was also thrilled that Swift, 36, honored her one request when she first learned that the Grammy winner was making a cameo.
- I’ve never been one to turn down something sweet—a bar of chocolate to reward myself for a successful grocery shop, some dessert after dinner.
- 'KitKat or Kit-Kat: The Chocolate Bar's Mandela Effect'.
- 2021, www.snopes.com/articles/375420/halloween-marijuana-edibles/.
- The parody centered around the Benson and the rest of the Special Victims Unit hilariously trying to crack the case of whether Swift will attend this year's Emmys. (Spoiler alert: Swift opted to cheer on husband Travis Kelce at his first Kansas City Chiefs game of the NFL season instead.) "The Emmys are tonight and the mayor's office is breathing down my neck demanding an answer to the big question will Taylor Swift be at the Emmys?"
- "Saccharide Aries from the vineyard—north or south."