Confectionery - Risks

Risks

Excessive consumption of confectionery has been associated with increased incidences of type 2 diabetes, obesity, and tooth decay.

Some sweets contain traces of nuts which poses risks for those who are allergic to them, while others contain dairy products which must be avoided by individuals who are lactose-intolerant.

Contaminants and coloring agents as well as toys and other non-nutritive products in confectionery can be particularly harmful to children. This non-nutritive material can cause injury or pose choking hazards. Therefore, confectionery contaminants such as high levels of lead have been restricted to 1ppm in the US. There is no specific maximum in the EU, which doesn’t seem to be appropriate especially for kids from 1 to 7 years of age.

Candy colorants, particularly yellow colorants such as E102 Tartrazine, E104 Quinoline Yellow and E110 Sunset Yellow FCF, do have many restrictions around the world. Tartrazine, for example, can cause allergic and asthmatic reactions and was once banned in Austria, Germany and Norway. Some countries such as the UK have asked the food industry to phase out the use of these colorants, especially for products marketed to children.

Non-nutritive toy products such as chocolate eggs containing packaging with a toy inside are banned from sale in the US. If the material attached to confectionery does have a function and will not cause any injury to the consumer, it is allowed to be marketed. In the EU however, the Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC specifies that toys contained in food only need separate packaging that cannot be swallowed.