More candy from Mexico recalled due to elevated lead levels

BROWNSVILLE — Concerns about lead contamination have prompted a San Antonio import company to expand its voluntary recall of Mexican candy, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services.

Villa-Mex Imports Inc., the company responsible for importing Tarritos, has agreed to voluntarily recall the candy, but state and local officials say it could take weeks before the item is completely removed from store shelves.

Tarritos is the second brand of Mexican candy to be recalled this month after testing revealed elevated lead levels in the products.

Productos Avila S.A. manufactures Tarritos and is also responsible for Barrilito, which was recalled at the beginning of December.

“We can’t provide an exact timeline for the recall,” said Carrie Williams, a spokeswoman for the Texas state health department. “It’s going to boil down to how efficient the recall is and the communication that goes into it. We do hope that most is already recalled.”

But a week after the department’s Dec. 14 announcement of the Tarritos recall, the candies were still on the shelves of several Brownsville stores. And employees seemed unaware or unconcerned about the risk.

George Lopez is the owner of Lopez Food Store, which had several of the Tarritos mug-shaped glass jars with the dark, reddish-brown paste for sale.

He said he receives recall notices for so many products that he was unaware of the Tarritos recall or if his store even sold the product.

“I’ll check on it and if there is a recall we’ll take it off the shelf,” Lopez said.

And Lucky Mart Convenience Stores on Southmost Boulevard had a full box of Tarritos, which it sells for $1.39 per unit.

The owner of the store was unavailable for comment, but one of the clerks said she was familiar with the recall but wasn’t sure why the product had not been removed.

Both stores later removed the Tarritos candy from their shelves.

Candy can be contaminated in a variety of ways, including ink from the candy wrapper seeping into the product or from lead-based solders. The glass container was responsible for contaminating the Tarritos candies, according to state authorities.

Eating products contaminated with lead can lead to delayed mental and physical development and learning deficiencies in young children, the state health department reported.

The amount of lead found in the Tarritos was as high as 0.125 parts per million. Anything above 0.1 parts per million is considered dangerous.

Villa-Mex Imports will be given an opportunity to voluntarily recall Tarritos from its distributors before the state health department begins targeted inspections, Williams said.

Dr. Brian Smith, regional director for the state health department, said Mexican candies have posed a health concern in the Rio Grande Valley for a long time.

“There are a number of different concerns with Mexican candy,” he said. “Rat feces, bugs are common of tamarindo products. Personally, I don’t eat Mexican candy.”