Turns Out Eating Black Licorice Is Not Only Nasty, But Can Also Kill You

FoodBeast ^ | August 23, 2012 | Dominique Zamora

[Daffynition]

In case you needed more reason not to eat the worst “candy” in existence, a recent batch of black Red Vines licorice from Union City, Calif. has just been found to contain dangerous amounts of lead.

According to a recall issued yesterday, all one-pound bags of black Red Vines labeled “Best Before 020413″ should not be eaten and can be returned to their place of purchase for a full refund, after health officials found the batch to contain up to 13.2 micrograms of lead, or more than twice the state-recommended safe amount.

[driftless2]

"formula destroyed"

I like the way you think! (I'm still laughing as I type these words.)

[jboot]

I love the stuff. In Germany you can get it crusted with salt like a pretzel. MMMM!

Best of all, you can make it yourself so if the food nazis ban it I can still get it.

[Renderofveils]

Some cast candy molds are made of lead. I believe (and I could be a little bit off) the FDA’s max contamination for lead is .1 part per million in food. Rubbing anything porous against a lead surface will get you at least that much.

[jboot]

Australian black licorice!

Yes! The only problem is you can't eat just one bag.

[rtwingxtremist]

Ditto on the Circus Peanuts. They are vile. Just seeing that picture made my stomach turn over. I haven’t seen them in years but still remember that hideous smell.

[mnehring]

Black licorice is awesome. Great stuff! Anybody who doesn't like it is probably queer.

Black licorice favored candy among homosexuals

[StayoutdaBushesWay]

Every year in my family :-) recipe has been passed down for generations.

[StayoutdaBushesWay]

Every year with my family :-) recipe has been passed down for generations.

[jboot]

UGH Circus Peanuts. Dear departed MiL ate these by the truckload. Just smelling them makes my stomach turn. They are not food.

[.45 Long Colt]

Some prepper who works for them probably did some reloading at his work station.

[Bon mots]

Red Vines" is the absolute worst brand, regardless of color or flavor. It should all be rounded up and rocketed into the Sun; the factory should be subjected to saturation nuclear bombing, and the formula destroyed forever.

LOL
...but tell us how you really feel...

:)

[jboot]

You sound like my Granddad. The only spice he would take in food was table salt. He wouldn't eat apple pie if it had cinnamon in it, or spaghetti if he detected oregano. If you put a dash of red pepper on his eggs, he wouldn't touch them.

He LOVED black licorice though. Go figure.

[Dr. Ursus]

Amen to that!

[brytlea]

Me too. Always loved Good and Plenty.

[katana]

Did you try drinking it straight up or mixed with water? It makes the water turn milky. Not that it makes much difference. Either way, in personal and unpleasant experience it takes less Ouzo (or the Arab equivalents Arak and Raki) to make you incoherently drunk and vigorously ill than any other alcoholic beverage on Earth. I’ve found even Chinese Maotai (106 proof in tiny shot glasses) easier to go down - and stay there.

[cornelis]

Double salt is right. I like the oldtimers Dutch Rademakers "drop."

[reformedliberal]

Caraway on a pork roast is awesome. I didn’t believe it would be edible until I tried it and now I can’t even think of making one if I am out of caraway.

[GladesGuru]

High lead content is unavoidable when factories resort to using wild licorice in their greedy quest for profits.

Every time a wild licorice is shot with lead bullets, lead contamination is the result.

[brytlea]

It is good to be the person who likes black jelly beans because you almost always get to pick them all out! I do love Sambuca too. I always drink it with a coffee bean in it, altho I’m not sure why that is.

[ArrogantBustard]

Not sure what that video had to do with licorice, but it almost made me puke.