Nerds candy maker hit with lawsuit alleging toxic levels of arsenic

Ferrara Candy, the company behind Nerds, is being sued over claims its candy contains toxic levels of arsenic — yes, arsenic, the thing you usually associate with murder mysteries and bad decisions.

According to Top Class Actions, plaintiff Christina Anstett filed a proposed class action lawsuit alleging Nerds candy contains harmful amounts of the metal. Anstett is seeking damages, arguing consumers were sold a product that wasn’t as safe as they were led to believe.

The lawsuit alleges Ferrara failed to ensure the product was safe and failed to disclose the presence of arsenic. In other words: if you’re going to sell candy, the bar is pretty low — ideally somewhere above “may contain toxic metals.”

Ferrara hasn’t just got Nerds in its candy empire, either. The company also sells Black Forest Gummy Bears, Laffy Taffy, SweeTarts, SweeTarts Ropes and Trolli gummy candies. So, if this lawsuit goes anywhere, it could grab the attention of a lot more snack aisles than the tiny boxes of crunchy sugar.

For now, these are allegations, and Ferrara has not been found liable. But if you’re the type who likes your candy with sprinkles instead of suspected heavy metals, this is one to watch.