Some plum products have high lead levels

Some imported brands of dried plums, including Casa De Dulce Salted Plum Suckers, have elevated levels of lead, Texas health officials said.

Most of the plum products are sold as salted or candied treats in Hispanic and Asian markets, the Texas Department of State Health Services said in a release Friday.

Test results from a state laboratory in Austin, Texas, showed the dried plum products contained lead levels ranging from 0.11 parts per million to 30.3 parts per million, department spokesman Doug McBride said.

While lead should not be consumed in any amount, the Texas study used federal guidelines with a maximum of 0.1 parts per million for candy as a guide in assessing the lead levels in the dried plum products, McBride said.

The products shown to have elevated lead levels included the Salted Plum Suckers, Ka Po Preserved Plum from Wan Tom Food Co. LTD, Preserved Liquoriced Prune in a heart shaped box from Roxy Trading Co., Little Gregory’s Chinese Candy and Salados salted dried plums from Hinojosa Brothers, health officials said.