Yavapai County Health Department has issued a press release regarding a recall of 16 oz. Red Vines Black Licorice Twists. However, a check on the American Licorice Company's website indicates tthat the recall has been expanded to, "... include all black licorice products, including our Mixed Bites and Family Mix, as well as our Snaps product that has a black licorice core, surrounded by a candy shell."

The American Licorice Company explains, "On 8/22, we were notified by the California Dept. of Public Health (CDPH) that they had detected trace amounts of lead in one batch of our black licorice (16 oz. Bags of Black Licorice Twists with “Best Before Date 020413” printed on the label) that exceeded the amount of lead that they deem safe for candy products.

" At that time we issued a voluntary product recall of this batch of licorice and immediately launched an extensive internal investigation to get to the root of the issue, including additional testing of our raw ingredients, products, equipment and water lines, in an attempt to identify what caused the elevated levels of lead. Our testing suggests that slightly elevated levels of lead above the recommended maximum levels of lead for young children may also be found in some recent batches of Red Vines Black Licorice Twists, Family Mix, Mixed Bites and Snaps. No detectable lead was found in recent testing of Sugar Free Black Licorice."

The company has created a FAQ page with a Consumer Response Hotline Number 866.442.2783.

Here is the original information from the Health Department; just remember the recall has now been expanded.

American Licorice Company Announces Recall of 16 oz. Red Vines® Black Licorice Twists

American Licorice Company of Union City, CA is recalling 16 oz. Red Vines® Black Licorice Twists due to elevated levels of lead. Only the one pound bag (16 oz.) of Red Vines® Black Licorice Twists containing "Best Before Date" of February 4th, 2013 (printed 020413) are affected by this recall. American Licorice is notifying consumers and customers not to consume this candy.

American Licorice Company stated “some Red Vines® Black Licorice Twists contain levels of lead that could potentially cause health problems to consumers, particularly infants, small children, and pregnant women. American Licorice immediately segregated its entire inventory of 16 oz. Red Vines® Black Licorice Twists. The 16 oz. bag is red and white in color with a window in the package to display the black licorice twists.”

Consumers in possession of Red Vines® Black Licorice Twists with the "Best Before Date" of 020413 should not eat the candy and should return it to their place of purchase for a full refund. The "Best Before Date" is located in black ink on the rear of the package.

Pregnant women and parents of children who may have consumed Red Vines® Black Licorice Twists should consult with their physician or health care provider to determine whether further medical testing is required. For more information about lead poisoning, parents and caretakers should contact their local childhood lead poisoning prevention program or local Yavapai County Community Health Services. www.YavapaiHealth.com

American Licorice will be sending recall notices to all of its affected customers. Please contact American Licorice Consumer Support at 866-442-2783 for further information.