Researchers of the University of Oviedo will track the potential allergens found in some of the most consumed candies in Spain. The research team of Genetics and Natural Resources of the University of Oviedo, led by Professor Eva García Vázquez, has been awarded with one of the 45 grants offered by the Mapfre Foundation last year in December, to develop not only national, but also international research projects in the field of health.

Different studies prove that food allergies are a growing problem in Spain, both in children and adults. Some of the most popular candies among children and adults contain ingredients that may trigger allergies.

Bulk candies do not show the ingredients in any label, since it is not mandatory according to the current legislation, that is why consumers may not know if the candy they are purchasing contains any of the most common allergens like nuts, certain proteins found in jelly or animals like the mealy bug, a little insect from which we get the carmine to provide candies with color red.

Researchers will take samples of different products (jellybeans, marshmallow clouds, toffees or other goodies) sold in different places, and will develop DNA analyses in the laboratory. The results will allow experts to determine the level and frequency of the main allergens in these candies. The project results will be part of PhD thesis of one of the young researchers of the group, Marta Muñoz Colmenero.

The conclusions obtained at the end of the research carried out aim to provide the necessary information to strengthen supervision and prevent adverse health problems related to the inadvertent consumption of allergens in candies.