The Nostalgic Candy California Could Ban By 2027

There's nothing you can do when nostalgia hits. Aside from our favorite childhood TV shows, one thing that's sure to bring us back to the old days is sweet treats. Pez, in particular, has witnessed the time when we were still bright-eyed kids — young enough to roll in the mud, ask our parents for permission to go to a slumber party, and even follow a strict curfew that had us home at 9 p.m. But here comes some unfortunate news for people who love this popular treat: It could be banned by 2027 because it uses Red No. 3 — an additive used to achieve a cherry-like hue. After undergoing tests with lab rats, studies show that it has been linked to cancer in the test subjects.

The petition to ban this ingredient was started in 2022 by the Center for Science in the Public Interest, or the CSPI, backed by other scientific bodies. In 2023, California was the first state to announce its ban starting January 2027. But come 2025, the FDA announced that it's banning Red No. 3, following the timeline when California would ban it. This will give companies like Pez a chance to tweak their ingredients in order to meet the new regulations approved by the FDA. So the good news is, we don't have to completely say goodbye to this childhood favorite, and in fact, we're hopeful that Pez won't be another unfortunate addition to the most controversial foods banned all over the world.

Surrounded by nostalgic treats that have been reinvented, Pez continues to stay true to its funky spirit. Its creation can be traced back to the late 1920s, back when it still had a simpler tin can packaging without the flashy outfit it has now. It wasn't until the '50s, though, that it finally reached American shores, which coincided with the release of a whole new look — the Space Gun, with a fun character that sat atop the dispenser, kind of like how it is now. Over the years, it has incorporated popular classic characters like Donald Duck and Mickey Mouse, as well as newer faces from How to Train Your Dragon and even Funko Pops. It has also piqued the interest of collectors, with some of them even owning thousand variations of the legendary candy.

Because the box-shaped candy isn't something to write home about, we think it's the experience and the container (aside from nostalgia) that make it popular. The eye-catching packaging that dispenses 12 pieces of the sentimental candy is what pops in your mind when someone mentions Pez. Typical flavors include cherry, lemon, grape, and strawberry, but we've also seen more inventive flavors like banana, flower, and chlorophyll. Despite the different flavors, the adventure is the same once you pop it in your mouth — it slowly dissolves into powder while you munch.