The company with branches in New Jersey distanced itself from the poison-candy analogy.
A confectioner with New Jersey ties was not sweet on presidential candidate Donald Trump's son comparing refugees to poison Skittles.
"Skittles are candy. Refugees are people," Mars Inc. said on Twitter, in response to a previous tweet from Donald Trump Jr.
"If I had a bowl of skittles and I told you just three would kill you, would you take a handful? That's our Syrian refugee problem," said Trump Jr.'s tweet.
This image says it all. Let's end the politically correct agenda that doesn't put America first. #trump2016 pic.twitter.com/9fHwog7ssN
-- Donald Trump Jr. (@DonaldJTrumpJr) September 19, 2016
-- Mars, Incorporated (@MarsGlobal) September 20, 2016
The response to Trump Jr. came from Skittles parent company Wrigley Americas, which is a Mars brand.
Another branch of the company, Mars Chocolate, has a national office and factory in Hackettstown, where M&M's are made. It is one of Warren County's biggest employers.
A rare look at how M&M's are made
Trump Jr.'s tweet repeats an analogy that has been on the Internet for years, using M&Ms and other foods, and targeting a variety of groups. Using statistics from a Cato Institute report, the Washington Post determined the actual risk -- following the analogy -- is akin to three poison Skittles in one and a half Olympic swimming pools filled with the candy.
Donald Trump has called for a moratorium on accepting Syrian refugees, as well as a temporary ban on Muslim immigrants entering the U.S.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.