Illegal American Candy Warning – Warwickshire County Council (2024)

FAQs

What are the banned ingredients in American sweets? ›

The various American branded sweets contained banned additives Mineral Oil, Red 3 and bleached flour and were set to be sold in several sweet shops in the borough, online and nationally.

Some Jolly Ranchers and Swedish Fish contain mineral oil in them, which is banned in the UK. Imported Mountain Dew from the US was also found to contain the banned Calcium Disodium EDTA.

The products seized included Jolly Rancher and Swedish Fish sweet confectionery and Mountain Dew canned drinks. All contained unauthorised additive ingredients.

Kinder Surprise is a popular chocolate egg with a toy inside, but it has been banned in the US since 1938 due to the potential choking hazard posed by the toy. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has deemed the product a "non-nutritive item" and prohibits the importation of Kinder Surprise eggs into the US.

Artificial Colors, Flavors, and Sweeteners. Preservatives – including: sodium benzoate, sulfites (sulfur dioxide), polysorbate 60, 65 or 80, nitrites, TBHQ, and BHT/BHA. Gluten – may be listed as maltodextrin, modified food starch, caramel coloring or flavoring, citric acid, and “natural flavorings”

Calcium Disodium EDTA, which is banned within drinks in the UK, was found in Mountain Dew. In animal studies, the crystalline powder caused adverse reproductive and developmental effects and has been shown to contribute to cancer of the colon.

That's right: in England, Northern Ireland, Scotland, and Wales, it's illegal for shops to sell Mountain Dew, Jolly Ranchers, Twizzlers, Lemonheads, and some other candies that are familiar to Americans.

Candies like Jolly Rancher, Swedish Fish and Lemonhead contain several additives that are legal in the US but banned under EU and UK law due to their links to cancer, infertility and other problems.

“They grew up watching American TV and films and watched their favorite characters eating things like Twinkies, Pop-Tarts, Tootsie Rolls and Hershey's chocolate,” she said. It's not just London: Demand for American sweets has skyrocketed throughout the U.K., particularly during the last year.

Are hot tamales banned in the UK? ›

They included imported American versions of Mountain Dew, Dubble Bubble, Jolly Rancher, Hot Tamales and Swedish Fish. They contained ingredients such as mineral oil, bleached flour or colourants that, while legal in the United States, are banned in the UK.

The original milk chocolate M&M's, the brainchild of Forrest Mars, were created in 1941 exclusively for U.S. service members deployed overseas during World War II. Chocolate bars were already part of military rations, but the M&M's candy shell made them a standout.

Separately, Skittles (and Starburst) were actually banned in Europe last year because of harmful ingredients. In 2022, the EU banned the use of titanium dioxide due to the potential for genotoxicity – the ability for a chemical to alter DNA, which may lead to cancer. Yikes.

Unlike Mounds, Bounty comes in both milk chocolate and dark chocolate. Mars no longer sells the coconut bar in the United States. However, it is available in Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, and other parts of Europe. Bounty bars may be found at the international section of grocery stores in the United States.

In the UK, candies are typically made with cane sugar, known for its rich sweetness. On the other hand, many North American candy manufacturers use high-fructose corn syrup, which has a different flavor profile and isn't quite as sweet. Finally, there is the aspect of milk chocolate.

Titanium Dioxide

Titanium dioxide, also known as E171, is banned in European food but remains a common whitening agent in American candies, including Skittles, Starbursts, Sour Patch Kids, Jell-O and more.

Skittles contain Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Red 40. These dyes are linked to hyperactivity in children, migraines, and hives. The supposed effects have led to products containing the dyes to have warning labels. The dyes are outright banned in Austria and Norway; Skittles themselves are banned in the EU.