Further UK warnings about additives in American snacks

Devon County Council has become the latest authority to warn about the safety of American snacks, sweets and fizzy drinks.

Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service, which covers Devon, Plymouth, Somerset, and Torbay, said imported sweets not approved for sale are increasingly being seen in shops across the region.

Officers have carried out unannounced inspections of stores looking for non-compliant sweets, cereals, bakery goods, snacks and canned/carbonated drinks. They identified and removed products containing unauthorized additives or with non-compliant labeling from the market. Products, often referred to as grey market goods, are manufactured for non-UK markets and do not comply with UK food standards.

Look out for these additives
There are five additives that consumers should look out for which are legal in the U.S. but are not permitted in the UK.

They are brominated vegetable oil (BVO); E127, Erythrosine (also known as Red 3 which is allowed in cocktail cherries, but not sweets); mineral oil/white mineral oil; bleached flour, and zinc aspartate.

Julie Richardson, lead food officer for Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service, said: “Increasingly we are seeing products banned in the UK on sale. If you see confectionery which you are unfamiliar with it may be imported so we advise you to read the label first to see if it contains one of the additives listed. We ask retailers to urgently remove items from sale that contain unauthorized ingredients.”

Additives are only allowed in the UK if they have been tested and proved to be safe for the intended use in a particular type of food or drink or if there is a technological need for use.

A U.S. product that hasn’t been approved would list nutritional information as “Nutrition Facts” and carry an American company name and address. If it was legal in the UK, it would list a UK subsidiary of that company and often would include further UK-compliant labeling placed over the original information in the form of a sticker.

Another way for people to check whether goods are American imports is to look at how weight is recorded. In the UK, grams and milliliters are used while in America, it is fluid ounce and ounce.

Ongoing issue
Rufus Gilbert, cabinet member responsible for Trading Standards, said the message to shoppers is to always check product labels carefully before buying.

“Ensuring that imported food is safe for sale and labeled correctly is an important part of our work. Children are asking parents to buy these sweets who often don’t realize that the ingredients they contain are banned in the UK. We urge retailers to use reputable wholesalers and if they are unsure about a new product line they can approach us, and we will be happy to check and assist.”

The Chartered Trading Standards Institute (CTSI) has issued warnings about unauthorized additives in imported American products several times in recent years.

In Staffordshire, a pilot project funded by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) led to the seizure of 3,700 items valued at around £10,000 ($12,700) from local shops. 

In 2024, samples of American sweets and drinks from two shops in Worcester and tested by the public analyst contained unpermitted additives. Also, more than 670 items at an Oxford Street candy shop were destroyed after a visit by Westminster City Council.

UK authorities have raised the topic with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, the FDA’s ability to act is limited as the items have been manufactured for the American market and are compliant with U.S. food law.

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Source: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2025/01/further-uk-warnings-about-additives-in-american-snacks/