The 5 banned ingredients to look out for in your favourite snacks – over fear of serious health risks

AMERICAN sweets and fizzy drinks are increasingly being seen in shops up and down the country.

While many people consider them a novelty, there are some serious health risks attached to these sought after snacks.

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Devon County Council has become the latest authority in the UK to warn about the safety of American sweet treats that have found their way into the country.

The majority of these imported foods and drinks have not been approved for sale because they contain additives not permitted in the UK.

There are five additives that consumers should look out for which are legal in the US but are not authorised here, namely due to their health risks - including cancer.

Brominated vegetable oil (BVO)

Brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is used in drinks to keep fruit flavours from separating.

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But it was banned in the UK in 1970 after it was shown to be harmful to human health.

BVO has been shown to accumulate in the body and linked to health hazards, such as nervous system damage, headaches, skin and mucous membrane irritation, fatigue and loss of muscle coordination and memory.

A  found that consumption of BVO by pigs damaged their hearts, kidneys, livers and testicles.

Erythrosine, also known as E127 or Red No. 3

Erythrosine is a red-pink dye used in food, cosmetics, and other products.

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In the UK it's allowed in cocktail cherries but no other foods.

Health risks include thyroid dysfunction - it can prevent the thyroid from absorbing iodine, which is needed to make thyroid hormones. It can also block an enzyme that converts one thyroid hormone into another. 

And animal studies have linked erythrosine to cancer.

As of January 15, 2025, erythrosine has been banned in all foods in the US.

Mineral oil/white mineral oil

Mineral oil is a food additive used in small amounts in some foods, including bakery products, frozen meats, fruit and vegetable coatings, dehydrated fruits and vegetables, pickle brine, sweets, smoked fish, egg whites, cereals, and baby food.

It's not a permitted food additive under the food category “confectionery” in Great Britain, but is found as an ingredient in some US confectionery.

Mineral oil, including white mineral oil, can be harmful if inhaled, ingested, or absorbed through the skin.

Prolonged contact with mineral oil can irritate existing skin conditions. 

Inhaling mineral oil vapors or mists can cause chemical pneumonitis, lung damage, or death. 

Untreated or mildly treated mineral oils are considered Group-1 carcinogens, meaning they are known to cause cancer. 

Bleached flour

Bleached flour is used in baked goods like cookies, pancakes, waffles, and pie crusts. It's also used in quick breads and muffins.

In the UK and EU it is illegal to bleach flour, so the whiteness you see is totally natural.

Bleached flour may pose health concerns due to potential chemical residues from the bleaching process, the loss of nutrients during processing, and its high glycaemic index, which can contribute to blood sugar spikes when consumed in large quantities.

Zinc aspartate

Zinc aspartate is a compound that can be added to foods to increase their nutritional value. 

Some American drink products have been found to contain it, but this is not an approved additive or mineral substance in the UK, and products containing this cannot be sold on the market.

Zinc aspartate may cause side effects, including diarrhea, nausea, and cramping. 

High doses of zinc can be toxic and may cause dizziness, headaches, and other symptoms.

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How to spot illegal snacks in the UK

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 US 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 labelling 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 millilitres are used while in America, it is fluid ounce and ounce.

Julie Richardson, lead food officer for Heart of the South West Trading Standards Service, said in a statement: “Increasingly we are seeing products banned in the UK on sale.

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"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 unauthorised ingredients.”