Ingredients linked to cancer, memory loss and behaviour issues in children have been found in American goods being sold in the UK.
Illegal ingredients banned in this country have been found in sweets, cereals and drinks on the shelves of American sweet shops and other stores in London.
Officials have described the selling of these imported sweets as a “problem”, with the Food Standard Agency (FSA) warning shoppers to “avoid buying” them.
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Among the offending items are Swedish Fish and Lemonhead sweets, which contain white mineral oil, an ingredient designed to lengthen the shelf life of products, but which has been banned in the UK for several years.
Some studies have linked white mineral oil to an increased risk of non-melanoma skin cancer and bladder cancer.
A number of these products have already been withdrawn from sale because of concerns over banned ingredients, with the FSA saying in some instances in the US, they have been withdrawn due to excessive levels.
Another ingredient, titanium dioxide or E171, was found in a type of Lemonheads sweet. While it is not a banned ingredient in the UK, it is not allowed to be added to food in Europe and Northern Ireland.
Its safety is still being evaluated by UK officials, with research ongoing by the Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food. It is classified as a Group 2B carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, due to the risk it poses as a potential threat to humans when inhaled.
Titanium dioxide can be found in Skittles and Starbursts sold in America.
Products containing food colourings linked to hyperactivity in children have also been found on sale, minus the UK’s compulsory warning: ‘May have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children’.
The FSA funded research into food colourings which identified six main offenders when it comes to links with hyperactivity in children: E102 (tartrazine) also known as Yellow 5; E104 (quinoline yellow); E110 (sunset yellow FCF) also known as Yellow 6; E122 (carmoisine); E124 (ponceau 4R); and E129 (allura red) also known as Red 40.
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Three of these – Red 40, Yellow 5 and 6 – were found on the ingredients list of a number of items being sold in UK shops, including Nerds gummy clusters, Mike and Ike berry blast, Jolly Rancher gummies sours, Swedish Fish mini tropical, Chewy Lemonhead fruit mix, Hot Tamales fierce cinnamon, Warheads wedgies, Froot Loops and Fruity Pebbles cereal.
Adam Hardgrave, the FSA’s Head of Additives, commented: “We know there is a problem with businesses selling imported American-style confectionery and are working with Trading Standards to address concerns around the food safety risk of allergens not displayed on labels as well as some of these products containing additives not authorised for sale in the UK.
“You should avoid buying these types of products if they look slightly different from your regular brands, state the weight in non-UK measurements or if they have ingredients listed using American terms.
“Please get in touch with your Trading Standards if you see these products on sale.”
