The Devon Congress has been the latest authorities to warn the safety of American snacks, sweets, and carbonated drinks.
Heart of the Southwest Trading Standard Services, which jurisdiction over Devon, Primus, Samadet, and Tobe, states that imported confectionery that has not been approved is increasing at stores in this area. 。
Police officers have been conducting unauthorized confectionery, serials, bakery products, snacks, cans and carbonated drinks with cans and carbonated drinks. They have identified products, including unsupported additives, and products with incompatible labels, and deleted them from the market. Products that are often called gray markets are manufactured for markets other than the UK and do not comply with the British food standards.
Please be careful about such additives
There are five additives that consumers should be aware of. These are legal in the United States, but are not allowed in the UK.
These are brominated vegetable oil (BVO). E127, erythrosine (also known as red 3, is allowed in cocktail cherry, but is not allowed in sweets); mineral oil/white mineral oil; bleached flour, aspalagate zinc.
Earlier this month, the US Food and Drug Administration has canceled Red 3 approval in foods. This order comes into effect in mid -January 2027.
According to Julie Richardson, the chief of the Heart of the Southwest Trade Standards Bureau, said, “A number of things that are banned in the UK are being sold. Unfamiliar confectionery. In some cases, we recommend that you read the label first to see if any of the described additives are included. To urgently delete products containing unsupported ingredients. “
Additional additives are allowed in the UK when testing is performed for the purpose of use in specific foods and beverages, or when there is a technical need for use. Only.
In unrecognized US products, nutritional information is described as “nutritional components”, and US company names and addresses are listed. If it is legal in the UK, a British subsidiary of the company will be described, and in many cases, the UK -compliant label will be posted on the original information.
Another way to make sure that the product is imported from the United States is to see how the weight is recorded. Grams and milliliters are used in the UK, but in the United States, liquid ounce and ounce are used.
Currently ongoing problems
Rufus Gilbert, a minister in charge of trading standards, said that the message to the shoppers was always carefully checking the product label before purchasing.
“It is an important part of our work to make sure that imported foods are sold safely and labels are attached correctly. Children ask their parents to buy these sweets. However, parents often recommend using reliable wholesalers to the components that are contained in these sweets. If you have any questions about the new product line, we will support you.
The Civil Trading Standards Association (CTSI) has recently issued several warnings for unpolished additives included in US imported products.
In Staffordshire, a trial project provided by the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has seized 3,700 items worth about £ 10,000 (about $ 12,700) from local stores.
In 2024, the sample of American sweets and drinks, sold at two stores in the Woster and inspected by public analysts, contained unaccepted additives. Also, after the visit of the Westminster City Council, more than 670 items were destroyed at the Oxford Street candy shop.
The British authorities have raised the issue to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). However, these items are manufactured for the US market and are compliant with the US Food Law, so FDA’s ability to act is limited.
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