No, it’s not a pigment of your imagination.
The UK’s regulations on food additives are generally stricter than the US’ because Britain takes a proactive approach to food safety, requiring additives to be proven safe before approval and banning those with potential risks.
The US takes a more reactive stance, permitting additives until they are shown to be harmful.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has long sought to overhaul the US’ food additive regulations. He announced plans to phase out eight petroleum-based food dyes from the food supply — but other ingredients have raised health concerns as well.
An HHS spokesperson declined to “comment on future or potential policy decisions.”
“Secretary Kennedy remains firmly committed to delivering on President Trump’s promise to Make America Healthy Again, examining and addressing the root causes of the chronic disease epidemic,” the spokesperson told The Post.
Here’s a look at three potentially unsafe ingredients allowed in the US but not permitted in the UK.
Potassium bromate
It’s a synthetic powder used in commercial baking to strengthen the gluten network in flour to yield a fluffier, higher-rising and whiter dough.
The UK banned potassium bromate in food products in 1990 after it was found to cause cancer in lab animals.
Potassium bromate is allowed in the US within certain limits, though the Food and Drug Administration is reviewing it and several other food additives.
In 2023, California became the first state to ban potassium bromate as part of legislation targeting food additives. The law takes effect in 2027.
Azodicarbonamide
Known colloquially as the “yoga mat chemical,” this synthetic ingredient improves bread texture, whitens flour and helps produce foam plastics like those found in yoga mats and shoe soles.
Researchers and health organizations have warned that repeated inhalation of azodicarbonamide, like in workplace settings, may cause asthma. Its chemical byproducts have also fueled cancer worries.
Azodicarbonamide is not permitted in the UK. The FDA allows it with restrictions, though the agency said this year it is reviewing its approval.
Mineral oil hydrocarbons
Jolly Rancher came under fire in the UK this summer when certain candies were found to illegally contain mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) and mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH).
These chemical compounds, primarily derived from crude oil, can enter the food chain through contaminated packaging or the production process.
“MOAH can cause damage to DNA and has the potential to increase the risk of cancer, particularly if consumed in high quantities over a prolonged period of time,” the UK’s Food Standards Agency said in its June alert.
Dietary exposure to MOSH is generally not considered a health risk, though research into the long-term effects is ongoing.
The US has not set specific regulatory limits for MOSH and MOAH in food.
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