🇬🇧 Foods banned or restricted in United Kingdom but legal in the US

Overview

After Brexit, the United Kingdom retained most EU food safety standards through the UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland. The UK continues to ban or restrict artificial food dyes, flour improvers, and veterinary drug residues that remain permitted in the US market. Many UK product formulas differ significantly from their American counterparts.

Key differences vs. the United States

The UK retains the EU food additives framework post-Brexit under retained Regulation 1333/2008. Titanium dioxide (E171) was banned as a food additive by The Food Additives (Amendment) (No. 2) Regulations 2022, following the 2021 EFSA opinion; it remains permitted in US food. Potassium bromate is not on the UK list of authorised flour treatment agents, while it is still legal in the US. The Southampton Six colours (Red 40 E129, Yellow 5 E102, Yellow 6 E110, Ponceau 4R E124, Quinoline Yellow E104, Carmoisine E122) are authorised but must display the mandatory "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children" warning under retained Regulation 1333/2008 Annex V. Ractopamine and rBST/rBGH are not authorised in UK livestock production.