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Skittles
Barcode 0040000001607
AVOIDIs Skittles safe?
Skittles is rated AVOID by BannedPantry: its label lists 4 ingredients that are banned or restricted outside the US — Red 40 (EU (warning label required), UK (warning label required)); Titanium Dioxide (EU (banned as food additive), UK (still permitted)); Yellow 5 (EU (warning label required), UK (warning label required)); Yellow 6 (EU (warning label required), UK (warning label required)). All of them are still legal to sell in the US.
Flagged ingredients (4)
Red 40high
Banned or restricted in: EU (warning label required), UK (warning label required)
Southampton Six colour (Allura Red, E129): EU-AUTHORISED but foods containing it must carry the label 'may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children'. Many manufacturers reformulate for the EU/UK instead.
Titanium Dioxidehigh
Banned or restricted in: EU (banned as food additive), UK (still permitted)
The EU banned titanium dioxide (E171) as a food additive from 7 Aug 2022 after EFSA could not exclude genotoxicity; it remains permitted only in medicines pending review. Still permitted in US food.
Yellow 5high
Banned or restricted in: EU (warning label required), UK (warning label required)
Southampton Six colour (tartrazine, E102): EU-AUTHORISED but foods must carry the label 'may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children'.
Cleaner swaps for Skittles
Same category, none of the flagged ingredients.
YumEarth Organic Lollipops 50-count
YumEarth
USDA Organic, allergen-free, colors from real fruit/vegetable juice.
Unreal Dark Chocolate Gems
UNREAL
No artificial colors or HFCS. Colors from plant sources.
Smart Sweets Sweet Fish 6-pack
SmartSweets
3g sugar, no sugar alcohols, no artificial colors.
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Full ingredient list
MADE OF: SUGAR, CORN SYRUP, HYDROGENATED PALM KERNEL OIL, CITRIC ACID, TAPIOCA DEXTRIN, MODIFIED CORN STARCH, NATURAL AND ARTIFICIAL FLAVORS, COLORS (RED 40 LAKE, YELLOW 5 LAKE, BLUE 2 LAKE, YELLOW 6 LAKE, TITANIUM DIOXIDE, BLUE 1 LAKE, YELLOW 6, YELLOW 5, BLUE 1), SODIUM CITRATE, CARNAUBA WAX.
Common questions
Is Skittles banned in the United States?
No — every ingredient in Skittles is currently legal to sell in the US. However, Red 40, Titanium Dioxide, Yellow 5, Yellow 6 are banned or restricted in other regions: Red 40 (EU (warning label required), UK (warning label required)); Titanium Dioxide (EU (banned as food additive), UK (still permitted)); Yellow 5 (EU (warning label required), UK (warning label required)); Yellow 6 (EU (warning label required), UK (warning label required)).
Which ingredients in Skittles are flagged?
Red 40: Southampton Six colour (Allura Red, E129): EU-AUTHORISED but foods containing it must carry the label 'may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children'. Many manufacturers reformulate for the EU/UK instead. Titanium Dioxide: The EU banned titanium dioxide (E171) as a food additive from 7 Aug 2022 after EFSA could not exclude genotoxicity; it remains permitted only in medicines pending review. Still permitted in US food. Yellow 5: Southampton Six colour (tartrazine, E102): EU-AUTHORISED but foods must carry the label 'may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children'. Yellow 6: Southampton Six colour (Sunset Yellow FCF, E110): EU-AUTHORISED but foods must carry the 'activity and attention in children' warning.
What does the AVOID rating mean?
BannedPantry checks each labeled ingredient against food and cosmetic safety standards from the EU, UK, Canada, Japan, and California, with a citation for every flag. AVOID means at least one labeled ingredient is banned or restricted by a major overseas regulator, or is high-severity under our methodology. Ratings are never influenced by brands.
What can I buy instead of Skittles?
Comparable products without the flagged ingredients include YumEarth Organic Lollipops 50-count (YumEarth), Unreal Dark Chocolate Gems (UNREAL), Smart Sweets Sweet Fish 6-pack (SmartSweets). You can also scan any product's barcode free at https://bannedpantry.com to check it before you buy.
Run a full ingredient scan
See exactly which ingredients in Skittles are banned overseas, with sources.
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