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The US and international formulas are not the same— here's exactly what changed and why.
Kellogg's USA
Ingredients
Corn Flour Blend, Sugar, Oat Flour, Modified Corn Starch, Hydrogenated Vegetable Oil, Salt, Natural Flavor, Artificial Flavor, Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1, BHT
⚠️ Artificial Colors
Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, Blue 1
⚠️ Preservatives
BHT (in packaging)
Ingredients
Corn Flour, Sugar, Oat Flour, Salt, Niacin, Natural Flavouring, Spirulina Extract, Beta-Carotene, Carrot Extract, Radish Extract, Elderberry Extract
✅ Natural Colors
Spirulina Extract (blue/green), Beta-Carotene (yellow/orange), Carrot Extract (orange), Radish Extract (red), Elderberry Extract (purple)
| Ingredient | 🇺🇸 US Version | 🌍 International |
|---|
| Status |
|---|
| Red Dye 40 | ✅ Not present | ✅ Not present | Banned Overseas |
| Yellow Dye 5 | ✅ Not present | ✅ Not present | Banned Overseas |
| Yellow Dye 6 | ✅ Not present | ✅ Not present | Banned Overseas |
| Blue Dye 1 | ✅ Not present | ✅ Not present | Banned Overseas |
The same company makes both versions — but they use different formulas depending on where the product is sold. In the EU, UK, and Canada, regulations require either banning certain additives outright or mandating warning labels (e.g., "may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children" for certain synthetic dyes).
Rather than print warning labels, most manufacturers reformulate the product for international markets — using natural colorants like paprika extract, beetroot concentrate, or spirulina instead of petroleum-derived synthetic dyes.
The US FDA has a different standard: it deems additives "Generally Recognized as Safe" (GRAS) based on older safety data, while EFSA (the European Food Safety Authority) applies stricter precautionary principles and requires manufacturers to prove safety rather than assume it.
Kellogg's reformulated UK products after UK FSA's 2008 voluntary guidance following the McCann 2007 Lancet study. UK consumer preference for clean-label products and the threat of mandatory hyperactivity warning labels drove reformulation. Kellogg's demonstrated that the same cereal concept is achievable without synthetic dyes.
Find clean brands without these ingredients — organized by category.