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The US and international formulas are not the same— here's exactly what changed and why.
Mars USA
| Ingredient | 🇺🇸 US Version | 🌍 International | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Dye 5 | ✅ Not present | ✅ Not present | Banned Overseas |
| Yellow Dye 6 | ✅ Not present | ✅ Not present | Banned Overseas |
| Titanium Dioxide | ✅ 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.
Norway and Austria specifically ban Yellow 5 (tartrazine) in food — not just requiring warning labels but prohibiting it outright. Skittles containing Yellow 5 cannot be legally sold in their US formulation in Norway. The Norwegian Food Safety Authority (Mattilsynet) maintains some of the world's most stringent food dye restrictions, including complete bans on tartrazine. US consumers eating Skittles are exposed to a dye that the Norwegian government has determined should not be in food at all.
Find clean brands without these ingredients — organized by category.