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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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tbhq | ✅ Not present | ✅ Not present | Banned Overseas |
| High Fructose Corn Syrup | ✅ 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.
Snickers is one of the world's best-selling candy bars, and Mars produces it with TBHQ for the US market but without it for Europe, where TBHQ is not authorized as a food additive. The US version uses HFCS alongside regular corn syrup, while the EU version uses only glucose syrup and sugar. Mars clearly knows how to make Snickers without TBHQ — they do it for every European consumer — making the US inclusion a purely regulatory-arbitrage decision.
Find clean brands without these ingredients — organized by category.