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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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Mars reformulated UK Starburst to remove all synthetic dyes and gelatin in response to consumer demand for vegetarian-friendly sweets and EU warning-label requirements. The US version continues to use four petroleum-derived dyes — Red 40, Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Blue 1 — that require warning labels in the UK and EU. In the UK, any product containing these dyes must display the text 'may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children,' making them commercially unattractive.
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