UK-US Regulatory Differences Explored Through Lens of Sprinkles

Several publications have detailed the story of Get Baked, a U.K. bakery, to examine how food regulations differ in the United Kingdom and the United States. Get Baked was forced to stop selling its 12-layer chocolate cake and raspberry glazed donut cookies after a U.K. Trading Standards inspector found the desserts to be topped with sprinkles that contain a substance labeled in the United Kingdom as erythrosine, or E127, an additive only approved for use in cocktail cherries and candied cherries, according to the BBC. In the United States, the substance is labeled as FD&C Red No. 3, according to NPR, and is allowed in foods but was restricted for some uses in 1990 after studies purported to show that “very high doses of the color additive can cause cancer in laboratory animals.” The BBC also noted that studies have reportedly linked the additive to hyperactivity in children and an increased risk of thyroid tumors. The owner of Get Baked told the BBC that he prefers American sprinkles, noting, “British sprinkles are rubbish. They run and aren’t bake-able. The colours aren’t vibrant and they just don’t look very good.”

In a statement, West Yorkshire Trading Standards said, “We stand by the advice given and would urge all food business operators, when seeking to use imported foods containing additives, to check that they are permitted for use in the UK.”