Have you ever wondered why food products sometimes taste different when you travel abroad? It turns out, it’s not just your taste buds adjusting to a new place. The reality is that many major food companies sell distinctly different versions of the same products in the United States compared to the United Kingdom and Europe. After years of investigating these discrepancies, the findings are quite unsettling.
Imagine discovering that your favorite brands are offering safer, higher-quality versions of their products overseas, while you’re getting a less healthy, potentially inferior version at home. This eye-opening realization sparked a journey to advocate for change in the food system, and the differences are stark.
From fast food giants to everyday pantry staples like cake mix, cereal, candy, and even oatmeal, the variations are pervasive. Here are six common American food products that are significantly different – and arguably worse – than their UK counterparts:
1. McDonald’s French Fries
Let’s start with a global icon: McDonald’s French Fries. In the UK, the ingredient list is surprisingly simple: potatoes, oil, dextrose, and salt. However, in the US, the recipe is far more complex. American McDonald’s fries include “natural beef flavor,” sodium acid pyrophosphate (a color stabilizer), and are fried in oil that contains dimethylpolysiloxane, an anti-foaming agent also used in silly putty 1. Considering McDonald’s manages to produce fries with fewer additives in the UK, it begs the question: why are all these extra ingredients necessary in the US version?
2. Quaker Instant Oatmeal Packets
Prepare to be surprised by what’s not in your Strawberry & Cream Quaker Instant Oatmeal in the US. Despite the name, it contains absolutely zero strawberries. Instead, to mimic the taste and appearance of real fruit, Quaker uses “Flavored and Colored Fruit Pieces.” These are made from dehydrated apples, artificial strawberry flavor, citric acid, and the artificial dye Red 40. It’s essentially a deceptive imitation.
Across the Atlantic, Quaker UK takes a different approach. They don’t offer a comparable artificial product. Instead, their closest equivalent, “Oat So Simple,” contains real strawberries. This is a world apart from the US version, which relies on artificial dyes and flavors to create a strawberry illusion.
3. Mountain Dew
Grab a bottle of Mountain Dew in the UK, and you’ll notice its vibrant yellow hue comes from beta carotene, a natural pigment derived from carrots and other plants. However, PepsiCo’s Mountain Dew recipe for the American market is quite different. Instead of natural colors, US Mountain Dew gets its bright color from Yellow #5, a petroleum-based artificial dye. While artificial dyes are prevalent in US foods, their safety is questionable. They have been linked to potential health issues and may contain carcinogens [2](#footnotes]. Beta carotene is undoubtedly a safer coloring agent.
Even more concerning, the US Mountain Dew formula includes brominated vegetable oil (BVO), an ingredient banned in Europe [3](#footnotes]. Despite announcing plans to remove BVO from all US drinks in 2014 following a consumer petition [4](#footnotes], PepsiCo still hasn’t eliminated it from Mountain Dew nearly a decade later. Meanwhile, they continue to sell BVO-free Mountain Dew in other countries, highlighting a double standard.
4. Heinz Ketchup
Heinz Tomato Ketchup is a staple in American restaurants and homes. In the UK, Heinz ketchup is produced without genetically modified organisms (GMOs) 5. However, the US version is made with GMOs and High Fructose Corn Syrup. It also contains lab-produced “natural flavoring” designed to enhance addictiveness [6](#footnotes]. Think about this the next time you find yourself unable to stop dipping your fries! While Heinz offers a “Simply Heinz” version in the US with a cleaner ingredient list, it still includes “natural flavors.” Why isn’t this simpler, healthier recipe the standard Heinz ketchup across America? There’s little justification for the heavily processed version dominating American tables.
5. Doritos
While neither version of Doritos could be considered health food, the American Doritos recipe is laden with artificial dyes derived from petroleum: Red #40, Blue #1, and Yellow #5. These dyes have been found to be contaminated with carcinogens like benzidine [2](#footnotes]. In the UK, products containing these dyes are required to carry a warning label stating, “May Have an Adverse Effect on Activity and Attention in Children” [7](#footnotes]. Understandably, manufacturers prefer to avoid such labels. Consequently, Doritos in the UK are colored using paprika extract and annatto instead of artificial dyes. Furthermore, UK Doritos are non-GMO, whereas American Doritos are made with GMO corn that may be contaminated with glyphosate weed killer [8](#footnotes].
6. Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes Cereal
At first glance, the ingredient lists for Frosted Flakes in the US and UK appear quite similar. However, a key difference is the inclusion of the preservative butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) in the US version. Some research has controversially linked BHT to cancer [9](#footnotes] and suggests it may be an endocrine disruptor, interfering with hormones [10](#footnotes]. BHT is not permitted in cereals in Europe, so Kellogg’s reformulated their cereals to comply with European regulations. Following a petition in 2015 [11](#footnotes], Kellogg’s removed BHT from some US cereals like Rice Krispies. However, Frosted Flakes in the US still contain BHT, despite being sold BHT-free in the UK, illustrating inconsistent safety standards.
Why the Discrepancy? Profit Over People?
The fundamental question is: why don’t these multinational companies simply sell the same, safer products everywhere? The answer lies in differing regulatory philosophies. Europe adopts a “precautionary principle” regarding food additives. If there’s potential risk, additives are banned or require warnings to protect consumers. The US operates under a different system. Additives remain in the food supply until they are definitively proven dangerous – a process that can be slow, complex, and influenced by industry lobbying. This effectively means Americans are, in some ways, the test subjects.
The US system allows food companies significant self-regulation, granting them considerable leeway in deciding which ingredients and chemicals are “safe” [12](#footnotes]. This approach is arguably flawed. If companies can use cheaper ingredients, they often will. Given the choice, they’ll frequently opt for the less expensive flavor enhancer, color additive, preservative, and GMO ingredient, even if these cheaper alternatives pose potential health risks.
The Uncomfortable Truth
The reality is that consumer protection in the US food system is often lacking. When food companies assert the safety of their processed foods, it’s crucial to question these claims. A deeper dive into this issue is explored in the book Feeding You Lies, which uncovers further truths about the food industry’s practices. The industry’s priority is not necessarily your health; therefore, taking proactive steps to understand what you consume is essential.
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Demand Better Food Standards
If more Americans were aware that food companies are selling versions of similar products overseas with healthier ingredients, widespread outrage would likely follow. It’s time to spread awareness about these double standards. Sharing this information can pressure companies to improve their practices and offer safer food products in the US. The success of the petition against artificial dyes in Kraft Mac & Cheese demonstrates that consumer action can drive positive change.
Xo,
Vani
References:
Footnotes:
1 https://foodbabe.com/app/uploads/2019/02/mcdonalds-fries-in-us-vs-uk-768×679-3.jpg
2 https://cspinet.org/resource/chemical-cuisine-artificial-food-dyes
3 https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/search/site_search/brominated%2520vegetable%2520oil
4 https://www.change.org/p/pepsico-remove-brominated-vegetable-oil-bvo-from-mountain-dew
5 https://www.heinz.co.uk/faq/
6 https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/18/health/ultraprocessed-foods-addiction.html
7 https://www.food.gov.uk/safety-hygiene/food-additives
8 https://www.ewg.org/foodnews/glyphosate-weedkiller-food.php
9 https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2735232/
10 https://www.niehs.nih.gov/health/topics/agents/endocrine-disruptors/index.cfm
11 https://www.change.org/p/kellogg-s-remove-bht-from-cereals
12 [https://www.fda.gov/food/food-ingredients-packaging/generally-recognized-safe-gr
