Urgent 'do not eat' warning issued for popular sweets due to cancer fears

• READ MORE:  Thousands of cans of Dr Pepper recalled over risk

An urgent recall for several popular Jolly Rancher sweet products has been issued over fears they contain a banned ingredients linked to cancer .

Those who've already eaten them should not panic, watchdog the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has warned, as the risk is low, but urged customers to disposed of them.

These include Hard Candy, 'Misfits' Gummies, Hard Candy Fruity 2 in 1, and Berry Gummies, all made by Hershey.

The sweets were found to contain the harmful chemicals Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons (MOAH) and Mineral Oil Saturated Hydrocarbon (MOSH).

These chemicals, derived from crude oil, have been linked to serious illnesses including cancer, particularly in the liver and lymph nodes.

This makes the sweets unsafe to eat, particularly over long periods of time, and not compliant with UK law.

American multi-national firm Hershey told UK regulators it has already taken action to remove the affected brands from the British market.

But the FSA warned that some businesses are still selling Jolly Rancher products containing the banned additive, and have urged authorities to remove them from shelves.

The FSA said: 'Consumption of the affected sweets is of toxicological concern, especially in younger age groups and where consumers eat a lot of the products or eat them regularly.'

It isn't just Jolly Ranchers – experts warn there are numerous US products with illegal ingredients making their way to the UK.

Earlier this year, it was revealed sweets, fizzy drinks and crisps containing illegal ingredients, imported from the US, were 'flooding the UK'.

These included Fanta Pineapple, Mountain Dew, Swedish Fish, Prime Hydration, Cheetos Crunchy and Twizzlers Strawberry Twists and Rainbow Twists.

The potentially harmful and illegal substances included brominated vegetable oil, known as BVO, which is found in the fizzy drink Mountain Dew.

Others include Red Dye 3, widely used to add colour to jelly beans and preserved cherries, and white mineral oil, which is used to make popular sweets, Swedish Fish.

It follows the recent recall of another popular American product – Dr Pepper – over major health problems.

In the US, health officials recalled 19,203 12oz cans of Dr Pepper Zero Sugar after discovering that they are 'full of sugar'.

The Food and Drug Administration announced a voluntary recall of the 12-pack and 24-pack cases of Dr Pepper Zero Sugar last month.

But then the federal agency updated the severity of the recall to Class II – meaning that the use of any Dr Pepper Zero Sugar can cause temporary or medically reversible adverse health consequences.

The recalled cans were produced by the Pepsi Beverages Company in Jacksonville, Florida and were sold to retailers in Florida, Georgia and South Carolina.

The term 'Zero Sugar' indicates that the product has been made with no sugar in any form.

However, since these cans have been mislabelled and found to contain the same amount of sugar as a regular Dr Pepper can, they can create a grave health risk for diabetics or others who need to limit their sugar intake.

A regular 12oz can of Dr. Pepper contains 39 grams of sugar, according to its nutrition facts label.

The recalled Dr Pepper Zero Sugar cans have the product code XXXXRS05165 with a 'best by' date of February 16, 2026.

According to the American Heart Association, men should consume no more than 36 grams or 150 calories of sugar per day while women should consume no more than 25 grams or 100 calories per day.

Excess sugar consumption can pave the way for weight gain, high blood pressure, heart disease and insulin resistance which can cause type 2 diabetes.

Type 2 diabetes is the most common form of the condition and over 37million American adults suffer from this form of the chronic illness.

It is caused by either the pancreas not producing enough insulin or the body's cells not responding properly to insulin.

When you eat sugar, your body breaks it down into glucose which the enters your bloodstream for energy absorption.

To regulate blood sugar levels, the pancreas releases insulin, which helps glucose enter your cells for energy.

But consuming excessive amounts of sugar can make the body resistant to insulin, meaning it can't effectively use the insulin to lower blood sugar.

This leads to high blood sugar levels and a buildup of glucose in the bloodstream, which can damage the eyes, kidneys, nerves and heart.

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