Retailers have been told to immediately stop selling two more Jolly Rancher lines after the Food Standards Agency (FSA) expanded its safety alert over the presence of mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH).
In an update to its Food Alert “For Action”, published today (16 January), the FSA added Jolly Rancher Filled Pops and Jolly Rancher Freeze Dried Candy (all flavours) to the list of affected products, covering England, Wales and Northern Ireland. The alert applies to all pack sizes, batch codes and best-before dates.
The watchdog warned the sweets contain MOAH, which makes them unsafe to eat. While the FSA said there is no immediate cause for concern because the overall food safety risk is considered low, it stressed that MOAH is a known genotoxic carcinogen, meaning it can damage DNA and may increase cancer risk – particularly if consumed regularly over a sustained period, and especially among younger consumers.
Food businesses importing the products have been advised to discontinue import and distribution immediately, while retailers selling affected lines are instructed to halt sales and carry out product withdrawals. Where products have been sold to consumers, businesses should also undertake full product recalls.
The FSA said brand owner The Hershey Company has taken action to remove the affected products from the UK market and has been working “collaboratively” with the regulator. However, despite Hershey’s proactive action in 2024 to remove unsafe products – and its decision not to supply the UK market going forward – the FSA warned that other businesses continue to import and supply the sweets into the UK via alternative routes.
As a result, the FSA has requested enforcing authorities to take action to remove the products from the market to protect consumers. Local Authorities have been asked to notify the FSA of recall and withdrawal activity linked to the alert.
The update follows an earlier FSA recall notice issued last year. In June 2025, retailers were urged to pull a number of Jolly Rancher items after the regulator said they contained MOAH and mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) – substances not permitted in food products sold in the UK.
Products named at the time included Jolly Rancher Hard Candy, Jolly Rancher ‘Misfits’ Gummies, Jolly Rancher Hard Candy Fruity 2 in 1, and Jolly Rancher Berry Gummies, again affecting all pack sizes, batches and best-before dates.
At the time, the FSA said unauthorised imports had continued through third-party distributors despite Hershey halting UK supply, and retailers were told to display clear point-of-sale notices online and in-store and advise customers not to eat affected products.
Consumers who have purchased any products listed in the updated alert are again being urged not to consume them. The FSA advised shoppers to dispose of the sweets at home, and report any concerns to local Trading Standards or environmental health teams.