A number of products from a brand of US sweets are "unsafe to eat" and contain ingredients which could damage DNA and increase the risk of cancer, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) has warned.
UK businesses and consumers are being urged to stop buying and selling the Jolly Ranchers products, owned by US company Hershey.
The FSA says they contain chemical compounds - mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) and mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) - which are "not compliant with UK laws".
The products pose a safety risk if consumed regularly over time but there is "no immediate cause for concern, as [the] food safety risk is low", the agency adds.
In a food alert published on Wednesday evening, the FSA said: "MOAH can cause damage to DNA and has the potential to increase the risk of cancer, particularly if consumed in high quantities over a prolonged period of time.
