Food regulators in the United Kingdom have zeroed in on a new public health threat — Jolly Rancher candies — calling them unsafe to eat and urging anyone already in possession of the sweets to throw them out.

The Food Standards Agency says the sugary treats, imported from the United States, can damage DNA and have the potential to increase the risk of cancer. Food businesses that have imported the affected Jolly Rancher products are being urged to stop distributing them. 

They say that Jolly Rancher products contain Mineral Oil Aromatic Hydrocarbons and Mineral Oil Saturated Hydrocarbons, making them unsafe and not compliant with U.K. laws. The products in question are Jolly Rancher Hard Candy, Jolly Rancher “Misfits” Gummies, Jolly Rancher Hard Candy Fruity 2 in 1, and Jolly Rancher Berry Gummies.

Mineral oil isn’t allowed in food in the U.K. because regulators there claim it has been found to pose a safety risk if consumed regularly over a sustained period of time. A study of rats that were given high amounts of the oils in their food for 120 days showed that they had potential liver damage.

The Food Standards Agency says the Hershey Company, which owns the Jolly Rancher brand, stopped shipping the products to the U.K. market, but other companies continue to import them.

Consumers are being urged not to eat any of the products and throw them away or contact the health department.  

Despite the alert, U.K. health officials admit the levels of chemicals consumers are exposed to are likely to be low unless the candies are consumed in high quantities over a prolonged period of time.

Mineral oil is widely used in the food processing industry in the United States, according to a bulk mineral oil company, Maverik Oils. It is commonly used in the manufacture of candy and chewing gum to prevent sticking and ensure smooth production. It is light, colorless, odorless, and tasteless.

The World Health Organization classifies mineral oil as a carcinogen, but the United States Food and Drug Administration has not identified any specific food safety concerns.

That could be reviewed as part of the push by the health and human services secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr., to change the U.S. food supply.

Mr. Kennedy has already pushed for the removal of petroleum-based food additives from the food supply under his Make America Healthy Again agenda. Mineral oil and petroleum oils are related.

He has called petroleum-based artificial food dyes “poisonous compounds.” He has also called for banning seed oils, which come from plants, unlike mineral oils that come from the earth.

Mr. Kennedy’s first MAHA commission report blamed ultra-processed foods and the overall food system for the poor diets and health of American children.