Rules compared
Ingredient rules: EU vs US vs Canada
The same ingredient can be banned in one place and allowed in another. Here are the 14 ingredients we track where the rules differ or are worth knowing, with the regulation behind each one.
Stricter in the EU than in Canada
Banned or restricted in the European Union, permitted in Canada.
IngredientEuropean UnionUnited StatesCanada
Red 3erythrosine · erythrosin · erythrosin bEuropean UnionRestrictedAllowed only in certain cherry productsUnited StatesRestrictedFood ban takes effect Jan 15, 2027CanadaPermittedPermitted in listed foods, max 300 ppm
Titanium Dioxidetitanium dioxide · e171 · e 171European UnionBannedNot authorised as a food additiveUnited StatesRestrictedPermitted up to 1% of food weightCanadaPermittedPermitted in listed foods
Propylparabenpropylparaben · propyl paraben · propyl 4-hydroxybenzoateEuropean UnionRestrictedMax 0.14% combined; not nappy-area productsUnited StatesPermittedNo specific FDA limits in cosmeticsCanadaPermittedNot on Canada's cosmetic restriction list
Butylparabenbutylparaben · butyl paraben · butyl 4-hydroxybenzoateEuropean UnionRestrictedMax 0.14% combined; not nappy-area productsUnited StatesPermittedNo specific FDA limits in cosmeticsCanadaPermittedNot on Canada's cosmetic restriction list
Isopropylparabenisopropylparaben · isopropyl paraben · isopropyl 4-hydroxybenzoateEuropean UnionBannedBanned in cosmeticsUnited StatesPermittedNo specific FDA limits in cosmeticsCanadaPermittedNot on Canada's cosmetic restriction list
Perfluorohexylethyl Triethoxysilaneperfluorohexylethyl triethoxysilaneEuropean UnionRestrictedLimited to 1,000 ppb in cosmeticsUnited States—Canada—
Restricted in Canada
Banned, restricted or needing a warning under Health Canada’s rules.
IngredientEuropean UnionUnited StatesCanada
Potassium Bromatepotassium bromate · bromated flour · e924European UnionBannedNot authorised as a food additiveUnited StatesRestrictedPermitted in flour, max 50 ppmCanadaBannedNot permitted as a food additive
BVObrominated vegetable oil · bvo · brominated soybean oilEuropean UnionBannedNot authorised as a food additiveUnited StatesBannedBanned in food since 2024CanadaBannedRemoved from permitted additives in 2024
Azodicarbonamideazodicarbonamide · azoformamide · e927aEuropean UnionBannedNot authorised in foodUnited StatesRestrictedPermitted in flour, max 45 ppmCanadaRestrictedPermitted in flour and bread, max 45 ppm
Benzophenone-3oxybenzone · benzophenone-3 · benzophenone 3European UnionRestrictedLimited to 6% (face), 2.2% (body)United StatesRestrictedSunscreen active, max 6%CanadaRestrictedSunscreen ingredient, max 6%
Triclosantriclosan · irgasan · irgasan dp300European UnionRestrictedMax 0.3%, listed products onlyUnited StatesRestrictedNot allowed in OTC antibacterial washesCanadaRestrictedMax 0.3% cosmetics, 0.03% mouthwash
Food additives and colours
IngredientEuropean UnionUnited StatesCanada
Red 40allura red · allura red ac · red 40European UnionWarning labelPermitted, warning label requiredUnited StatesPermittedPermitted; FDA batch certification requiredCanadaPermittedPermitted in listed foods, max 300 ppm
Yellow 5tartrazine · yellow 5 · yellow no. 5European UnionWarning labelPermitted, warning label requiredUnited StatesPermittedPermitted; must be named on labelCanadaPermittedPermitted in listed foods, max 300 ppm
Yellow 6sunset yellow · sunset yellow fcf · orange yellow sEuropean UnionWarning labelPermitted, warning label requiredUnited StatesPermittedPermitted; FDA batch certification requiredCanadaPermittedPermitted in listed foods, max 300 ppm
Red 3erythrosine · erythrosin · erythrosin bEuropean UnionRestrictedAllowed only in certain cherry productsUnited StatesRestrictedFood ban takes effect Jan 15, 2027CanadaPermittedPermitted in listed foods, max 300 ppm
Titanium Dioxidetitanium dioxide · e171 · e 171European UnionBannedNot authorised as a food additiveUnited StatesRestrictedPermitted up to 1% of food weightCanadaPermittedPermitted in listed foods
Potassium Bromatepotassium bromate · bromated flour · e924European UnionBannedNot authorised as a food additiveUnited StatesRestrictedPermitted in flour, max 50 ppmCanadaBannedNot permitted as a food additive
BVObrominated vegetable oil · bvo · brominated soybean oilEuropean UnionBannedNot authorised as a food additiveUnited StatesBannedBanned in food since 2024CanadaBannedRemoved from permitted additives in 2024
Azodicarbonamideazodicarbonamide · azoformamide · e927aEuropean UnionBannedNot authorised in foodUnited StatesRestrictedPermitted in flour, max 45 ppmCanadaRestrictedPermitted in flour and bread, max 45 ppm
Cosmetic ingredients
IngredientEuropean UnionUnited StatesCanada
Benzophenone-3oxybenzone · benzophenone-3 · benzophenone 3European UnionRestrictedLimited to 6% (face), 2.2% (body)United StatesRestrictedSunscreen active, max 6%CanadaRestrictedSunscreen ingredient, max 6%
Triclosantriclosan · irgasan · irgasan dp300European UnionRestrictedMax 0.3%, listed products onlyUnited StatesRestrictedNot allowed in OTC antibacterial washesCanadaRestrictedMax 0.3% cosmetics, 0.03% mouthwash
Propylparabenpropylparaben · propyl paraben · propyl 4-hydroxybenzoateEuropean UnionRestrictedMax 0.14% combined; not nappy-area productsUnited StatesPermittedNo specific FDA limits in cosmeticsCanadaPermittedNot on Canada's cosmetic restriction list
Butylparabenbutylparaben · butyl paraben · butyl 4-hydroxybenzoateEuropean UnionRestrictedMax 0.14% combined; not nappy-area productsUnited StatesPermittedNo specific FDA limits in cosmeticsCanadaPermittedNot on Canada's cosmetic restriction list
Isopropylparabenisopropylparaben · isopropyl paraben · isopropyl 4-hydroxybenzoateEuropean UnionBannedBanned in cosmeticsUnited StatesPermittedNo specific FDA limits in cosmeticsCanadaPermittedNot on Canada's cosmetic restriction list
Perfluorohexylethyl Triethoxysilaneperfluorohexylethyl triethoxysilaneEuropean UnionRestrictedLimited to 1,000 ppb in cosmeticsUnited States—Canada—
Rules change. Each status links to the ingredient page, which cites the regulation and the date it took effect.
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