ZYN ingredients: every ingredient explained, UK vs US (2026)

If you already use ZYN and want to know what's actually inside the pouch, the short version is: nicotine, a plant-based cellulose filler, pH adjusters, a sweetener and flavourings. Which extras you get depends on where the can was made for and which format it is. ZYN publishes different ingredient lists for different markets, so a "ZYN ingredients" search often turns up a mix of UK and US information. Below, each ingredient is tied to the ZYN page that lists it, along with what it does and what the lists leave out.

Quick answer: ZYN UK lists nicotine, cellulose (the filler and the pouch itself), pH adjusters, the sweetener acesulfame K and flavourings, plus water in Regular pouches but not Mini. The US list names extra fillers such as maltitol and gum arabic, so the can label is the definitive list for any pouch you buy. See the full range on our ZYN brand page.

The full ZYN ingredient list, decoded

ZYN publishes two main ingredient lists in English. One is on the ZYN US FAQ and the other is on the ZYN UK blog (published August 2025, updated November 2025). They overlap, but they aren't the same, so the table shows which page names each ingredient.

ZYN US says that everything except the nicotine salt is "food-grade". That's ZYN's own wording. It tells you how the manufacturer classes its ingredients and doesn't tell you anything about safety. "Pharmaceutical-grade" is ZYN's marketing term too, so treat it the same way.

Why UK, US and European ZYN lists don't match

The US FAQ gives a longer list that reads like a granulated recipe. It includes nicotine bitartrate, hydroxypropyl cellulose, maltitol and gum arabic, and it doesn't mention water. The UK blog gives a shorter list built around broad categories, and it does include water for Regular pouches. These are two different published lists, so we haven't merged them into one recipe. A UK can doesn't necessarily contain everything on the US list.

If you've searched for Swedish ZYN ingredients, we couldn't find a ZYN Sweden ingredient page. The closest European source from the manufacturer is ZYN Switzerland (April 2025). It lists nicotine, flavourings, cellulose and water, calls them all food-grade, and points readers to the packaging for the detailed list.

Flavour changes things too. ZYN UK says it uses a different flavouring blend for each flavour, so the exact list varies from one variant to the next. ZYN UK also says the packaging carries the full ingredient list for each product. For anything you buy in the UK, the can is the final word.

How the ingredients change the feel in your lip

Same mg, different feel? Check the format first. ZYN UK says water is an ingredient in ZYN Regular but not in ZYN Mini, so a Mini pouch starts drier than a Regular one. The Mini name on our product titles isn't a reliable guide. ZYN UK lists all its 1.5mg, 3mg and 6mg cans as Mini, a pouch it describes as "dry to the touch", even where our product name says Medium or Strong. We couldn't confirm the format of our 9mg, 11mg and 13.5mg cans, so check the can if moisture matters to you.

Flavour is the other big variable. ZYN UK uses a different flavouring blend for each flavour, which is why 11mg Coffee and 11mg Citrus taste so different at the same strength.

Gum irritation where the pouch sits is a commonly reported side effect. If it bothers you, a lower mg is the sensible move. If it carries on, stop and speak to a pharmacist. Swapping to stronger pouches or using more of them isn't the answer.

If you want to try the Mini format at a strength you already use, our 6mg Mini Strong Cool Mint is one of the cans ZYN UK lists as Mini.

Nicotine salt, tobacco-leaf-free and the UK legal line

The US list names nicotine bitartrate dihydrate, which is a nicotine salt. ZYN gives one reason for using it: stability. The US FAQ says the salt is more stable than the nicotine in some e-cigarettes and liquids, which must be "artificially protected from oxygen". ZYN doesn't give any other reason. The UK page just says "nicotine" and doesn't name a form, so we won't claim UK cans use bitartrate unless the can says so.

ZYN UK describes the product as tobacco-free, with an asterisk. The note reads: "The nicotine in ZYN is derived from tobacco but ZYN does not contain tobacco leaf." That's why ZYN UK also uses the phrases "tobacco-leaf-free" and "made without tobacco leaf" in its main text.

On manufacturing, the ZYN US FAQ says ZYN is made in Swedish Match factories in Kentucky and Sweden. It doesn't say which factory supplies the UK.

Traditional tobacco snus is a different product. As of October 2026, selling tobacco for oral use (traditional snus) has been illegal in the UK since 1992 under the Tobacco for Oral Use (Safety) Regulations 1992. The Tobacco and Vapes Act 2026 re-enacts the ban from 29 October 2026 (s.8). SnusBox sells tobacco-free nicotine pouches, not tobacco snus. For a fuller comparison, see our guide to smokeless tobacco pouches vs tobacco-free pouches.

What's not in ZYN: sugar, caffeine and xylitol

ZYN UK says its pouches contain no tobacco leaf (covered above) and no sugar, because sweeteners are used instead. They also contain no caffeine, and that includes ZYN Coffee. ZYN UK says the coffee taste comes from flavourings, not coffee beans. We stock two coffee cans, the 11mg ZYN Medium Coffee and the 6mg ZYN Strong Coffee, both at £4.19.

Neither ZYN list names xylitol. The only sweetener either list names is acesulfame K. The US list also includes maltitol, which ZYN groups with its fillers.

On disposal, the ZYN US FAQ says used pouches go in household or public bins under local rules, and it mentions a child-resistant lid on US cans. Our own advice is to keep used and unused pouches out of reach of children and pets, because both contain nicotine.

The US FAQ also lists some nutrition-style facts for US pouches. Each pouch weighs about 0.4g and a classic US can holds 15. Each pouch has under 1 calorie and under 10mg sodium. US pouches are lactose-free, tested below 20ppm gluten, and contain no animal products, though they aren't certified vegan. These figures are for US ZYN, so don't assume they apply to UK cans.

One myth to clear up: some sites describe ZYN's flavourings as "natural". ZYN's own pages say "flavourings" (US), "food-grade flavourings" (Switzerland) and flavourings "made with food-grade sweeteners and no sugar" (UK). None of them uses the word "natural".

Formaldehyde, ammonia and chromium: what the lab study measured

The "ZYN formaldehyde" searches trace back to a 2023 lab study, Back et al. The researchers tested two ZYN products for what they call harmful and potentially harmful constituents (HPHCs).

The list of substances they tested for was long:

• nicotine
• five nitrosamines (NAB, NAT, NDMA, NNK and NNN)
• six metals (arsenic, cadmium, chromium, lead, nickel and selenium)
• acetaldehyde, ammonia, anabasine, formaldehyde, nornicotine and ochratoxin A
• polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs)

According to the abstract, no nitrosamines or PAHs were detected in the ZYN products. The authors describe what they found as low levels of ammonia, chromium, formaldehyde and nickel. The paper was published in BMC Chemistry in March 2023. The study was funded by Swedish Match, which markets ZYN, and all the authors were either employees of or otherwise funded by the company, according to the paper's funding and competing-interests statements.

These are trace substances measured in a lab. They aren't added ingredients, and none of them appears on any ZYN ingredient list. We're reporting what the study measured, and we aren't drawing any safety conclusion from it.

ZYN strengths at SnusBox

Here's every ZYN can we stock, from 1.5mg to 13.5mg. ZYN UK's own tier names don't always match our catalogue lines. On the ZYN UK site, 6mg and 9mg sit under Medium and 11mg sits under Strong, so go by the mg rather than the name.

Choose something close to the strength you use now. If you want to change, move in small steps, for example from 6mg to 9mg, rather than jumping several levels. Higher strengths are more likely to cause nausea. If 9mg is your usual strength, the Cool Mint is a straightforward option.

For placement and timing, see how to use ZYN pouches. For prices across the range, see our ZYN price guide, or browse every can on the ZYN brand page.

Side effects and addiction

Nicotine is addictive. ZYN UK's own warning says the product is not risk free and contains nicotine, which is addictive. Commonly reported side effects include hiccups, gum irritation, and nausea at higher strengths. Our nicotine pouch side effects guide covers these in more detail. If you have concerns about your own health, speak to your GP or pharmacist.

Follow the manufacturer's guidance. The ZYN US FAQ describes pouches as single use, for up to an hour. Our advice is one pouch at a time, with no doubling up.

FAQs

What chemicals are in ZYN?

ZYN UK lists nicotine, cellulose (which also forms the pouch), pH adjusters, acesulfame K and flavourings, plus water in Regular pouches. The US list also names nicotine bitartrate dihydrate, hydroxypropyl cellulose, microcrystalline cellulose, maltitol, gum arabic, sodium carbonate and sodium bicarbonate. Check the can for the exact list for your product.

Does ZYN contain formaldehyde?

Formaldehyde isn't an ingredient and isn't on any ZYN list. A 2023 lab study (Back et al.) reported what the authors describe as low levels of formaldehyde, ammonia, chromium and nickel as trace constituents in two ZYN products. It detected no nitrosamines or PAHs.

Does ZYN contain xylitol?

Not according to ZYN's published lists. The sweetener named is acesulfame K, and maltitol also appears on the US list. Keep used and unused pouches out of reach of children and pets, as both contain nicotine.

Does ZYN contain tobacco, sugar or caffeine?

ZYN UK says there's no tobacco leaf, no sugar and no caffeine, even in ZYN Coffee. Its asterisk notes that the nicotine is derived from tobacco but the pouch contains no tobacco leaf.

Are UK or Swedish ZYN ingredients different from US ZYN?

The published lists differ. The US FAQ names fillers such as maltitol and gum arabic, while ZYN UK lists water in Regular pouches and none in Mini. We found no Swedish page, and the closest European source (ZYN Switzerland) lists nicotine, flavourings, cellulose and water, so the can label is definitive.

How do ZYN ingredients compare with Velo?

Both are tobacco-free pouches built from the same broad categories: nicotine, a plant-based filler, pH adjusters, sweetener and flavourings. We haven't found a published Velo ingredient list we can cite, so check each can for the exact recipe. Our Velo nicotine pouches guide covers the range.

Is ZYN the safest form of nicotine?

No nicotine product is risk free, and ZYN itself says its pouches are not risk free and contain addictive nicotine. We don't rank nicotine products on safety. Our side effects guide, linked above, covers what users commonly report.

What does ZYN do to your health?

Nicotine is addictive. Commonly reported side effects include hiccups, gum irritation, and nausea at higher strengths. If you have concerns, speak to a GP or pharmacist.

Is 1 ZYN equal to 1 cigarette?

There's no meaningful one-for-one figure. The mg figure is the nicotine strength the manufacturer states, not the amount your body absorbs. We don't make comparisons between pouches and cigarettes.

Can dentists tell if you use ZYN?

We can't speak for what a dentist will spot. Gum irritation where the pouch sits is a commonly reported side effect, so tell your dentist you use nicotine pouches.

What is the half-life of nicotine from a ZYN pouch?

The US National Cancer Institute's Monograph 2, chapter 4 states: "The half-life of nicotine averages 2 to 3 h." That's how long nicotine generally takes to halve in the body, not a figure specific to ZYN, and the monograph dates from 1992.

For adult nicotine users only (18+). Contains nicotine, which is an addictive substance.