Every country has its customs and … a list of banned food ingredients.
Yep.
“You can’t always get what you want…
But if you try sometimes, you just might find, you get what you need”.
Or not.
Things you can always find on the shelf of your local grocery store might be off limits
somewhere else in the world.
That’s not just a cultural phenomenon, but a matter of health and safety, so listen up
– you might want to reconsider your list the next time you go shopping.
1.
Chicken
In Europe and Great Britain, selling chicken treated with chlorine has been banned since
1997.
Since 2010, chlorinated chicken has also been banned in Russia.
Chicken is washed with chlorine to prevent salmonella and other bacterial infections.
In Europe, this method is considered dangerous because a high chlorine content may cause
carcinogens (that is, any substance capable of causing cancer) to form in poultry, and
that can be harmful to human health.
2.
Cereal bars
Cereal bars, oatmeal, and the like are considered to be among the healthiest foods, rich in
essential vitamins and minerals worldwide.
However, in Denmark, these products have been banned since 2004!
According to the Danish Veterinary and Food Administration, they contain an excess of
“toxic” substances, which can have an adverse effect on children’s livers and
kidneys if consumed regularly.
3.
Farmed salmon
Salmon that was born and raised in the wild is rich in omega-3 fatty acids and is good
for you, no doubt.
The farm-raised version, however, has a diet of grains, antibiotics, and other medicines,
which makes the fish greyish.
To give it the attractive-looking pink shade, it’s then processed with synthetic substances.
No wonder farmed salmon is banned from a list of countries, including Australia and New
Zealand.
Recently, salmon farming has also been banned in Washington state.
4.
Soy sauce
According to a study published in Science Direct in 2016, 82% of all grown soybeans
are genetically modified.
The effects of GMOs on the human body haven’t been fully studied, but GMOs are prohibited
in some European countries, Russia, the Persian Gulf countries, and other states.
What’s more, soy sauce can also contain ethyl carbamate, a dangerous carcinogen.
5.
Meat
Quite often, the meat of cattle, pigs, and turkeys is produced with ractopamine.
This hormone allows an animal to gain weight faster.
Scientists believe that this meat can be harmful for people and lead to cardiovascular diseases.
Meat produced with ractopamine is banned in 160 countries, including the EU countries,
China, and Russia.
6.
Chips
Potato chips containing olestra, a synthetic fat substitute, are banned in Canada and Europe.
It doesn’t add fat, calories, or cholesterol.
But, this supplement prevents the body from absorbing useful substances and vitamins,
and can lead to severe stomach issues.
One Journal reported two cases when healthy kids had stomach problems while, and after
eating, potato chips containing olestra.
Note that it’s often used in the production of potato chips marked with the word “light.”
It can also be found in certain sorts of cheese, margarine, crackers, ice cream, and other
products.
7.
Apples
An inspection conducted by the U.S. Department of Agriculture in 2014 found that 80% of apples
contain diphenylamine (also known as DPA), which helps fruits stay fresher for longer
so they can be exported all around the world.
In Europe, DPA is considered to be a harmful substance that may cause cancer, which is
why apples that contain it have been banned there since 2012.
8.
Chewing gum
It’s easy to guess that chewing gums have chemical ingredients in them to make them
taste so sweet without conventional sugars, and stay edible for so long.
The two preservatives many chewing gums contain: BHA and BHT, are banned in Japan and parts
of the European Union.
Both of these chemicals have been shown to give rats cancer, and might have a similar
effect on humans.
By the way, chewing gum is also outlawed in Singapore since 1992, but it’s not because
of its composition.
The authorities banned it to keep the city streets clean and stain-free.
9.
Gelatin sweets
According to the European commission, gelatin sweets in small cups are extremely dangerous
for children because they’re a choking hazard.
These sweets may also contain konjac, a fiber that swells when it comes into contact with
moisture and may get stuck in the throat.
In this case, it’ll be impossible to give the Heimlich maneuver.
This treat is banned in Europe, Australia, and other countries.
10.
Citrus flavored soda
Brominated vegetable oil is the main ingredient in orange colored soda and is a toxic poisonous
chemical.
It helps the citrus flavor stay crisp, and prevents separation, but builds up in the
human body.
Large amounts of BVO-containing soda can give you some really serious health issues: from
skin and nerve problems, to memory loss.
That’s why it’s banned in Europe and Japan.
11.
Bread
A lot of US manufacturers of bread, wraps, rolls, breadcrumbs and the like add potassium
bromate to bleached dough to make it more elastic.
It helps them reduce baking time and cost, but can give its consumers serious kidney
and nervous system damage when consumed in large quantities.
No wonder it’s banned in Brazil, Canada, China, and the EU, and some other countries
across the world.
12.
Boxed pasta
Certain kinds of boxed pasta, frozen dinners and packaged baked goods contain azodicarbonamide
(also known as ADA, E927).
It’s banned in Europe and Australia.
ADA is used to make flour white, and helps to keep products fresher for longer.
This supplement may cause allergies and asthma.
13.
Raw milk
Raw, or unpasteurized milk, is so common in Europe, especially in Austria and Switzerland,
you can buy it from a vending machine there.
However, it’s been banned in about half of the United States for the past thirty years.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention warns it can contain harmful bacteria and
germs that can give you some serious stomach diseases and, in some rare cases, cause life-threatening
illness.
14.
Dairy products
Raw milk is illegal in much of the US, but the synthetic hormone rBGH contained in many
dairy products isn’t.
This hormone is supposed to increase milk production, but is known to cause infertility
and antibiotic resistance in cows that are treated with it.
You can’t be 100% sure it won’t have a similar effect on humans.
rBGH is also linked with certain kinds of cancer.
No wonder it’s banned in Canada, Israel, and the European Union.
15.
Instant mashed potatoes
To produce instant mashed potatoes, butylated hydroxyanisole (ВНА or Е320, to make it
easier) is often used.
The National Institutes of Health conducted several studies and concluded that this preservative
is potentially harmful to human health.
ВНА can also be found in other products like frozen foods, soups, and mayonnaise.
This substance is banned in Japan and some European countries.
16.
Artificial food dyes A lot of foods, from cereals and baked goods,
to candy and soda, have artificial dyes in them.
They do make food look prettier, but they’re produced out of chemicals derived from petroleum.
Yes, the same petroleum used in gasoline production.
It’s no wonder they’re highly toxic and can be really dangerous for your health, causing
allergic reactions and nerve cell deterioration.
So they’re banned in countries like Austria, Finland, France, Norway, and the United Kingdom.
17.
Margarine
Consuming trans fats may lead to metabolism issues, high blood pressure, and cardiovascular
diseases.
The highest percentage of trans fats are found in margarine.
They make up around 15% of the total weight of the product.
Trans fat foods are prohibited in Canada, Denmark, and Switzerland.
In many other countries there are laws restricting the amounts allowed in food.
And a Bonus of Banned Foods:
Not all foods are banned because of the ingredients they contain.
In some cases, it’s a matter of traditions or animal rights.
For example, the French delicacy, foie gras, or fatty goose liver, is banned in some European
countries, Israel, India, Argentina, and some American states.
The reason for the ban is animal abuse: birds are kept in tiny cages and forcibly fed using
a tube until their livers get 7-10 times bigger.
At French schools, serving ketchup is limited to once per week to accompany French fries.
It’s done so to preserve local culinary traditions.
As for Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs, they’re off limits in the US because of legislation.
A 1938 law bans any inedible objects inside food products to prevent small children from
choking on them.
Interestingly, a lot of people try to break this law every year, carrying tens of thousands
of Kinder Surprise eggs across the US border.
But they shall not pass.
Some fans even file petitions to change legislation, but have been unsuccessful so far.
But don’t fret, a new version of the sweet treat was recently released in the US, with
2 separately wrapped halves, that prevent the toy from coming into contact with the
chocolate.
And how about you?
cAre there any foods on the list you’re ready to give up, or have an opinion about?
Let me know down in the comments!
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