Do You Know Many American Foods Are Banned in Other Countries? You will be amazed to know that it’s not about 1 food or 2; rather as many as 30 American foods are strictly prohibited by other countries.
In this blog post, we will take a quick look at these American foods banned in other countries and the reason for their ban. So, stay tuned.
Every day, a new discovery
It seems that a new thing is added to the list of “strictly no” with every passing day because researchers have identified the item detrimental to human consumption. One such recent discovery, which is pretty terrifying for many of us, is roasted coffee contains a cancer-causing agent.
However, only a few know these and many of those who know the fact, don’t care at all. Coffee is not banned and there is a slim chance for it getting banned any time soon.
There are many American foods that are not welcome to other countries. Believe it or not, the USA has a poor standard of checking if it comes to food quality.
At least 30 foods that are consumed in America on a daily basis may be killing Americans. Does it spring any surprise that these are not allowed in the EU countries?
Rice
How can rice make it to the list of banned items? The answer lies in the chemical contamination of soil.
Arsenic is a harmful metal often found in rice because plants can easily absorb it from soil and use of chemical pesticides and inorganic arsenic makes the matter worse.
Arsenic has cancer-causing qualities and is harmful to all, especially, infants and children. It impedes brain development.
Though rice production is closely monitored, European countries don’t consider it enough and hence don’t allow the grain from America for public consumption.
Palm Oil
If peanut butter does not contain palm oil, it is healthy. Palm oil is known for enhancing the risk of heart disease.
The EU has banned it but for a different reason. In early 2019, the EU imposed a strict ban on palm oil and any product containing it. However, they did not cite health issues for banning, rather took the drastic step to prevent deforestation in the rainforest.
Bread, cookies, chocolate, ice cream and peanut butter are rich in palm oil and hence, are not considered great choices for people committed to “healthy eating, healthy living” lifestyle.
Milk
Why on earth is milk banned in some parts of the world? Well, it is because of a harmful ingredient rBST. Some US dairy farms have been using it in the milk.
The full form of rBST is Recombinant Bovine Somatotropin. It’s a kind of growth hormone genetically developed in laboratories. The hormone is used to increase milk production.
According to the American Cancer Society, this hormone is closely linked to severe health conditions such as breast, prostate and colon cancer (Read Here). In addition, the hormone is also closely associated with other health issues including increased rates of mastitis in cows, causing contamination of milk with antibiotics and pus.
For that reason, American milk and dairy products are prohibited in countries like Japan, Canada, New Zealand and the EU.
Chocolate Milk
Many of us, especially children, love a glass of chocolate milk. However, we doubt if you will still want to drink milk after reading it.
Some brands use carrageenan. It is a kind of seaweed. These brands have been using it for ages. Modern American societies use the ingredient in veggie burgers, soy milk, coconut milk, chocolate milk and ice cream.
The ingredient has inflammatory properties. It can also cause heart disease, Parkinson’s Tests and Alzheimer’s. Tests also reveal that laboratory mice developed impaired insulin function and glucose intolerance. It prompted the EU to take quick action against its use in their countries.
Cheese
Some countries have reasons to ban American dairy products. Many well-known American dairy firms treat their cows with tBGH or Recombinant Bovine growth hormone, a synthetic version of BST, to increase milk production.
At least 30 countries have banned tBGH because it increases the chance of breast, colon and prostate cancer.
In America, many health-conscious citizens use hormone-free meat and dairy products to avoid the above-stated risks.
Boxed Mac and Cheese
Who has thought that even boxed Mac and Cheese will have a killer ingredient in them? Well, they are claimed to contain a food dye.
Though this brand has promised to use natural things, other brands are yet to jump onto the bandwagon and still continue to use yellow colouring agent as food dye.
Norway, Austria and other European countries have banned these food additives. Researchers claim that these food dyes can trigger allergic reactions, cause hyperactivity and increase cancer risks.
These dyes are found in many other items including jams, candy, potato chips, drinks, shampoo, pet shampoo and even medicines.
Pre-Packaged Ground Beef
Doctors and nutritionists have long been warning against using packaged food. Pre-packaged ground beef contains pink slime. This additive decreases the overall fat content. Processing exposes meat to citric acid or ammonia that is used to kill bacteria.
Unfortunately, unregulated use of this anti-bacterial agent may cause health issues to humans. The EU and Canada have banned it.
The sale of American beef is restricted in many other countries. Genetically developed hormones are used for increased milk production. In addition, antibiotics are banned in many countries and hence, beef from America is not allowed in most places.
Processed Meats
Many people have been aware of the danger of consuming processed meats for many years. Processed meats and smoked meats are banned in the EU because of the preservatives used in them. It explains why many bacon brands are not welcome in the EU.
Processed meats are preserved with the help of sodium nitrate that keeps food from going rotten. The salt also lends processed meats a smoky flavour that people love to enjoy while eating.
Unfortunately, sodium nitrate is not like sodium chloride and can cause several health complications including certain types of cancer. Therefore, the EU took a firm stand against it and banned processed meats.
Though smoked meats and bacon are still available in these countries, these are sold without sodium nitrate.
Chicken
Though chicken is considered the healthiest meat in the USA and other countries as well, American chickens are not appreciated in many parts of the world.
Sometimes, chicken is fed arsenic to make meat look fresher and pinker. Arsenic is a poisonous chemical. If consumed for a long time, this chemical can cause deformity and even death.
Additionally, Chlorine is also used to kill microorganisms and wash meat. Due to all these, American chickens are not considered healthy and banned in many nations.
Pork
Ractopamine, a beta-agonist, is used to reduce fat content for increased protein synthesis in pork. Though less fat is a healthy thing, the hormone that induces ‘fat reduction’ is not good for us.
As per some studies, up to 45% of pigs are treated with ractopamine and 20% of the hormone stays in the meat when it is bought from the market. Hence, American pork is not allowed in 160 countries including China, Taiwan, Russia and European nations. .
Salmon
Farm-raised salmon is a favourite in many countries. However, it is usually fed with chemicals to retain freshness and pinkish-red colour.
Tons of antibiotics and other drugs are also fed to salmon and none of these is safe for your health.
Another horrible thing is they are also fed synthetic astaxanthin to retain their appealing pinkish appearance. This chemical can damage humans’ eyesight. Austria and New Zealand have banned the fan-raised varieties of salmon. .
Artificial Blueberry
Artificial Blueberries are not good for you. It uses a blue dye colour that is sourced from petroleum. Remember, the same product is used to produce gasoline, asphalt, diesel fuel and tar.
The chemical is intimately linked to hyperactivity, nerve-cell degeneration and even brain carcinoma. It is banned in Austria, Finland, France, Norway and the UK. However, organic blueberries are available in these countries and taste really delicious. Moreover, it is healthy as well.
Sugar Cane
Though the EU has banned Atrazine, American crops are still treated with this herbicide. Unfortunately, it’s widely used across the country though scientists have associated the agent with birth defects, muscle degeneration, skin sensitization and tumours in reproductive organs.
The most terrifying part is Atrazine interferes with wildlife by leaking into the water supply. It is mostly found in sugar cane as farmers uses the agent 90% of the time.
Stevia
Stevia is a natural sweetener. Interestingly, the EU has put it on the list of banned items. Early in 1999, the EU prohibited stevia’s use in food products and demanded further research on it. Some studies have found stevia highly dangerous for health.
Unfortunately, this natural sweetener is hugely popular in the USA though the Food Standard Agency in the UK asserts that there are proofs from animal tests to suggest that stevia can enhance the risk of male infertility and certain cancers.
Diabetic Baked Goods
Any artificial sweetening agent is not good for health. The EU took a strong stand against using it whereas America is yet to take such a step.
The EU has already banned many artificial sweetening agents in baked goods, especially those that can cause diabetics.
Some of these sweeteners, which are banned, include Acesulfame K, Aspartame, Neotame, Saccharin, and Sucralose. The EU raised the issue in 2020 and wanted a complete ban on artificial sweeteners.
Trans Fats
The EU has banned it in recent times. Trans fats are used in many popular food products to give them a long shelf life. However, Trans fats can increase your bad cholesterol level (LDL) and reduce your good cholesterol level (HDL). In other words, trans fats can increase your chance of heart attack.
Many snack foods such as cookies, crackers and microwave popcorn have trans fats. It is also found in frozen pizzas, coffee creamers and fast food. The law strictly prohibits any food product having more than 2 gms of trans fats in 100 grams of food.
Fat-Free Snacks
After Olestra (also called Olean) came into our life, many of us heaved a sigh of relief that we would not have to worry about weight gain while eating cake. Alas! It did not take scientists long to prove that ‘no weight gain’ would come at the cost of ‘not so fantastic’ experiences.
This element is mostly used in popular fried snacks like fat-free corn-chips, potato chips, and French fries and works against Vitamin D absorption by your body.
Olestra can also cause leaky bowels and cramps in someone if the person consumes too much of fat-free snacks containing the agent.
Canada and the UK have banned fat-free snacks from America.
Bread
Potassium bromate is a useful ingredient for baking. A large number of bakers don’t make bread the classic way because it is a time-consuming process. Not many people know that the element is linked to nervous system damage, kidney damage and even cancer.
The chemical leaves its trace in bread crumbs, bagel chips, flatbreads and rolls, China, Canada and Europe have imposed ban on American bread. Are you surprised?
Potato Chips
The full form of BHT is Butylated Hydroxytoluene. BHT and BHA (Butylated Hydroxyanisole) are listed under the same category.
Both compounds are widely used as preservatives to prevent oils in food from becoming rancid and oxidising. These are also used in moisturisers and lipsticks.
BHT is mostly found in sausage, potato chips and meat patties.
In America, BHT is considered safe but other countries don’t agree. It is banned in some nations and many others have imposed strict restrictions on the product after scientists claimed the item was unhealthy. They have even gone far to assert that it can even cause carcinoma.
Frozen Dinners
Azodicarbonamide is found in a wide range of edible items from frozen dinners, boxed pasta mixes to breads, packaged baked goods and many more. The ingredient is used to bleach foamed plastic such as, yoga mats, the soles of sneakers etc.
As per studies, Azodicarbonamide causes asthma. All the products containing this agent are banned in the United Kingdom, European countries and Australia.
Apples
The shiny look of apples is a believable sign of fruits’ freshness. What contributes to their shine? A mixture of chemicals is applied to maintain their fresh look. However, it’s bad for your health.
The European Food Safety Authority has recently banned American apples after the chemicals (DPA) were found to increase cancer risk. Though further research is needed to confirm the link, Europe is reluctant to take any chance.
Papaya, Corn, and Soy
America’s dubious stand on genetically modified foods (GMOs in abbreviated form) has prompted many nations including Russia to put a ban on them. The EU has imposed a ban on American corn, papaya, soy and other genetically-engineered foods containing a chemical that resists ringspot virus.
Most GMOs are associated with life-threatening tumours, multiple-organ damage, sterility, birth defects and even premature death.
Though the USA claims all these consumable products are safe, other countries are not sure.
Froot Loops
It has a high content of artificial dyes. The same also holds for Fruity Pebbles. The dye in Froot Loops can slow or even prevent nerve-cell development.
Austria, Finland, France, Norway and the UK have already prohibited it. Fruity Pebbles are banned as well.
Maraschino Cherries
No chemical dye is good for your health. Red #40 is a harmful dye that may cause allergies to many people. On top of that, it increases the risk of cancer.
Grenadine and cherry pie mix also contains red dye #40. You should check the list to ensure that no harmful dyes are present in maraschino cherries.
Any product, which contains red #40, is prohibited in Austria, Finland, France, Norway and many other European nations.
American M&Ms
When it comes to M&Ms, every country has a formula of its own. American formula has blue dye #2. Other varieties may or may not be good, but the blue type is not healthy.
M&M has an ignominious history of using dangerous dyes in their sweets. In 1976, amaranth (believed to cause cancer) was found in the red varieties. After the incident got erased from public memory, it was reintroduced.
American M&Ms are strictly ‘no-no’ in many European countries.
Mountain Dew
This is definitely not the healthiest staff but more so when it is added in brominated vegetable oil. The flame-retardant ingredient has been used in American sodas for many decades. Researchers claim that it can cause memory loss (dementia, Alzheimer), nerve problems and skin lesions.
So, it’s not surprising that Japan and Europe have prohibited its use in all types of food and beverages. Big brands like PepsiCo and Coca-Cola promised never to use it in their soft drinks as of 2014 but are yet to deliver on their promise.
Coffee-Mate
Coffee-Mate is often used in making coffee. Many countries including Austria, Hungary, Denmark, Switzerland and Iceland have prohibited this item because it contains cottonseed and soybean oils.
These ingredients are linked to cardiovascular disease. While the US prohibited these ingredients in 2018, officials are yet to take steps to eliminate the existing product in the country.
High Fructose Syrup
Plenty of foods use high fructose corn syrup. The cheaply made products have a high content of this agent.
The sweetness comes from sugar and pure fructose. Unfortunately, it is not safe for consumption.
Its introduction has registered a noticeable hike in Type 2 diabetes and obesity. Many European countries and the UK have either restricted or banned fructose syrup.
Ketchup
France, unlike America, is pretty finical about food quality. In 2011, the government acted against serving ketchup in primary schools because it was not healthy. Moreover, officials thought it not compatible with French cuisine culture. However, it was evidently not the only reason.
Christophe Hebert, National Association of Directors of Collective Restaurants, said during an interview with the Daily Mail, “We have to ensure children become familiar with French recipes so that they can hand them down to the following generation.”
Chewing Gum
Baseball players are often found chewing gum on the field. Most people, especially teenagers, love it. Some countries have banned it because people have a habit of spitting it on the ground.
However, European countries, Japan and the UK have banned chewing gum for a different reason. Chewing gum contains BHA, a cancer-causing agent.
The chemical, used for food preservation, is found in nut mixes, cereal, butter, dehydrated potatoes and meat.
