07/24/2023
American Foods That Are Banned In Other Countries
Thomas West
Thomas West
Updated June 21, 2022
2.5K votes
541 voters
35.6K views
Over 500 Ranker voters have come together to rank this list of American Foods That Are Banned In Other Countries
Voting Rules
Vote up the bans that will make you pause the next time you see the food or drink in an American store.
Food is one of those things that immediately sets one country apart from another, and edible items or practices taken for granted in one country may in fact be banned somewhere else. For example, people eat many strange - and sometimes horrifying - foods in the US, some of which would raise eyebrows in almost any other nation.
What is especially striking, however, is just how many foods and beverages Americans take for granted, from candies like Skittles to drinks like Mountain Dew, which have been outright prohibited around the world. While many of these bans stem from a host of safety concerns, others emerge from politics and legal disputes. Vote on which bans might make you think differently the next time you see certain items in a grocery store.
Skittles Have An Additive That Can Damage DNA
Photo: David Adam Kess / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA 4.0
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542 VOTES
Skittles Have An Additive That Can Damage DNA
With their distinctive bright colors, fruity flavors, and colorful commercials, Skittles are a popular American candy. However, tasty as they are, some of their attributes have caused concern outside the US. In particular, Skittles contain a substance called titanium dioxide. Research suggests repeated consumption can lead to damaged DNA, which in turn has been linked to cancer.
While these concerns continue to be researched, several countries have blocked importation of the candy, but due to the dyes used, rather than titanium dioxide. Both Sweden and Norway have banned Skittles outright, and it’s possible the European Union may follow suit.
542 VOTES
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Second thoughts?
A Common American Bread Ingredient, Also Used In Yoga Mats, Is Banned In Europe
Photo: Siqbal / Wikimedia Commons / Public domain
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464 VOTES
A Common American Bread Ingredient, Also Used In Yoga Mats, Is Banned In Europe
Bread is one of the most ubiquitous foods in the US, with entire grocery store aisles devoted to this one product. Of course, bread isn’t just made from grain, and in the US at least, it also includes a variety of additives, typically to improve texture and color. Azodicarbonamide, for example, strengthens the dough and bleaches the flour.
However, the additive has also been used in a wide spectrum of industrial contexts, including in the production of yoga mats. The European Union has thus banned its use in food products.
464 VOTES
Second thoughts?
US Pork Is Largely Banned Overseas Due To Concerns Over The Drug Ractopamine
Photo: Christian Geischeder / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY 3.0
3
473 VOTES
US Pork Is Largely Banned Overseas Due To Concerns Over The Drug Ractopamine
Pork, along with chicken and fish, remains a staple of the American diet. From bacon to ham, hot dogs to pork chops, people in the US consume a lot of it per year (67 pounds per capita, as of 2019). While Americans might love pork, they may be unaware of just how many chemicals and additives go into its production. One of the most notable is ractopamine, a drug used in many pork farms to increase pig growth.
Despite its ubiquity in the US, 160 countries have banned the drug, deeming it unsafe for human consumption. This, in turn, has led to a prohibition of pork exports from the US.
473 VOTES
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Mountain Dew’s Yellow Dye Can Cause Headaches And Hyperactivity
Photo: Gaurav Dhwaj Khadka / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA 4.0
4
369 VOTES
Mountain Dew’s Yellow Dye Can Cause Headaches And Hyperactivity
Mountain Dew is another staple of Americans’ diets. As with so many other soft drinks, it's marketed to appeal to a younger crowd, encouraging them to embrace an active - and perhaps hyperactive - lifestyle. The soda's most notable attributes include its high caffeine content, its extreme amount of sugar, and, of course, its vibrant yellow color.
The ingredient that provides this distinctive hue, tartrazine (known as Yellow 5), has a mixed reputation. It's linked to headaches and hyperactivity, and both Austria and Norway have moved to ban it entirely.
369 VOTES
Second thoughts?
Chlorine-Washed Poultry Is Deemed Unsafe In The UK And The EU
Photo: Steven Lek / Wikimedia Commons / CC-BY-SA 4.0
5
383 VOTES
Chlorine-Washed Poultry Is Deemed Unsafe In The UK And The EU
In the US, it's common for chicken to be chlorinated during the preparation process. In essence, this practice is meant to kill the many types of bacteria that tend to cluster on freshly butchered meat. American food regulators believe this helps reduce the risk of foodborne illnesses.
However, the practice has raised concerns in the European Union, whose concern stems less from the health risks posed by the chlorine - which are relatively low - and more from the possibility that the process might be used to mitigate other unhealthy practices during the production process. As a result, most American chicken has been banned in Europe, although the US has pressured the UK to change regulations in this regard.
383 VOTES
Second thoughts?
Little Debbie Swiss Rolls Are Banned In Some Countries And Carry Warnings In Others
Photo: Evan-Amos / Wikimedia Commons / Public domain
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348 VOTES
Little Debbie Swiss Rolls Are Banned In Some Countries And Carry Warnings In Others
Little Debbie has developed a reputation for providing consumers with a variety of tasty snack cakes. One of its most popular are Swiss Rolls, a mixture of cake and creamy filling. However, tempting as they are, they have earned quite a mixed reputation, particularly in Europe.
Unsurprisingly, the problem arises from the inclusion of two dyes: Yellow 5 and Red 40. The European Union has grown increasingly concerned about the potential impact these dyes have on children, so they have to carry a warning. Both Austria and Norway, however, have banned them altogether.
348 VOTES
Second thoughts?
Restaurants In New Brunswick Can’t Serve Undercooked Food - So No Steak Tartare
Photo: insatiablemunch / Flickr / CC-BY 2.0
7
289 VOTES
Restaurants In New Brunswick Can’t Serve Undercooked Food - So No Steak Tartare
Although it is something of an acquired taste, steak tartare is a popular dish in the US. In fact, it is frequently associated with fine dining and appears at high-end restaurants throughout the country. However, its essential nature - being served raw - has led to its prohibition in some places.
In the Canadian province of New Brunswick, restaurant owners received desist orders from health officials regarding steak tartare. Local health regulations dictate the minimum temperatures at which meat, including beef and poultry, must be cooked to be safe for consumption. Because consuming undercooked or raw foods can lead to an increased risk for food poisoning and/or parasitic infections, the officials were acting out of an abundance of caution.
289 VOTES
Second thoughts?
Denmark Says The Excessive Vitamins In Special K Could Be Toxic To Kids
Photo: Ralph Daily / Flickr / CC-BY 2.0
8
328 VOTES
Denmark Says The Excessive Vitamins In Special K Could Be Toxic To Kids
Cold cereal has long been a staple of the average American’s breakfast. From Corn Flakes to Wheaties, Trix to Golden Grahams, most people have, at one point or another, started the day with a bowl of cereal and milk. Many varieties are filled with sugar, and thus of dubious nutritional value. However, this hasn’t stopped a number of brands from using advertising to suggest they're better for the consumer than might actually be the case.
While this might seem perfectly normal and acceptable to Americans, some European countries haven’t been nearly as sanguine. Even healthy cereals can be subject to skepticism. In Denmark, the vitamins and minerals in Special K are a source of trouble. Danish health regulators claim repeated consumption of the cereal can potentially be harmful to children. It was banned in 2004.
328 VOTES
Second thoughts?
You Can’t Get Coca-Cola In Cuba Or North Korea
Photo: rrr12 / Wikimedia Commons / Public domain
9
298 VOTES
You Can’t Get Coca-Cola In Cuba Or North Korea
Few brands are as quintessentially American as Coca-Cola. With its slightly bitter flavor and its fizz, Coke has been a staple soft drink for several generations of American consumers. From its origins in the US in the late 19th century, it soon began to expand outward to Europe and Asia. During World War II, it received a tremendous boost when served to soldiers serving abroad.
However, several countries have been less than welcoming, and the brand has become a symbol of the encroachment of American capitalism. Furthermore, it is outright prohibited in two countries: North Korea and Cuba. This lack of access stems from the trade embargoes the US has imposed on both nations. In a further bit of irony, Cuba was one of the first countries to bottle the beverage, back in 1906.
298 VOTES
Second thoughts?
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