Food and Drink : These snacks and other food items are banned in the US. Few things define…

These snacks and other food items are banned in the US. Few things define…

a culture quite like its food.

and the United States is no different. From regional favorites like collard greens and cornbread to the country's allegiance to boxed macaroni and cheese, the United States is a place of seemingly endless gastronomic choices. However, there are some foods that are practically impossible to find stateside, and that's because they've landed themselves on the banned food list.

That's right, there are certain foods eaten throughout the world that simply aren't allowed in the states. In some cases, the FDA is responsible for keeping treats from crossing the border, but sometimes foods find themselves facing down state laws or the court of public opinion.

Stacker has compiled a list of foods and beverages that have either been banned across the entire country, by certain states, or in schools. In some cases, these bans have made it nearly impossible to find these foods in the US — at least not in the form they're available in throughout the rest of the world.

From tasty cheeses to the famed Scottish dish haggis, these 30 foods aren't welcome in most of the United States.

Epoisse cheese:

Epoisse has a strong odor and bold taste, but the French cheese isn't sold in America, at least not in its traditional form. This is due to the cheese being made from unpasteurized, raw milk, and under 60 days old. If you want to try the real deal, then you may have to plan a European vacation.

Silver dragées:

Silver sprinkles are commonly found on baked goods, especially during the holidays, but according to the FDA, you're not supposed to eat them. The sprinkles are officially classified as a non-edible because silver is not supposed to be used as an additive or color in food. So while you can buy silver sprinkles at any grocery store, you're not supposed to consume them.

Foi gras:

While you can eat foie gras in some of the country, the luxury food item is banned in the state of California. Foie gras is controversial due to the force-feeding of ducks and geese that leads to their livers growing much larger than normal.

Flamin' Hot Cheetos:

The FDA hasn't waded into the debate over Flamin' Hot Cheetos, but the popular snack food has become public enemy #1 at school districts around the country. Since 2012, some schools in California, New Mexico and Illinois have banned the hot Cheetos due to their lack of nutritional value, and, well, messiness.

Swan:

Like many other animals on this list, certain swans are endangered species, including the trumpeter, which is native to North America. Hunting and eating the tundra swan is legal in some areas of the US, but trumpeter swans are illegal to hunt across much of America.

Sassafras oil:

Nope, your root beer does not contain authentic sassafras oil. The oil has been deemed a potential carcinogen, and has been banned nationally as a result. However, it is not banned in substances where it occurs naturally like cinnamon and basil.

Junk food:

There's no shortage of junk food in America, but California, Massachusetts, New York, and New Jersey have banned junk food and sodas from schools in an effort to promote better health among students. Canada has a similar ban that has reportedly helped lower the BMI of students who attend schools where the ban is in place.

Queen Conch:

Throughout the Caribbean, queen conch meat is a favorite dish, but overing has made harvesting the mollusk illegal. However, according to the and Wildlife Services, the US is "responsible for the consumption of 80% of the world's internationally traded queen conch.".

Sea turtles:

Sea turtles are on the endangered species list, but it's still legal to hunt them in 42 countries and territories around the world—the United States isn't one of them. While sea turtles have been used to make turtle soup in the past, their status as an endangered species has led to the dish falling out of popularity.

Mont d'Or:

Mont d'Or
might just be the holy grail of French cheese. The tasty fromage is only made once a year between Aug. 15 and March 15. It's made with unpasteurized milk and as a result, it can't be sold in the United States. However, cheese-lovers have been known to go to extremes to taste the legendary Mont d'Or.

In a 2016 interview with Vogue, cheese connoisseur chef Ryan Hardy said, "By French AOC certificatiow, it cannot be made from pasteurized milk, so it can never be allowed in the United States. Its unctuous, creamy pate is only eaten when you peel back the rind. It's then that you realize it's the gangster, white truffle of all cheeses. This is the black market cheese.".

Bush meat:

The term bushmeat refers to a variety of African wildlife, some of which are on the endangered species list, that are killed and consumed in Africa. Importing the meat to the United States and most other countries is illegal both because of the protected status of the species, and the health risks associated with eating the meat.

Lazy cakes:

In 2011, Lazy Cakes, a brownie with 8 milligrams of melatonin (more than the recommended dose for an adult), faced serious scrutiny from the FDA. After some children were hospitalized after eating the brownies, the state of Arkansas moved to ban the snack.

Meanwhile, the FDA warned the company that melatonin is not an approved food additive. Lazy Cakes argued that their brownies were actually dietary supplements and not food, and they changed their name to Lazy Larry.

Horse meat:

Eating horse meat isn't technically illegal in America, but it's certainly taboo. The United States exports horse meat to other countries, where eating horses is seen as natural.

However, the government has made it hard to consume horse meat in the states due to Congress' ban on the Department of Agriculture funding horse meat inspections. Meat that hasn't been inspected is illegal to serve, distribute, or sell, which in turn, makes the consumption of horses all but impossible.

Raw milk:

According to the FDA, "raw milk can harbor dangerous microorganisms that can pose serious health risks." Since the FDA does not regulate the sale of raw milk, it cannot be sold across state lines. Some states allow the sale of raw milk at retail stores, farmers' markets, and farms, but others ban it outright.

Ortolan:

According to the French, the little songbirds known as ortolans are delicious. The birds are captured, force-fed, and drowned in Armagnac before being cooked. They are then consumed whole, beaks and all. The process alone sounds gruesome, but what's even more disturbing is that the birds are facing extinction. As a result, eating ortolan has been banned in the United States and by the European Union, although France has been lobbying to change the rules.

Black pudding:

Like haggis, Stornoway Black Pudding is a UK favorite that contains sheep's lungs. This ingredient makes it illegal to import into the United States, despite it being a regular menu item across the pond.

Mirabelle plums:

Unlike some of the other foods on this list, there are no health risks associated with eating Mirabelle plums, they've simply fallen victim to import laws. True Mirabelle plums are only grown in Lorraine, France, and they are considered a "protected origin" food. An agreement between the US and France to protect the French market keeps them from reaching the states.

Bird's nest soup:

Bird's nest soup is a favorite dish in Asian countries like China, but you won't find it on menus in the United States. Made from the solidified saliva of swiftlets, the bird nests are high in calcium, iron, and magnesium. However, they also carry a health risk, according to the FDA. The fear that the nests could play host to the highly pathogenic avian influenza virus prevents them from landing on menus at a restaurant near you.

Camembert:

American camembert cheese is available across the country, but the authentic Camembert de Normandi cannot be found in the US. Like authentic brie, true camembert is an unpasteurized or "young cheese" that doesn't meet the FDA's safety standards.

Authentic brie:

You're no doubt shaking your head, because you've definitely served brie on your cheese platter, but unless you made it from scratch, the brie available in the United States is a far cry from the European favorite. Authentic brie is made with unpasteurized raw-milk, which the FDA has banned in America. As a result, the only way to eat real brie in the states is to make it yourself.

Ackee:

Think twice before you bring the Ackee fruit into the United States. Ackee fruit is native to South Africa, and a favorite in many Caribbean countries. However, it contains hypoglycin A, a toxin that the FDA says can be dangerous if too much is ingested. As a result, you can't pop into the supermarket and pick up this fruit from the produce section, but you can find it either canned or processed from companies that are on the FDA's "green list" of trusted growers.

Casu marzu:

If you ever find yourself in Sardinia, Italy, and you're feeling brave, then you can try casu marzu, a cheese that is made from sheep's milk and crawling with live maggots. For obvious reasons, the United States has banned it due to hygienic concerns. It was also banned by the European Union, but the ban was overturned in 2013 because the cheese is considered a traditional food of Italy.

Shark fins:

Foodies have dubbed shark fin soup a delicacy, but the sale of shark fins are currently banned in 12 states. While the dish may be considered delicious by some, there are ethical questions about the practice of shark finning that have led to the state bans.

The Shark Fin Sales Elimination Act of 2019, which would make it illegal to possess, buy, or sell shark fins (except for dogshark fins), was introduced January 2019 and passed by the House November 2019. It has to be passed by the Senate and the President before it becomes a law.

Absinthe:

Yes, you can buy absinthe in America, but this long misunderstood drink is only legal as long as it is considered thujone-free. Thujone is a toxic chemical and a component of Wormwood that has long been part of the absinthe formula.

However, it's regulated by the FDA, which is one reason why absinthe wasn't available stateside until 2007. History has played a large role in absinthe's bad reputation and claims that the spirit causes hallucinations (it doesn't) led to it being banned not only in the US, but in countries across Europe for more than 100 years.

Haggis:

The national dish of Scotland hasn't been invited to US tables since the FDA imposed an import ban on haggis in 1971. Haggis — which is made from sheep's heart, liver and lungs, mixed with spices and oatmeal and served inside a sheep's stomach (or artificial casing) — was banned because, as reported by CNN, the "US Department of Agriculture (USDA) ruled that 'livestock lungs shall not be saved for use as human food.'".

However, the Scottish government is hopeful that the ban will be overturned one day, and Americans will be able to legally partake in the country's delicacy.

Four Loko:

Four Loko made headlines for all the wrong reasons when it entered the marketplace in 2005. Originally, the malt beverage was marketed as an alcoholic drink that also packed a caffeine punch. The drink was known on college campuses as a "blackout in a can," and it's believed to have played a role in the hospitalization of some young people.

Several states, including Massachusetts, began banning the drink at a state level in 2010, while the FDA pushed back against the sale of alcoholic beverages that contain caffeine. Ultimately, Four Loko voluntarily stopped including caffeine in the potent drink, and the non-caffeinated version is still on shelves across the country.

Kinder Eggs:

In the 1930s, the FDA enacted a law that banned candy from having non-food items inside. Having non-edibles mixed with edible items poses a choking hazard for consumers, as far as the government is concerned. Sadly, that means the delicious chocolate Kinder Eggs from Europe have been deemed unsafe, and as a result, the hollowed-out eggs with a collectible toy inside aren't sold in America.

The FDA relented slightly in 2017 when Kinder Joy eggs were introduced in the states. The treats remain egg-shaped, but the edible and non-edible portions are separate inside the packaging. Authentic Kinder Eggs are still banned, but travelers who visit Canada, Europe, and most other parts of the world can try the real deal—just don't try to bring any home in your suitcase.


"THAT'S SOME BAD SHIT, HARRY!".

Re: These snacks and other food items are banned in the US. Few things define…

Lights (offal) -
Lights are the lungs of game or livestock as used in cooking and butchery. Although technically offal, lights are rarely used in English-speaking culinary traditions, with the exception of the Scottish national dish haggis.

In Malaysia, slices of beef lights (paru, literally "lung" in Malay) are coated in flour and turmeric powder, deep-fried, and sold in packets at street markets. These are a very popular snack eaten with chilli sauce and a dash of vinegar.

Bopis (bópiz in Spanish) is a piquant Philippine dish of pork or beef lungs and heart sautéed in tomatoes, chilies and onions.




"That's a dumb question, Miss Glenn’s Organ."

Re: These snacks and other food items are banned in the US. Few things define…

Black pudding:

Like haggis, Stornoway Black Pudding is a UK favorite that contains sheep's lungs. This ingredient makes it illegal to import into the United States, despite it being a regular menu item across the pond.

I have had this today. I thought Americans did not eat it because its gross to them, not because its banned.


But now knowing that it ont even exist over there, this scene makes a lot more sense

Re: These snacks and other food items are banned in the US. Few things define…

How about Chitlins?



I might add; they are tasty over a bed of hot steamy white rice, with a lot of Hot Sauce.

"That's a dumb question, Miss Glenn’s Organ."

Re: These snacks and other food items are banned in the US. Few things define…

I'm guessing that chitlins are the same thing as tripas, which are cow guts grilled and used in Mexican tacos.



Administrator
"filmboards is a bold experiment in free speech and anarchy"
I GameBoy

Re: These snacks and other food items are banned in the US. Few things define…

That looks… disgusting.

Chiltlin are Pig intestines. Good ole fashion black soul food. They're really, not all that bad. Just gotta find you an old black southern grandmammie, 80 year old+, who makes them.

Any short cuts in the cooking process, and they'll taste like… well, shit.

"That's a dumb question, Miss Glenn’s Organ."

Re: These snacks and other food items are banned in the US. Few things define…

Sorry, but I'll take cow intestines over pork guts any day. Tripa really is delicious. And it's crispy fried or grilled which eliminates that "taste" you're talking about.

Administrator
"filmboards is a bold experiment in free speech and anarchy"
I GameBoy
Top