The modern global food industry has very different regulations for additives and processing methods across continents which leads to some surprising differences in what people are allowed to eat. It’s pretty wild to learn that some of the most classic American snacks and everyday ingredients are actually totally restricted or banned in a bunch of other countries because of various health and safety concerns. This has caused lots of talks about why these things are even in our food supply here in the first place, but check out these ten popular items that you won’t be able to grab if you go shopping abroad.
Coffee-Mate
Lots of European countries like Norway and Switzerland won’t sell this popular coffee creamer. They think it has too many hydrogenated oils and trans fats which can increase the risk of heart disease and other serious health problems.
Froot Loops
This super colorful breakfast cereal is actually banned in places like France and Finland because of the artificial food dyes it contains. Chemicals like Red 40 and Yellow 5 have been linked to issues like hyperactivity and general behavioral problems in children which is concerning. Related : When She Finally Realized Her Partner Was Sleeping With Someone Else
Gatorade
Sports drinks with electrolytes like Gatorade are restricted in the UK, Japan, and other spots because of the Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 dyes they use for color. These artificial colors can cause hypersensitivity reactions and allergic issues so many countries just take them out.
Mountain Dew
Citrus sodas were banned in the EU for a while because of an ingredient called Brominated Vegetable Oil, or BVO for short. BVO was used to make sure the flavor didn’t separate but it was connected to neurological side effects and thyroid problems back then. Related : When She Finally Realized Her Partner Was Sleeping With Someone Else
Ritz Crackers
In many places in Europe, like Denmark, they don’t sell classic Ritz Crackers. This is because they put a type of bad oil in them. That cottonseed oil can be bad for your heart, so they just banned it.
Skittles
They look bright ’cause of dyes from oil and a thing called titanium dioxide. Europe said no to that chemical because scientists worry it might damage your body’s cells eventually. America still eats them, though. Related : When She Finally Realized Her Partner Was Sleeping With Someone Else
Packaged Mashed Potatoes
Packaged food, like this mash, has preservatives with crazy names. BHA and BHT make them last ages. Europe made those chemicals illegal because they might cause cancer. But America says they are okay. Weird.
Hormone-Injected Beef
American beef is actually illegal to sell across the entire European Union because of the hormones that get injected into the cattle here. The EU believes those hormones used to grow more meat could potentially be carcinogenic which means they might cause cancer.
Chlorine-Washed Chicken
In the United States chicken is often washed in a chlorine solution before packaging to kill bacteria like Salmonella which is fine here. But the EU wants a high level of safety all the way from the farm and doesn’t want to just deep clean the meat at the very end.
Twinkies
This iconic snack cake is banned in places like Norway and Austria mostly because of the combination of Yellow and Red food dyes it has inside. Twinkies also have high-fructose corn syrup and hydrogenated oils which are ingredients the EU regulates a lot more strictly than we do.
