Top 6 International Foods Banned in the United States

People love to try different types of cuisine. It helps you understand the culture and it also gives your taste buds a bit of a kick. However, not all foods are available as some are banned by the government from being distributed.

Some of these foods are unhealthy, dangerous to eat or it endangers the animals that are involved in the production of the food. With that being said, here are some of the banned foods from around the world.

Haggis

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Haggis in Scotland

Originated from Scotland, haggis was banned from being distributed to the United States in 1971, according to BBC. The USDA forbade sheep lung, which is one of the ingredients of the Scottish delicacy, in food products. Numerous British politicians have tried to get the food back on the American market but failed.

Haggis is Scotland's national dish. It contains the sheep's lungs, liver, and heart and it takes the form of a savory pudding. It may not sound that appetizing to other people, but some say it is delicious.

Also Read: 10 Best Fast Food Chain in the US

Fugu

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Fugu in Japan

Originated from Japan, fugu, or pufferfish is banned in the United States. This is because fugu is poisonous, and even the smallest mistake in its preparation can cost lives. The ovaries, intestines, and liver of fugu have poison called tetrodotoxin. According to Time, tetrodotoxin is 1,200 times deadlier than cyanide.

Ackee

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Ackee in Jamaica

Originated from Jamaica, ackee is boiled and cooked with salted cod, according to Buzzfeed. If it is ripened properly, ackee is safe to eat. However, if it is unripe, it has high hypoglycin A and B and it can cause vomiting that can result in coma or even death.

Because of this, the FDA banned all ackee until 2000. There are some manufacturers who can sell canned or frozen ackee in the United States, but fresh ones are still banned.

Kinder Surprise Chocolate Eggs

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Kinder chocolate egg

Originated in Germany, Kinder Surprise chocolate eggs have a tiny toy inside the plastic capsule packaging. Although chocolates are harmless and the toy adds more fun in eating it, a 1938 U.S law bands inedible objects placed inside food products. According to the law, children might now know that the objects are not to be eaten and they can be a choking hazard.

Shark fins

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Shark fin soup

Originated in China, distribution, and consumption of shark fins are banned in the United States. Shark finning is considered as an act of animal cruelty and PETA has been trying to stop the consumption of the fins because it involves slicing them off of live sharks. Sharks are then tossed overboard after their fins are sliced off and they are forced to endure a gruesome demise.

Casu Marzu

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Maggot cheese

Originated in Italy, casu marzu is usually called the rotten cheese because it has live maggots in it while being served. The cheese is made from unpasteurized sheep's milk and contains the larvae of a specific fly. The maggots facilitate the fermentation of the cheese.

Once the larvae hatch, the maggots eat through the cheese, making it softer. The cheese is still being eaten in Italy and some provinces in France. The United States, however, has banned the cheese for health reasons.