American Foods That Are Banned In Other Countries

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. 

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. 

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.

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. 

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. 

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.