American cuisine is known for its bold flavors and diverse offerings, but not all American foods meet global safety standards. Here are 10 popular American foods that you might be surprised to find are banned in other countries due to health concerns and other reasons.
AUTHOR: Veronica Booth
Table of Contents
- 1. Gatorade
- 2. Wheat Thins
- 3. Skittles
- 4. Mountain Dew
- 5. Kellog's Frosted Flakes
- 6. Coffee-Mate
- 7. Pop-Tarts
- 8. Stove Top Stuffing
- 9. Little Debbie Swiss Rolls
- 10. Pillsbury Biscuits
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1. Gatorade
Gatorade comes in otherworldly colors, so it's not shocking to hear those flavors contain harmful dyes, such as Yellow 5 and Yellow 6. While the European Union does permit their sale, they must come with special warnings, but they're not allowed in Austria and Norway.
2. Wheat Thins
Compared to neon green drinks and sugar-heavy candy, Wheat Thins seem innocuous. However, they contain a harmful BHT flavor enhancer, which is illegal in the United Kingdom, Japan, and some parts of Europe. Ritz crackers are banned in Iceland, Denmark, Switzerland, Hungary, Austria, and Norway because they contain partially hydrogenated cottonseed oil.
3. Skittles
This beloved rainbow-colored candy contains the food dyes Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Red 40, and they're heavily restricted in Europe. These dyes have been known to negatively affect children. Austria and Norway have banned the dyes altogether, subsequently making Skittles illegal.
4. Mountain Dew
This bright green soft drink looks like nuclear waste, so it's not surprising that it's very unhealthy. It's been banned in Japan and the European Union because it contains brominated vegetable oil. The Dew isn't the only illegal soda, either. Fresca and Sunkist are also banned in most of Europe and places like Norway and Austria.
5. Kellog's Frosted Flakes
Kellogg's cereals Frosted Flakes, Rice Krispies, and Honey Bunches of Oats are prohibited for sale in Japan and the European Union because they contain a flavor enhancer with carcinogenic properties. Lucky Charms is also banned in the EU, Austria, and Norway because of the dyes contained in the marshmallow candy bits.
6. Coffee-Mate
Many Americans are addicted to the sweet, deliciousness of Coffee-Mate creamer, but this product is banned in several countries, including Denmark, Switzerland, Hungary, Austria, and Norway. The creamer's partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oils may cause heart disease. Technically, the U.S. banned these oils in 2018, but they're still for sale in many places.
7. Pop-Tarts
No one thought Pop-Tarts were nutritious, but the Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Red 40 dyes have resulted in partial bans throughout Europe. This means not every Pop-Tart flavor is illegal, but those that use these harmful dyes are not permitted for sale.
8. Stove Top Stuffing
The United Kingdom, Japan, and a handful of European countries have banned Kraft Stove Top Stuffing. This Thanksgiving hack contains preservatives BHA and BHT, which have the potential to cause cancer and blood clots. Since most foreigners don't celebrate Thanksgiving or eat stuffing often, they're not particularly upset about it.
9. Little Debbie Swiss Rolls
Little Debbie products are known for being irresistibly tasty but also very unhealthy. The Swiss Rolls are particularly bad and banned in Norway and Austria because of the Yellow 5 and Red 40 dye. The European Union recently lifted the ban on them conditional on a product warning label.
10. Pillsbury Biscuits
Pillsbury makes our lives a lot easier, giving us fresh-baked goods without the hassle of making dough. However, the partially hydrogenated soybean oil prompted bans in Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Iceland, Norway, and Denmark. Pillsbury pie dough is banned in the UK, Japan, and parts of Europe because of BHA and BHT, and their crescent rolls contain Yellow 5 and Red 40, making them illegal in Norway and Austria. So, Pillsbury products run the gamut of products banned in other countries.
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