Food is the universal language, but what’s a staple in one nation is absolutely forbidden in another. As a native American, I had never thought twice about the brightly colored cereals, sugary beverages, and ready-to-eat snacks stocking our store shelves. When I traveled overseas a few years ago, however, I was taken aback to discover that a number of my favorite foods were nowhere to be seen. Many American foods appear to be outlawed abroad because of ingredients or methods that are not up to stricter standards. It is not only a question of flavor this reflects how different countries value health, safety, and ethics. This is an insider’s guide to why some traditional American staples, from Gatorade to burgers, are forbidden abroad.
The Global Food Safety Divide
Why are certain foods forbidden in countries where Americans consume them on a daily basis? It’s all about food safety philosophies. The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) follows a “generally recognized as safe” (GRAS) philosophy, allowing ingredients unless there is certain evidence of harm. Other countries, including the nations of the European Union, follow a precautionary philosophy, prohibiting chemicals if there is even a suspicion of harm. The outcome is some unexpected limits on American products. From growth hormones to food coloring, pantry staples trigger red flags overseas, uncovering an entangled matrix of science, culture, and regulation.
1. Gatorade
Gatorade is all but one with American sports culture. I recall chugging it after soccer practice, its bright colors announcing hydration. But in the EU, this drink failed on brominated vegetable oil (BVO), a different emulsifier used in some versions. BVO, which prevents citrus flavorings from separating, was scrutinized on their use as to possible health hazards, and so it was ultimately banned throughout the EU. Though Gatorade discontinued use of BVO, continued use of artificial coloring dyes such as Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 keeps it in the limelight. In the EU, they have warning labels indicating that they “may have an adverse effect on activity and attention in children.” Norway and Austria go further and ban them. It’s a reminder that the bold colors we connect with refreshment aren’t appreciated everywhere.
2. Little Debbie Swiss Cake Rolls
Unpacking a Little Debbie Swiss Cake Roll is as much a nostalgic trip back to childhood as it gets. But these rich, chocolatey snacks are prohibited in most of Europe. The culprits are artificial colorings (Yellow 5 and Red 40) and other shady additives. Scientists have attributed these dyes to everything from hyperactive kids to even cell damage, so that some EU countries put warning signs on them and others prohibit them. Add palm oil, which has been associated with deforestation problems, and high-fructose corn syrup, which is being shunned more and more for its health consequences, and these sweet treats are a regulatory headache across the globe. A disappointing find that my lunchbox favorite might be not so innocent after all.
3. Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes
“They’re grrreat! ” shouts Tony the Tiger, but not everyone agrees. Kellogg’s Frosted Flakes, a breakfast favorite, is banned in countries such as the EU and Japan due to butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT), a preservative added to prolong shelf life. BHT has proven potentially carcinogenic, and because of this, governments have taken the precaution of banning it. The United States views BHT as non-harmful in small quantities, yet overseas any intimation of danger results in these sweet flakes being removed from supermarket shelves. I couldn’t help but wonder how many bowls I consumed as a child, unaware that my cereal was involved in an international controversy.
4. Skittles
“Taste the rainbow” is so much fun until you learn that the rainbow of colors Yellow 5 and Yellow 6 are the reason Skittles are prohibited in such nations as Austria, Sweden, and Norway. Those dyes, associated with possible behavioral problems in children, must be warning-labeled in the rest of the EU countries. And then there is titanium dioxide (E171), used by Skittles to make them all shiny. The EU prohibited it in 2022 because of worry regarding possible carcinogenic processes.
As a person who’s had handfuls spit back at them, it’s concerning to discover that their gaudy prettiness is accompanied by such decrepitude.
5. Kraft Macaroni and Cheese Kraft
Macaroni and Cheese is the epitome of comfort food, its bright orange hue a mark of the American childhood experience.
But that bright hue, courtesy of Yellow 5 and Yellow 6, has gotten it banned in Norway and Austria. These dyes have been associated with everything from hyperactivity to allergies, so the original is not going to be invited overseas. Kraft does make a dye-free variant in countries like the UK, but fans insist that it’s not the same. The next time I make a bowl, I’ll be asking myself just how something so iconic can be so incendiary.
6. Mountain Dew
Mountain Dew’s citrus zing has a huge US fan base, but its international ride is rocky. BVO, a former ingredient, prompted European, Japanese, and Indian prohibitions because of fears of health issues such as possible heart and thyroid issues. Even Yellow 5 is a cause for the headache because Canada will phase out Mountain Dew by August 2025. The FDA’s slow progression toward banning BVO (not until 2024) shows just how behind other nations’ stricter standards America remains. I used to be a fan of Dew’s strong flavor, but now I’m eyeing that green bottle suspiciously.
7. The Majority of U.S. Bread Products
Bread looks like the safest food, but U.S. breads feature azodicarbonamide and potassium bromate as ingredients, both banned in the EU, Canada, and other countries. Azodicarbonamide is also applied to yoga mats and can exacerbate asthma, and potassium bromate is a carcinogen. Both of these additives make bread lighter and fluffier, but at what expense? China and India are not concerned with texture and shelve American breads. It makes me consider twice the sliced bread I take on the fly.
8. Most U.S. Dairy Products
American milk, milk to cheese, is routinely tainted with recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH or rBST), a milk-promoter. It’s legal in the United States, illegal in the EU, Canada, and Australia because of animal welfare rBST-treated cows are more likely to be infected like mastitis. It’s not just our health; it’s ethics. Now that I’ve discovered this, I’m more curious about the “rBST-free” foods I see at the store.
9. Several U.S. Meat Products (Pork)
American pork tends to be loaded with ractopamine, a banned animal growth promoter in more than 160 nations, including China and the EU. It’s associated with animal stress as well as possible human health consequences, with up to 20% remaining in meat. It’s approved by the FDA, though regulators around the world are not, with a focus on animal welfare as well as human safety. It’s a reminder of how the bacon I consume may never make it across international borders.
10. U.S. Corn
America’s corn, a world goliath, will most likely be genetically modified (GMO), a recipe for tragedy in the EU and Mexico. Potential long-term health effects such as organ damage or sterility evokes strict limits or outright prohibitions. Mexico’s efforts to save traditional corn add a cultural dimension to the debate. It’s a humbling thought that a crop so uniquely American should be so questionable overseas.
11. U.S. Chicken
American chicken, which is routinely chlorine-washed to make it kill bacteria, is prohibited in the EU and UK. It’s not the chlorine that’s problematic, but the dirty factory farm environment that necessitates it. Europe values animal welfare more highly, with prevention taking precedence over clean-up. It’s a wake-up call regarding the back-end cost of bargain chicken nuggets.
12. U.S. Apples
Even apples, America’s clean fruit, are outlawed in the EU because they contain diphenylamine (DPA), a pesticide that has been known to harbor possible carcinogenic material. The EU’s 0.1 ppm threshold is far more stringent than the 10 ppm used by the U.S., so our apples won’t grace European store shelves. A frightening thought is that even “natural” foods have chemical baggage.
13. U.S. Ground Beef
“Pink slime,” ammonia-treated lean finely textured beef, was a sensation when it was revealed in 2012. Illegal in the EU and Canada, it’s viewed as a dirty quick fix. The outcry, led by the likes of Jamie Oliver, is making me wonder what exactly is in my burger.
14. Farm-Raised Salmon
American farm-raised salmon, reared on artificial astaxanthin for pigmentation and antibiotics for health, is prohibited in countries such as Austria and New Zealand. These supplements have the negative effect of causing eyesight weakness and antibiotic resistance. It’s enough to keep me going on wild fish for the time being.
