Be Careful What You Buy: Banned Food Products To Look Out For

By Catering Staff | November 24, 2016

Food is such a curious aspect of society. What may be completely banned and/or abhorred in one country may be accepted, even highly desired, in another place.

You should then be careful about the food and drinks that you buy or bring into another country. You may find yourself in legal and/or social trouble otherwise.

Fugu Fish

The Japanese has an affinity for raw seafood, such as sushi, in their cuisine. But they have taken raw seafood to another level with puffer fish (i.e., fugu), an incredibly poisonous fish.

In Japan as well as in the United States and South Korea, fugu is considered as legal but the chefs must comply with strict licensing requirements. This is because fugu toxin is 1,200 times more powerful than cyanide – and, so far, there’s no known antidote against it.

For this reason, fugu is banned in China and Europe.

Horse Meat

The attitude toward horse meat consumption varies across different cultures and countries. In the United States and the United Kingdom, for example, it is banned by law in California and Illinois, as well as considered taboo according to cultural traditions. In the rest of the world, it’s generally accepted albeit with differences in the level of acceptance.

If you want to sample the joys of horse meat, you can cross the border into Canada where horse meat is sold in wet markets, supermarkets and restaurants. You can even eat raw horse meat seasoned with soy sauce and sesame oil!

Foie gras

The inhumane method of producing foie gras is considered as the reason behind its ban in California and India, among other places. The luxury food product comes from the liver of either a goose or duck especially fattened for the purpose. The animal is usually force-fed with corn via a feeding tube, thus, the protests over inhumane production.

But since it’s legal in most countries, you can still enjoy the delicacy beloved by the French. The best foie gras has a rich and buttery yet delicate flavor profile that can be eaten on its own or served with other food. You can eat it as mousse, pâté, and parfait with breads and steaks.

With so many banned food products in the United States, you should be careful about what you buy in supermarkets. Better yet, you can just eat out at your favorite restaurants, such as Panda Express and IHOP, where the ingredients are all familiar.