5 American Food Ingredients That Are Banned in Other Countries
You may believe that whatever is in the food you buy at the supermarket is safe to consume, but a closer examination of the components in your groceries may uncover some unpleasant surprises.
Some substances are currently utilized in commercial meals in the United States, although they are prohibited in other nations for a variety of reasons. According to Bess Berger, a women’s health nutritionist and owner of Nutrition by Bess, the US may not have the strictest ingredient requirements.
Brominated Vegetable Oil (BVO)
According to Berger, brominated vegetable oil (BVO) is “a popular addition in citrus sodas, such as Mountain Dew.” According to the Mayo Clinic, BVO is “occasionally used to keep citrus flavour from separating out in sodas and other beverages.”
BVO, on the other hand, “contains bromine, which has been linked to skin irritations, headaches, memory loss, and poor balance,” according to Berger, who also points out that Europe, India, and Japan have all banned the questionable chemical. While it is not prohibited in the United States, PepsiCo Inc agreed to cease using BVO in its Gatorade beverages after a Mississippi teenager initiated a petition to get the corporation to stop using the possibly harmful ingredient, according to Reuters.
Olestra
According to Mental Floss, if you were around and snacking in the 1990s, you may have heard that certain foods, such as “diet” versions of Pringles, Ruffles, and Doritos, were linked to various health problems like cramping, diarrhea, and “loose bowel movements,” or what was referred to as “fecal urgency” and “anal leakage.”
The issue was presumably caused by olestra, which was authorized by the Food and Drug Administration in early 1996. Olestra was developed to substitute fat in calorie-free, fat-free, and cholesterol-free meals, but it was shown to have negative side effects, which is why it is not used in Canada or the European Union, according to Izma Almasar, a dietitian at Honest Brand Reviews.
Potassium Bromate
Potassium bromate is a baking ingredient that you could discover in your bread. It’s also “an oxidizing agent and one of the best and cheapest dough improvers in the baking sector,” according to a review published in the scientific journal Food Chemistry. It’s also an additive that’s been linked to the development of cancer in animals. Potassium bromate “is carcinogenic in rats and nephrotoxic in both man and experimental animals when taken orally,” according to research published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
Although potassium bromate is still used in the United States, it is prohibited in Canada, the European Union, and China, according to Almasar. It’s also not utilized in Brazil or other countries, according to Live Science.
Butylated Hydroxyanisole (BHA) / Butylated Hydroxytoluene (BHT)
Despite their convoluted nomenclature, butylated hydroxyanisole (BHA) and butylated hydroxytoluene (BHT) are essentially synthetic antioxidants used as food preservatives. According to Verywell Fit, BHA is found in processed foods and beverages such as meat, cereal, chips, butter, and beer, whereas BHT is found in meat and snacks, as well as gum, baked goods, and dried meals.
Although BHA and BHT are extensively used in the United States, adverse responses have been reported. BHA “interferes with hormone function,” whereas BHT is poisonous to rats, “may operate as a tumor promoter in some settings,” and has “adverse reproductive [a]ffects.” According to Livestrong, both are prohibited in Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and Japan, as well as Europe.
Fortunately, consumers in the United States who are concerned about ingesting BHA or BHT-containing foods should know that both are “considered acceptable for use in food when the overall antioxidant level is less than 0.02,” according to Almasar.
Color Dyes (Yellow No. 5, No. 6, Red No. 40)
Fortunately, consumers in the United States who are concerned about ingesting BHA or BHT-containing foods should know that both are “considered acceptable for use in food when the overall antioxidant level is less than 0.02,” according to Almasar.
“If you buy M&M’s in Europe, for example, they are tinted with natural food coloring. Skittles are in the same boat. Red 40, Blue 1, Yellow 5, and Yellow 6 are specifically prohibited “She clarifies. “These colors are also often found in sodas, sports drinks, and frosting.”
What makes them illegal in Europe? “These food coloring compounds are connected to hyperactivity and inattention in children,” Berger says.
Read 25 Awful Ingredients Everyone Still Uses—But Shouldn’t! to learn more about potentially dangerous ingredients in your meals.