If you knew that some of the foods you buy at the grocery store were banned in other countries because of certain ingredients, would you still buy them? Surprisingly, the list is pretty long, and it includes products that are pretty popular in U.S. households. Ritz Crackers, Gatorade, Wheat Thins, Frosted Flakes, and Coffee mate creamer are just some of the items banned in other countries. So, what are we talking about? Skittles, Pop-Tarts, Gatorade, and those yummy Little Debbie products are banned in the European Union because they contain dyes like yellow 5, yellow 6, and red 40. The EU banned these artificial colors after their scientific research indicated that they could be harmful to health, especially to young children. Coffee mate, Ritz Crackers and those warm, buttery Pillsbury Biscuits are all banned in Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Iceland, Norway and Denmark because of trans fats like partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oils. Wheat Thins and cereals like Frosted Flakes are banned in the UK, Japan and parts of Europe because of a chemical called BHT, which is used as a flavor enhancer. So, why are these foods banned in other countries, but not in the United States? A 1958 amendment to the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act prohibits the FDA from approving food additives that are linked to cancer, but many substances that were in use before passage of the amendment are considered to have had prior approval and “therefore are not regulated as food additives.”
