Monica

Did you know these delicious foods were banned in other countries?

Photo: Canva

Did you know these delicious foods were banned in other countries?

There is a lawsuit claiming one of Mars, Inc. candy bars contained toxins that are unsafe to eat. A California lawsuit recently put Mars, Inc.in the spotlight!

The class action suit filed earlier this month accuses Mars, Inc., the manufacturer of Skittles, of “heightened levels” of titanium dioxide, or TiO2. Skittles aren’t the only popular American food containing ingredients banned or limited in other countries.

Here are a few American snacks you won’t find in other countries:

Mountain Dew & Fresca…You might be surprised to learn the products contain brominated vegetable oil. BVO is banned in Japan and the European Union because it contains bromine, the element found in brominated flame retardants, which can build up in the body and potentially lead to memory loss as well as skin and nerve problems.

Little Debbie Swiss Cake Rolls…Those delicious little chocolate cake rolls unfortunately contain Yellow 5 and Red 40. Those chemicals could cause adverse effects in children. Norway and Austria have banned the snack cakes outright.

Several Breakfast Cereals…Popular breakfast cereals contain BHT. Used as a flavor enhancer, BHT has long been studied for its potential carcinogenic properties. While the evidence is inconclusive, BHT is banned in Japan and the European Union. Other cereals use Yellow 5, Yellow 6 and Red 40, despite being known to cause itching and hives for some.

Stove Top stuffing…Kraft Stove Top stuffing might make Thanksgiving and Christmas dinners easier, but it also contains the same BHT found in American breakfast cereals, as well as BHA, which at high doses, causes cancer in rats, mice and hamsters. Both preservatives are banned in the United Kingdom, Japan and several European countries.

Ritz Crackers & Coffee-mate…Trans fats were officially banned in the U.S. in 2018; however, some trans fats such as partially hydrogenated soybean and cottonseed oils can still be found in popular products such as Ritz Crackers and Coffee-mate creamers. These ingredients are also banned in Switzerland, Austria, Hungary, Iceland, Norway and Denmark.

Drumstick frozen desserts…Drumstick uses carrageenan, derived from seaweed, for texture in its ice cream. Carrageenan can affect the human digestive system which has led to its limited use in the European Union.

 

Recent Headlines

2 days ago in Entertainment, Music

Q&A: Ms. Lauryn Hill on the Diaspora Calling! festival in the UK, the Fugees’ legacy and D’Angelo

On Friday, Hill will bring her Diaspora Calling! festival to the U.K. for the first time, marking 10 years since its inaugural edition in Brooklyn. The event, hosted by Dave Chappelle and featuring performances by Erykah Badu, YG Marley, Zion Marley, Giggs, Fireboy DML and other artists, will be held at The National Bowl in nearby Milton Keynes.

3 days ago in Entertainment, Music

Space for music on late-night TV has dwindled. New media seeks to offer an alternative

When CBS ended "The Late Show With Stephen Colbert" earlier this year, it also shuttered the program's robust music offerings — a major blow for artists whose television platform was already dwindling.

3 days ago in Entertainment

Tupac Shakur was killed in Las Vegas in 1996. Here’s who was there that night

New details about one of hip-hop's most enduring mysteries — the 1996 killing of rap icon Tupac Shakur — could finally come to light in the upcoming trial of Duane "Keffe D" Davis.

3 days ago in Entertainment, Trending

Ariana Grande on decision to withdraw from the public eye: ‘Not a reactive or impulsive thing’

Ariana Grande chose to "clear the air about a few things" during her concert Monday night, following the news that she will be taking a break from being in the public eye after the conclusion of her "Eternal Sunshine" tour.

4 days ago in Entertainment

Leonardo DiCaprio and Jeff Bezos lead $200M project to save 100 of globe’s most threatened species

Foundations funded and co-founded by Leonardo DiCaprio and Jeff Bezos have launched an initiative committing $200 million to revive 100 of Earth's most threatened species, including endangered lemurs, salamanders, pangolins, pigs and echidnas.