11 Banned Foods Americans Should Stop Eating

[Islander]

Ocean Robbins
August 30, 2019

Summary
Many foods sold in the United States are banned or fiercely regulated in other countries due to harmful additives, growth promoters, genetically engineered ingredients, herbicides, or other dangerous practices. Does this concern you? It should!

Each country has its own standards for what ingredients and food production practices it considers safe. And some of what’s considered normal practice for the food industry in the United States is handled very differently in other countries.
It’s well known that rates of chronic diseases like cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and obesity are high in the U.S. And the country is also saturated with food allergies and behavioral disorders. In many cases, these conditions and diseases are highly preventable. It turns out that there are a number of ingredients and food additives that other countries have banned, but the U.S. still uses. Could it be possible that some of them could be playing a part in the public health crises?

Read more: https://foodrevolution.org/blog/bann...EGGY&lastname=

[grulla]

In a similar vein, Mercola is reporting this morning that even Mexico is getting active in food health and quality, motivated by Covid 19: https://articles.mercola.com/sites/a...-food-ban.aspx

[Mr. Wizard]

Very informative. I was not aware of #8 on the list -- "Ractopamine" This growth hormone has been around at least 20 yrs., and is used as a feed additive to promote faster muscle growth in pigs, cattle, and even turkeys. Banned in China, Russia, and 120 other countries. So, why is the U.S., Canada, & Mexico still using this stuff?? Yet another reason to eat organic, pastured raised animals. Apparently, if pork, turkey, & beef products contain the USDA Organic seal, it is not suppose to contain ractopamine.

[Islander]

The trade name for Ractopamine is Paylean and it was first used in pork. When I learned about it, years ago, I wrote to corporate headquarters of the New England Hannaford supermarket chain to ask whether their brand of pork products contained Ractopamine. Their reply was that they could not speak for any of the trade names, but all of the Hannaford brand of pork products were free of Ractopamine. Even though I raised my own organic pork, this was good to know.
New chapter: about three years ago the Hannaford chain sold out to a global market, Ahold Delhaize, one of the world's largest food retailers. Ahold Delhaize's international headquarters is in Zaandam, the Netherlands. Their brands are active in Belgium, the Czech Republic, Greece, Luxembourg, the Netherlands, Romania, Serbia and the United States and they participate in joint ventures in Indonesia and Portugal. Do you think for one minute that they have refrained from adopting Ractopamine? I seriously doubt it. I did write again to corporate headquarters in Maine and was given a meaningless reply: nothing has changed.

A Google search will turn up the side effects of Ractopamine in pigs. It's not pretty. It is supposed to be withdrawn two weeks prior to slaughter, but there's enough residue left in the product that some people react to it. This is why all the protein I consume is local, with the exception of wild Alaskan salmon.

[Mr. Wizard]

Yes, ractopamine is marketed under the brand name "Paylean" for pigs, "Topmax" for turkeys, and "Optaflexx" and "Heifermax" for cows. Good news: Some U.S. pork producers announced last fall they would discontinue the use of ractopamine. Why the sudden change??? There's a huge pork shortage in China. However, U.S. pork producers can't cash in because China will not accept pork products from pigs raised using ractopamine. I'm currently identifying U.S. pork producers that have discontinued use of ractopamine. Will report back.

[scilover]

the article is very informative. Thank you for sharing!

[Mr. Wizard]

According to my research, the three largest U.S. pork producers--Tysons, Smithfield, & JBS U.S.A.--discontinued ractopamine in pork products around the end of last year, in order to cash in on the huge pork shortage in China, which will not import pork products with ractopamine. However, other U.S. pork producers must still be using ractopamine because several national advocacy groups filed a petition with the FDA in June for the discontinuation of ractopamine in pigs, due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Apparently, the slowdown and temporary closures of some slaughterhouses and meatpacking plants due to COVID-19 has extended the period of time in which pigs are being fed ractopamine. Read more about the petition here: https://www.biologicaldiversity.org/...ACT-Center.pdf

[JimgrowsUK]

we worry in the UK with brexit more of this junk will enter our market.

[Islander]

JimgrowsUK, do you citizens have any voice at all as to what is imported?

[BandsAiud]

I was shocked at McDonalds fries ingreadients! Does the source who shared it legit? How come it's different than in UK, wherein they could just share using the better option for their fries? They are just franchising one brand anyways.