6 Foods Banned in Different Countries

Each nation has its own traditions and food preferences. In Japan, without fear of eating live octopus, and residents of northern latitudes – the Eskimos and the Chukchi do not imagine a menu without venison and seals. However, there are food products, which for one reason or another are banned for sale in some countries.

Ackee – the national fruit of Jamaica

6 Foods Banned in Different Countries

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The birthplace of this fruit tree is West Africa, from where it spread throughout Central and South America, Jamaica, the Bahamas and other islands. The national dish of the inhabitants of Jamaica – Ackee with fish, but in other countries, for example, in the US, there is a ban on the import of this fruit, and it should not be said casually. The thing is that until the fruits themselves are opened, they can not be used for food because of the danger of poisoning the poison contained in them – hypoglycine. But even after exposing the contents, not all internal parts are suitable for eating, but only pulp. Cream and sweet, slightly reminiscent of the taste of walnut, it is good as a component of the first course or fried in oil.

Shark fins – a delicious food product

Shark fin soup and other dishes are very popular in the countries of South-East Asia, which led to the almost total destruction of some species of sharks and rays. The public beats the alarm, because annually around 40-70 million individuals are caught in the world, which is the reason for a sharp decrease in the number of sawtooth rays and ordinary sand sharks. The company to ban dishes from this food product is gaining momentum around the world. Thus, shark fins and dishes from them can not be purchased and tried in Scotland, Great Britain and other countries, including the Hawaiian Islands, where for years they mercilessly exterminated these sea predators.
It is noteworthy that in this type of fishery only fins are of interest, the price for which can reach $ 20,000 per pound. The carcass itself is thrown into the ocean as unnecessary, and often the predator is still alive and just doomed to a slow and painful death as a result of oxygen deficiency. Often, it becomes a victim of other predators. In some countries of the world, there is a law prescribing the delivery of carcasses to the port before the procedure for the removal of fins.

Foie gras – cultural and gastronomic heritage of France

Foie gras

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This refers to the liver of a goose or duck, the leading country of which is France. Practically in any restaurant in this country you can buy dishes from goose liver, prepared according to a variety of recipes: escalopes of foie gras, foie gras with tuna, figs, stuffed foie gras, etc. It would seem that the use of giblets in the cooking of birds is common, but not in this case. Before sending the bird to the slaughter, its three weeks are forcibly fed with grain, the amount of which is 10 times higher than the norm. As a result, the bird’s liver is greatly increased and only then it becomes ready to perform its main function.

Zoosecurity organizations of various countries protested against such a barbaric attitude towards animals, which led to the curtailment of the production of this food in a number of countries, for example, in America. Many Hollywood actors, including Kate Winslet, Roger Moore, scientists, doctors and other famous people support this protest and urge chefs and ordinary citizens to abandon the foie gras.

Absinthe – a drink with the oldest recipe

Absinthe

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Indeed, recipes for the preparation of absinthe are rooted in the past centuries. According to one version, it was made in the late 18th century as a medicinal drug, and its production as an alcoholic beverage was placed somewhat later. At the beginning of the next century, the epoch of absinthe began, which attracted artists and writers, other intellectuals, and the military was recommended to drink it to prevent various infections and use it to disinfect water. The main component of the drink was, and is, wormwood, rich in such a toxic substance as thujone.

It, together with a high strength of absinthe, causes a pronounced exciting effect, leads to unmotivated aggression and other unpleasant consequences. At the beginning of the 21st century, the production and sale of absinthe was banned in a number of countries – France, Switzerland, the USA, Belgium, Italy, Germany, etc. The drink being sold today is not what the Parisians once crazy.

Toothfish is a valuable fishery object

There are foods that are banned for sale in some countries. That’s the meat of toothfish, which is a famous sea delicacy, is difficult to find, and the price of it reaches hundreds of dollars per pounds. In a number of countries, the catch of Antarctic and Patagonian toothfish is prohibited or strictly regulated by the Convention on the Conservation of Antarctic Marine Living Resources. At toothfish very tasty, unusual meat with a flaky flocculent structure and an abundance of fat. According to unverified data, in Russia the meat of toothfish is sold under the name “oil fish”. Recipes for its preparation are very diverse. You can cook fatty and boiled ears from toothfish, bake with vegetables or use as a filling for pancakes or pies.

Sassafras is a plant that deserves a bad reputation

Once all parts of this deciduous tree – roots, fruits, leaves and flowers – were actively used by the people of America and Asia as a seasoning and food additive, thanks to the persistent and incredibly strong smell. Sassafras was added to tea, used to make sauces and soups, and in dried and shredded form used as a spice to enhance the taste and aroma of a variety of foods. Local residents noticed that next to Sassafras nothing grows, and insects, including bloodsucking, prefer not to approach it. This action is due to the presence of a special substance in it – safrole.

Found in the essential oil of this plant, safrole was found to be toxic and able to exert an action on the body, akin to the narcotic. In this regard, some countries have refused to produce essential oils, while others have imposed strict restrictions on its use and sale, in particular, in the US.
Such fruits, drinks and delicacies remain banned in a number of countries, and, apparently, this is a completely justified and thoughtful decision, which in some cases helped to save many human lives.

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