These 6 Foods Are Banned in Maine

With the exception of foods that people avoid due to their adherence to certain religious restrictions, like Jewish people eating only kosher foods, here in the United States, we are basically free to eat whatever we want.

There are a few exceptions to this rule, however.  They revolve around health concerns.  Some of the following banned foods contain dangerous bacteria.  Others on the list have deadly poisons.  And, at least one is a choking hazard.

According to The Culture Trip, these foods are banned across the United States:

1 – Haggis – The stomach-churning national dish of Scotland has been banned in the United States since 1971.  That’s when the government banned the use of sheep lungs in food.  In theory, you could still make the dish by substituting the sheep’s lungs with something else.  Of course, a real Scot would probably be able to tell the difference.

2 – Kinder Eggs – This is where you say, “That’s not true because I bought a Kinder Egg for my kid the other day!” That’s true, but you got the American-approved version of the Kinder Egg.  The safe version.  The real version of the treat has the toy buried in the candy.  There is a chance that a kid could swallow the toy while they are eating the chocolate.  As a result, they were a choking hazard.

3 – Fresh Ackee Fruit – There is a good chance you have never even heard of this Jamaican fruit.  The concern is that if they are not fully ripe, they can contain high levels of Hypoglycin A and B.  Even though you can never get the fresh version in the United States, you can sometimes get the canned version.

4 – Shark Fins – While we have some amazing seafood here in the U.S., you’ll never get a shark fin.  They have been banned because of the cruel way they are obtained.  Basically, they cut the fin off the live shark.  Then, they toss the shark back into the ocean.

5 – Beluga Caviar – Typically obtained from Russia and Iran, it is banned in the United States over concerns that the desire for the expensive treat has led to sturgeon over-fishing in those countries.

6 – Japanese Puffer Fish – While they are great in sushi, they are poisonous if not prepared correctly.  If you are a fan of The Simpsons, you probably remember that this was what nearly killed Homer.  Out of an abundance of caution, it is illegal to get puffer fish in the United States.

Have you ever had a chance to try these foods?  Did you get sick?  What happened?  Let us know by sending us a message inside our app.