These 13 Foods Are Banned In Certain Parts Of The World

How come M&M's are illegal?

1. Chewing gum is illegal in Singapore.

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The ban from the '90s was one of several laws to improve cleanliness on the island, where there are also laws against spitting and graffiti. Today, though, you can still get things like dental gum and nicotine gum from pharmacies.

2. And M&M's are banned in Sweden.

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In 2016, a Swedish court ruled against the Mars candy company in a trademark dispute with Mondelez (the company formerly known as Kraft). Because Mondelez was already selling chocolate-covered peanuts under its Marabou brand with a single “m” on the packaging, M&M's would have been too similar and caused confusion.

3. You can find Kinder Joy eggs in the US, but not Kinder Surprise eggs.

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The Kinder Joy egg has two individually packaged halves (one half contains the chocolate, and the other has the toy), which makes it safer than the Kinder Surprise eggs, which were deemed a choking hazard by the Food and Drug Administration.

4. Artificial food coloring is largely banned in Europe.

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In response to a study linking artificial food dye with hyperactivity in kids, the European Parliament passed a law in 2010 banning the use of food dyes for infants and young children.

5. And the sale of samosas is banned in southern Somalia.

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In 2011, the extremist Islamist group al-Shabab, which effectively controls most of the country, banned the sale of samosas based on concern for public health (traders were accused of making them with cat meat), though there have also been reports that the group deemed samosas "too Western."

6. In French schools, ketchup consumption is pretty tightly regulated.

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Why? It's an effort by the French government to "promote healthy eating and ... protect traditional Gallic cuisine." However, ketchup IS allowed to be served with French fries — which can only be served once a week.

7. The interstate sale of raw milk is illegal in the United States.

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In case you didn't know, pasteurization is a process that kills harmful bacteria in milk, which is why the FDA makes the interstate sale of "raw" milk illegal.

8. And fruit jelly cups are banned by the European Commission.

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The sale and consumption of fruit jelly cups that have certain additives is prohibited because they pose a choking hazard. In the US, the FDA has issued a safety warning on imported jelly cups for the same reason.

9. The production of foie gras is banned in many countries around the world.

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Because this French delicacy is made by force-feeding geese and ducks, the production of foie gras is banned in cities like San Diego and Chicago, as well as countries including the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Luxembourg, Norway, Poland, Turkey, and the UK.

10. Chips and other "fat-free" foods with the additive olestra are banned in Canada and much of Europe.

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This food additive was a key ingredient in fat-free Pringles and Frito-Lay “Wow!” chips in the '90s, but it was only approved by the FDA under the condition that all foods with olestra had to be labeled, "Olestra may cause abdominal cramping and loose stools." Its association with gastrointestinal issues and health concerns kept it from being approved in other countries.

11. Beluga caviar is banned in the United States.

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The US Fish and Wildlife Service banned imports of this highly prized caviar in 2005 since the beluga sturgeon was a threatened species.

12. Raw almonds are tightly regulated in California.

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The almond industry in California is required by the 2007 "almond rule" to use heat-pasteurization or fumigation in order to prevent food-borne illnesses from being passed along. Farmers can still sell "raw" almonds directly to consumers in small batches, though.

13. And finally, in schools in San Francisco, you can't drink chocolate milk.

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Starting last year, San Francisco schools banned chocolate milk from elementary, middle, and high schools, over health concerns. The school district also doesn't allow sodas in schools or for cookies or other sweets to be served with lunch.

This post was translated from Spanish.