These 6 Foods Are Banned in Maine, New Hampshire, & Massachusetts

Unlike some countries, we typically think of the United States as a free place when it comes to food.  No matter where you’re from and what you’re into, you can almost always get your favorite food here in the United States.  Almost.

Believe it or not, there are a few foods that have been banned here in the United States.  In most cases, this was done because of health concerns.  In a few rare cases, the foods have been banned over concerns about animal cruelty.

Check out the following list of foods that are banned in Maine, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, and the rest of 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 put a ban on using sheep lungs in foods.  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 of 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.  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 counties.

6 – Japanese Puffer Fish – While they are great in sushi, they are poisonous if not prepared right.  If you are a fan of The Simpsons, you probably remember that this was what nearly killed Homer.

In addition to the above foods, you'll find that foie gras is banned in some places.  This is due to the treatment of the ducks that the ingredients are obtained from.  Currently, these states include New York and California.  

Have you ever had any of these foods?  Where were you here in the United States when you had them?  It's okay, we won't tell anyone.