Everybody has different tastes in food – but the reasons some foods have been banned or restricted in countries around the world can be pretty baffling. From kebabs and ketchup to poppy seeds and popcorn, we’ve rounded up the most surprising foods and drinks that countries have outlawed over the years, counting down to the most shocking of all. How many have you tried?
Scroll below to discover the food and drink you can’t get in countries around the world.
31. Mini jelly cups
Mini jelly cups containing a gelling agent called konjac are banned in the European Union, Australia and numerous other countries. These products came in single-serving containers with peel-off lids, and the idea was you’d eat the whole thing in one go. But the European Commission said their texture and shape made them a choking hazard – especially for children. Critics claimed the ban was a major overreaction.
30. Foie gras
The production of French delicacy foie gras, made from the fatty livers of ducks and geese, is widely criticised. The birds are force-fed via a metal tube until their liver has enlarged to up to 10 times its usual size. Several countries have banned production and, in some cases, imports of the product due to concerns over animal cruelty. But many places – including the US and France – still manufacture the product.
29. Peeps
These radiant marshmallow chicks are a staple at Easter in the USA and Canada, but certain flavours – specifically pink and purple Peeps, which contain a chemical called red dye No. 3 – will soon face the chop. The additive is a known carcinogen that was banned from use in cosmetics in the 1990s, but still remains in thousands of foods in America. However, in January 2025, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) signed a ban on red dye No. 3, which will come into effect in 2027.
