19. Casu marzu
A traditional Sardinian delicacy, casu marzu translates to ‘rotten cheese’ and is prepared by injecting fly larvae inside Pecorino cheese. The larvae digest the cheese, bringing it to a new level of fermentation. Most of the time it’s eaten with larvae still inside. This is dangerous because gastric acid doesn’t destroy the larvae, so they can end up in the intestines, attacking the organs. The smelly and dangerous dish is banned in the European Union and the USA.
18. Marmite
With the tagline ‘love it or hate it’, divisive yeast spread Marmite is so embedded in British culture that it’s become one of the most confiscated items at airport security. Most countries allow the sale and import of Marmite, but it’s another story in Denmark. In 2011, the country restricted the sale of Marmite because it’s fortified with additional vitamins and minerals. Fortified foods must get approval from the Danish food authorities before being allowed for sale in the country.
17. Coffee
A cup of coffee wasn’t always accepted as a great way to start the day. Not only did the Catholic church initially try to ban coffee drinking from getting a foothold in Europe in the 16th century, but in 1675, England’s King Charles II attempted to ban coffee shops altogether. He feared they were serving as a meeting place for activists, and brewing as much discontent as they were coffee. However, the ban was redacted two days before it was due to be put in place. The Ottoman Sultan Murad IV put a similar ban in place in Istanbul in 1633. More recently, Coffee Mate was banned in some European countries because of its trans-fat content.
