Ten Food Additives Banned in Other Countries But Okay in the U.S.

1. Farmed salmon are raised on a wholly unnatural diet of grains along with a concoction of antibiotics and other drugs. This diet leaves the fish with unappetizing grayish flesh, so to compensate, they’re fed synthetic astaxanthin made from petrochemicals, which has not been approved for human consumption. Farmed Salmon fed these chemicals are banned in Australia and New Zealand.

 

2. Most Hawaiian papaya is now genetically engineered to be resistant to ringspot virus. Mounting research now shows that animals fed genetically engineered foods, such as corn and soy, suffer a wide range of maladies, including intestinal damage, multiple-organ damage, massive tumors, birth defects, premature death, and near complete sterility by the third generation of offspring. GE papaya is banned in the EU.

 

3. Ractopamine tainted meat – The beta agonist drug ractopamine, which reduces the overall fat content of meat, is currently used in about 45 percent of US pigs, 30 percent of ration-fed cattle, and an unknown percentage of turkeys. Up to 20 percent of ractopamine remains in the meat you buy from the supermarket.

 

4. Flame retardant drinks – Citrus-flavored sodas and sports drinks sold in the US typically contain a synthetic chemical called brominated vegetable oil (BVO), which was originally patented by chemical companies as a flame retardant. BVO has been shown to bioaccumulate in human tissue and breast milk, and animal studies have found it causes reproductive and behavioral problems in large doses.

 

5. More than 3,000 food additives — preservatives, flavorings, colors and other ingredients — are added to US foods. Meanwhile, many of these are banned in other countries, based on research showing toxicity and hazardous health effects, especially with respect to adverse effects on children’s behavior.

 

6. Arsenic Laced Chicken – Arsenic-based drugs are approved for use in animal feed in the US because they make animals grow quicker and make the meat appear pinker (i.e. “fresher”). The FDA claims these products are safe because they contain organic arsenic, which is less toxic than the other inorganic form, which is a known carcinogen. However, studies suggest the organic arsenic can transform into inorganic arsenic, which has been found in store-bought chickens sold in the US. The EU does not permit arsenic-based drugs in food animals.

 

7. Bread With Potassium Bromate – The use of potassium bromate as an additive to commercial breads and baked goods has been a huge contributor to bromide overload in Western cultures. Bromated flour is “enriched” with potassium bromate. Studies have linked potassium bromate to kidney and nervous system damage, thyroid problems, gastrointestinal discomfort, and cancer. Use of potassium bromate is banned in Canada, China and the EU.

 

8. Olestra, aka Olean, created by Procter & Gamble, is a calorie- and cholesterol-free fat substitute used in fat-free snacks like chips and French fries. Adverse reactions include diarrhea, cramps and leaky bowels. More importantly, olestra also interferes with the absorption of fat soluble vitamins such as A, D, E and K. Olestra is banned in the UK and Canada.

 

9. Preservatives BHA & BHT – BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole) and BHT (butylated hydroxytoluene) are commonly used preservatives. BHA is known to cause cancer in rats, and may be a cancer-causing agent in humans as well. US experts concluded that BHA “is reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen.” BHA and BHT are banned in Japan and parts of the European Union, and the UK does not permit BHA in baby foods.

 

10. rBGH is a synthetic version of natural bovine somatotropin (BST). It’s injected into cows to increase milk production, but it is banned in at least 30 other nations because of its dangers to human health, which include an increased risk for colorectal, prostate, and breast cancer by promoting conversion of normal tissue cells into cancerous ones. The only way to avoid rBGH is to look for products labeled as “rBGH-free” or “No rBGH.” RBGH is banned in Australia, New Zealand, Israel, the EU, and Canada.

 

Reference: Mercola.com