12 Foods You Never Knew Were Illegal In The U.S.

5. Sea turtles

Sea turtles are banned for the same reason as ortolans: They are endangered. It’s illegal to import them as food or for any other purpose.

6. Sassafrass oil

Once used in root beer, the FDA banned this oil in 1960 over concerns that one of its main constituents, safrole, could cause cancer. (Also, be on the lookout for these other foods that can cause cancer.) What’s more, safrole can also be used to make psychoactive party drugs.

7. Ackee

This unusual fruit is native to West Africa and is also the national fruit of Jamaica, but it’s illegal to import it into the U.S. If it’s not ripened correctly, its toxins could release a surplus of glucose and dangerously drop the consumer’s blood sugar, which could end up being fatal.

8. Horse meat

We personally can’t understand why anyone would want to eat these majestic creatures, but horse meat is a fairly popular dish in other parts of the world. U.S. slaughterhouses once supplied horse meat to these countries, but now importing the meat and utilizing horse slaughterhouses are both illegal.