Trump despises the EU. He has historically backed the UK’s departure from the EU, notably during his first term when he praised Brexit saying it would be a “great thing” for Britain. Comprehensive reasons or what?
Trump will continue to pressure Starmer that Britain must maintain its independence from the EU economically, as he wants a one-sided trade deal with the UK.
This will entail a flood of food-based products banned in the EU, many of which are not fit for human consumption, and which also contravene the EU’s rules on environmental regulations.
The EU takes a precautionary approach, often banning substances until they are proven safe, while the U.S. tends to allow them unless they are proven harmful. Below are some key examples of American products or ingredients commonly banned in the EU:
1. Beef with growth hormones: In the U.S., hormones like recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH) and others (e.g., estradiol, testosterone) are used to increase cattle growth and milk production. The EU has banned these since 1989 due to potential health risks, such as links to cancer and hormonal imbalances, restricting most American beef imports unless certified hormone-free.
2. Chlorine-washed chicken: American poultry is often washed with chlorine to kill bacteria. The EU banned this practice in 1997, citing concerns over masking poor hygiene standards earlier in the production cycle and potential health risks from chemical residues, effectively barring most U.S. chicken.
3. Pork with Ractopamine: This growth-promoting drug is used in some U.S. pork production to produce leaner meat. The EU bans it due to concerns about cardiovascular risks in humans and animal welfare issues, limiting imports of treated pork.
4. Genetically Modified Organisms (GMOs): Many American crops like corn, soy, and papaya are genetically modified. The EU heavily restricts GMOs, requiring rigorous approval processes and labeling. Unapproved GMO products, common in the U.S., are banned from sale in the EU.
5. Bread with potassium bromate: This dough conditioner, used in some US breads to improve texture, is banned in the EU because it’s classified as a possible carcinogen by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Products like certain American rolls or white breads can’t be sold in the EU if they contain it.
6. Foods with azodicarbonamide (ADA): Found in some U.S. baked goods (e.g., sandwich breads or pastries), this chemical is banned in the EU due to potential respiratory and carcinogenic risks from its breakdown products, like urethane/ethyl carbamate.
7. Brominated vegetable oil (BVO): Used in citrus-flavored sodas like some U.S. store-brand drinks, BVO contains bromine, linked to neurological and organ damage. The EU banned it, though the U.S. FDA only recently phased it out in 2024, with a compliance deadline of August 2025.
8. Certain Artificial Food Dyes: Dyes like Yellow 5, Yellow 6, and Red 40 are common in U.S. candies (e.g Skittles), cereals, and drinks. The EU doesn’t outright ban them, but requires warning labels due to links to hyperactivity in children, effectively limiting their use in US formulated products. Red Dye No. 3, still used in some U.S. foods, is fully banned in the EU for its cancer risk in animals.
9. Titanium dioxide in food: This whitening agent, found in U.S. candies (e.g., Skittles), baked goods, and coffee creamers, was banned in the EU in 2022 after the European Food Safety Authority concluded it could potentially damage DNA and couldn’t be ruled safe.
EDITOR: What you can do: tell your MP that we will NOT support a trade deal which undermines our farmers and poisons us. And this article does not even touch on animal welfare – a whole other can of worms. Let’s align with the EU, not Trump’s regulation/protection-shredding America!
