Are American foods unhealthier than their European counterparts?
America and Europe are known to handle food regulation vastly differently, despite European countries having vastly different laws and governments between themselves. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration primarily oversees food safety, whereas in Europe, the European Food Safety Authority handles this task.
America has come under fire over time for its more “reactive” rather than “proactive” handling of food safety. According to The New World Report, “The FDA tends to take a more reactive approach to food standards inspections, as it allows food additives unless they’re proven to be directly harmful. In Europe, the additives must be proven as unharmful before they can be used in food production.”
Numerous potentially harmful food additives are allowed in America due to this approach. These include a variety of preservatives such as BHA and BHT (shown to be toxic and cause organ problems), various food dyes (like the famous Red 40, known to cause migraines, jitteriness, and worsen ADHD symptoms), and other additives (brominated vegetable oil, which can build up in the body, leading to memory loss as well as skin and nerve problems).
Popular foods in America that are banned in Europe for this reason include numerous soft drinks that are made with brominated vegetable oil, a variety of candies, icing, cereal, and chips that have food dyes, potassium bromate added to flour, and farm animal drugs like bovine growth hormone. All of these additives and more have been linked to serious health problems in European countries, and as such, are banned in Europe.
Conversely, there are a handful of food products that are banned in America but not Europe. Forbes noted that unpasteurized milk, sassafras oil, coumarin, cyclamate, and sucrol are all banned in America but not many European and Asian countries. This shows that with some dangerous additives and sweeteners, as well as unhealthy microbes in milk, the FDA has taken action to ensure consumer safety.
Nevertheless, the seemingly dangerous disparity of food regulation between America and Europe remains. Many consider the presence of possibly dangerous additives to be a serious issue; Food Safety News explains that “While the U.S. Food and Drug Administration strives to ensure consumer safety, the standards it upholds are notably less stringent than those mandated by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).” There are several steps that the FDA can take to enhance food regulation.
Firstly, the FDA could go against the grain of what would be expected and ban known harmful additives and products. It has been shown that various additives, preservatives, and other food products– including what is listed above– are known to be highly harmful. This would also go a long way in reducing the harm of processed foods to Americans.
Secondly, the FDA could begin to take a more proactive stance when it comes to food safety. Ecologic.eu notes that “The precautionary principle is one of the fundamental principles of the European Union governing policies related to the environment, health and food safety.” The US has the ability to follow suit, and it realistically should in order to better ensure its citizens’ health. The FDA should follow more stringent rules when it comes to reviewing future chemicals and additives that come into question for food use.
Thirdly, clearer labeling on food would increase consumer understanding of what to purchase. Letting consumers know clearly exactly what is in their food and what may have harmful health effects to them (similar to warnings on cigarettes) would go a long way to ensuring healthy food choices in the USA.
Although there is a long road ahead, the FDA has the resources and power to make these changes. If they do, America should become both a healthier country and more in line with the food safety standards of Europe.