Also, according to the U.S. Congressional Research Service, "U.S. imports of some fresh fruits and vegetables also are subject to federal marketing orders that... create mandatory
grade, size, quality and maturity requirements that apply to domestic and imported products." https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL34468.pdf
Just to take one example, here is one document where the USDA regulates potatoes for their air cracks, bruises, dirt, enlarged lenticels, external discoloration, flea beetle injury, sunburn, and growth cracks, among many other things. http://www.mipotato.com/CMDocs/MPIC/usda%20grade%20standards...
>Recently large vacuum cleaners and incandescent light bulbs were banned.
>Recently the EU was looking into banning cinnamon used in cinnamon rolls because of a too high amount of coumarin, known to be causing liver damage if consumed too extensively.
Wildly incorrect, although there have been some misleading headlines so perhaps forgivable. What happened is that the Danish authorities ruled that a type of cinnamon swirl ("kanelsnegle") was not a specially exempt traditional or seasonal food. This meant it was subject to EU recommended daily limits on the ratio of coumarin per kg of dough. The Danish Food Administration had done a survey and found half of the nation's fine baked goods were probably over the line. Cue hysteria about the beloved rolls being banned (never mind that bakers could just cut back on coumarin, for example by changing quantity or type of cinnamon). Anyway what ended up happening is that the rolls were reclassified as a traditional national treat and thus exempt from the recommended limits.
Here are some of the EU rules listed in an apparent attempt to show Europe has more onerous regulations than the U.S.:
>There are rules for the curve of the cucumber to the bendiness of bananas.
This hasn't been the case since 2008. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/11/12/world/europe/12iht-food.4....
Also, according to the U.S. Congressional Research Service, "U.S. imports of some fresh fruits and vegetables also are subject to federal marketing orders that... create mandatory grade, size, quality and maturity requirements that apply to domestic and imported products." https://www.fas.org/sgp/crs/misc/RL34468.pdf
Just to take one example, here is one document where the USDA regulates potatoes for their air cracks, bruises, dirt, enlarged lenticels, external discoloration, flea beetle injury, sunburn, and growth cracks, among many other things. http://www.mipotato.com/CMDocs/MPIC/usda%20grade%20standards...
>Recently large vacuum cleaners and incandescent light bulbs were banned.
The EU has not banned incandescent light bulbs but is phasing out many types of incandescents. As it happens, so is the U.S. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Phase-out_of_incandescent_ligh... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U.S._Lighting_Energy_Policy#In... Here is a recent map of all the nations in the world phasing out such bulbs. Notice the U.S. and EU are listed at the same level of prohibition: http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/plugged-in/the-overly-dr...
>Recently the EU was looking into banning cinnamon used in cinnamon rolls because of a too high amount of coumarin, known to be causing liver damage if consumed too extensively.
Wildly incorrect, although there have been some misleading headlines so perhaps forgivable. What happened is that the Danish authorities ruled that a type of cinnamon swirl ("kanelsnegle") was not a specially exempt traditional or seasonal food. This meant it was subject to EU recommended daily limits on the ratio of coumarin per kg of dough. The Danish Food Administration had done a survey and found half of the nation's fine baked goods were probably over the line. Cue hysteria about the beloved rolls being banned (never mind that bakers could just cut back on coumarin, for example by changing quantity or type of cinnamon). Anyway what ended up happening is that the rolls were reclassified as a traditional national treat and thus exempt from the recommended limits.
http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2013/12/25/256602581/whe... http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/dec/20/cinnamon-intake... http://www.eubusiness.com/news-eu/denmark-food.wo7
FWIW the FDA regulates how much yeast, citric acid, Sarsaparilla, Sassafras, tallow, green walnuts, unmodified starch, and vanilla can go into foods, among many other ingredients. (see http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/FoodAdd...)