12 Banned Foods That Everyone Was Eating Back in the 1970s
During the 1970s, people experienced bold fashion trends and disco nights, along with making some questionable eating choices. Several foods that were once popular have become banned or reformulated, while others remain topics of intense debate. The FDA reports that authorities have banned or restricted over 20 popular food additives and products from their earlier widespread use.
The Delaney Clause of the 1958 Food Additives Amendment led to the removal of any additive suspected of having carcinogenic properties. The food items we consumed daily during the 1970s would be impossible to find on our plates today.
Experience an intriguing journey through history as we explore 12 foods banned during the disco era alongside their stories of downfall.
Red Dye No. 2
Red Dye No. 2 gave bright red candies, cereals, and sodas their vibrant color. 2. Products like Kool-Aid and Hostess Twinkies contained this artificial food coloring during its widespread use in the mid-1970s. The FDA banned Red Dye No. 2 after a Soviet study found it caused cancer in rats, which led to this decision in 1976.
Products worth more than $10 million contained Red Dye No. 2 each year until the ban. The United States used over $10 million worth of Red Dye No. 2 products each year before its ban. The prohibition forced manufacturers to quickly reformulate their products as consumers began prioritizing food safety. The red hues of products started to resemble natural colors after manufacturers reformulated away from Red Dye No. 2.
The Red Dye No. 2 ban created a temporary Valentine’s Day crisis for manufacturers who feared that their red candies and sweets would not sell.
Cyclamate
During the decades of the 1960s and ’70s, when diet culture flourished, Cyclamate maintained its position as the dominant artificial sweetener. This sweetener, which was used alongside saccharin, provided sweetness to sodas and desserts without contributing any calories. The FDA prohibited Cyclamate in 1969 following research that linked high consumption to bladder cancer in rats.
Over 100 countries, including Canada and the European Union, have chosen to keep Cyclamate legal. Researchers are reconsidering the decision to remove Cyclamate from American markets because global attitudes toward it remain positive. In 1968, research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association showed that it controlled 30% of the artificial sweetener market. The prohibition of Cyclamate initiated an extensive quest for secure alternatives to sugar.
Saccharin
During the late 1970s, saccharin, which appeared prominently in Tab and Sweet’n Low, faced widespread criticism. The connection between saccharin and cancer risks in lab rats prompted strict regulations and a notorious warning label that manufacturers had to display on products for more than twenty years.
Saccharin remained on the market despite widespread controversy. It maintained its market dominance as the sole non-sugar sweetener in the United States until 1981. The warning label has disappeared, but public discussion about its safety guide continues. Enthusiasts of diet soda from the 1970s maintain cherished memories of its signature metallic aftertaste.
Margarine with Trans Fats
During the 1970s, people used margarine as a substitute for butter, despite its artificial trans fat content. These hydrogenated fats were initially perceived as a groundbreaking medical advancement when they were introduced. Subsequent research uncovered their devastating connection to heart disease.
After several decades of widespread use, the FDA implemented a ban on artificial trans fats in 2018. According to a 1977 USDA study, Americans consumed an average of 7.3 pounds of margarine per year, indicating its widespread use in their homes. Food scientists have redesigned today’s margarine to eliminate harmful components while maintaining its ability to spread properly.
Olestra
Olestra served as a fat replacement, offering consumers the chance to eat without feeling guilty. Marketed in products like Frito-Lay’s Wow! Experimental food labs in the 1970s laid the groundwork for the product. Olestra fat-free snack entered the market in the 1990s but quickly became notorious due to a side effect known as “anal leakage.”
Sales for Wow! chips reached $400 million in 1998; however, the product quickly lost consumer favor afterward. Olestra remains legal despite its reputation as a food additive that causes permanent damage. People who ate snacks back then recall the warning stories printed on all bags of chips.
Lead-Soldered Cans
A wide range of canned goods filled the typical pantry during the ‘70s, with many of these cans using lead-based solder for sealing. This convenience had very expensive consequences. Studies have discovered that acidic foods, such as tomatoes and fruit, facilitate the leaching of lead from cans, creating substantial health hazards.
A 1982 study by the National Academy of Sciences revealed that lead-soldered cans were responsible for up to half of daily lead intake in particular individuals. The nationwide health situation improved significantly when the 80s regulations outlawed lead-soldering.
Chlordane-Treated Crops
The agricultural sectors of corn and wheat, along with household gardens, received benefits from the pesticide Chlordane during the 1970s. The persistent presence of Chlordane in environmental systems and animal tissues generated widespread concern. Scientific studies connected Chlordane to cancer and hormonal problems, which led to its ban by the EPA in 1988.
Chlordane wasn’t just a problem for crops. The widespread application of Chlordane in both agricultural and pest control activities allowed it to persist in various environmental regions long after its initial use.
BHA and BHT
BHA, along with BHT, served as powerful preservatives that extended the freshness of cereals, snacks, and chewing gum. The 1974 National Cancer Institute report revealed that the food preservation chemicals BHA and BHT induced tumor development in rodents.
Although these studies indicate potential risks, the FDA maintains its designation of these substances as “generally recognized as safe” despite their identification as possible human carcinogens by the National Toxicology Program. The European Union and Japan have prohibited the use of these food additives, which requires consumers to examine product labels closely.
Foie Gras
Upscale U.S. restaurants introduced French nouvelle cuisine during the 1970s, which helped foie gras gain popularity. The production of foie gras involves force-feeding ducks and geese to enlarge their livers; however, California now prohibits its sale, alongside growing ethical opposition worldwide.
Culinary professionals defend foie gras as a masterpiece of the cooking arts, while animal rights advocates condemn it as an inhumane treatment. The ongoing debate about its status positions foie gras as both a gourmet treat and a controversial subject in households around the world.
Raw Milk
Throughout the 1970s, unpasteurized raw milk was a typical food item in rural regions of America. Foodborne illness outbreaks triggered stricter regulations as their frequency increased. The sale of raw milk is subject to heavy restrictions in more than twenty U.S. states today.
According to CDC research, raw milk presents a risk of foodborne illness that is 150 times greater than pasteurized milk. Fans of raw milk praise its claimed better taste and nutritional benefits. Herdshare programs serve as creative solutions to maintain access to raw milk for specific communities.
Kinder Surprise Eggs
American travelers smuggled Kinder Surprise Eggs back from Europe during the 1970s and later because they were a popular chocolate treat. American rules established in 1938 prohibited manufacturers from incorporating “non-nutritive items” (such as popular toys) into edible products.
The annual confiscation of tens of thousands of Kinder Eggs by customs demonstrates their continued popularity. The stateside legal substitute, Kinder Joy, falls short of matching the nostalgic appeal of its original counterpart.
Shark Fins
During the disco era, Chinese-American restaurants adopted shark fin soup as a status symbol. The practice of finning live sharks for their fins has resulted in environmental and ethical objections, leading to prohibitions in more than 13 U.S. states.
WildAid reports that shark finning activities result in the death of around 73 million sharks every year. The protection of marine ecosystems now takes precedence, relegating shark fins to the past as an outdated culinary practice.
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