These American Foods are BANNED IN GERMANY (Yes, seriously.)
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- čas přidán 11. 05. 2024
- The surprising (and legal) reason why you probably shouldn't plan to serve a meal of USA bread, chicken, citrus soda, and American apple pie while in the European Union... and some fun facts about Germany!
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4 German Foods are ILLEGAL IN AMERICA
• 4 German Foods are ILL...
Episode 76 | #food #american #americanpie #apples #mountaindew #americaningermany #traveleurope #usa #americanabroad #foodsafety | Filmed September 14th, 2022
👉Quick Jump to Your Favorite Topic:
00:00 Intro
01:04 Don't Do the Dew
04:37 ....There's chlorine in WHAT?!
08:44 Un-American Apple Pie
12:09 Don't Break the Bread in Germany
15:49 The Most Important Part of the Video
20:17 On the Next Episode
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The EU: "Prove that this additive is safe before you use it."
The US: "Prove that this additive is dangerous before we ban it."
I know which one I prefer.
It's impossible to prove anything 100% safe, even water. I prefer a more risk-based approach rather than a let's-all-be-afraid-of-everything hazard-based approach.
@@fl1barrypiper793 BS
That isn't actually the U.S. approach. There are lots of regulatory hurdles to using new food ingredients. And there is a vibrant liability and litigation industry ready to severely punish anyone who puts something deemed unsafe into the food supply.
@@ntray3729 he is right, sadly. ...... even our water is full of hormones and nano plastic.....even in switzerland...known for very clean water. greets from swiss
@@fl1barrypiper793 And it's nearly impossible to prove that something is dangerous at all unless you die immediately after consuming...! 🙄🤦🏼♂️
As a german, i love food safety, so i strongly agree with the precautionary principle. That said, the EU obviously uses regulation to protect its agricultural industry from cheap imports. On the other hand I see the US attitude to regulation as an example for the US to always put profits before people.
How does this work? I mean, the europeans farmers have to follow the very same regulations than any non-EU farmer has to who wants to sell in the single market.
Seeing how long it took to ban or regulate some truely harmful products, from lead ( e.g. in fuel, pipes or paint) over asbestos to cigarettes, which where even marketet beneficial for your health back than, i think the approach of the EU is better. Sure, if you want to use another chemical in food, you have the money to proof its harmless. If you just want to use it, because it safes you 2 cents on a five dollar product, maybe the world is better without using it.
@@juppjames9635 Exactly. The moment non-EU farmers follow the same regulation, their production cost rises to a comparable level. Plus there is documentation: How do you prove at the border that your product is compliant with EU rules? (Doable, but costly and probably requires an agreement between your government and the EU. That is why trade deals are so important.) Then of course there is the cost of shipping your product from overseas.
@@juppjames9635 Your comment sounds as if anyone in the world can export anywhere in the world and the only thing to do is following certain required production standards. But that is not the case at all.
In order to export into the EU single market or into any market in the world there has to be a trade deal in place amongst those countries/blocks in the first place..
...otherwise there are high tariffs on that product which will make that product not competative in that export market and therefore not profitable to export
Best example is the UK after leaving the single market. Their exports of food products into the EU fell into oblivion just because of "the red tape" which is now in place as like as that is in place for every socalled 3rd country... as like needed expensive quality certificates of all kind + tariffs + customs fees etc which raises the costs to export those goods into being not profitable to export into the EU single market anymore.
Bigger UK producers in the UK even had to establish/relocate whole new production lines in EU countries in order to stay in Business which smaller UK producers simply can´t effort to do.
@@michaelgrabner8977 The original comment by Jens was specificlly about regulations, and not tariffs. And your competitors within the single market don't have ANY advantage, if you have to follow the same regulations than them, don't they? You might say that you have to prove that you are in in compliance with the regulations is an extra cost, but should the EU just believe corporations when it comes to food standards?
I actually like much the EU approach “better safe than sorry” where stuff is deemed unsafe unless proven safe.
"better safe than sorry" that's what popped up immediately. Of course it takes longer to proof that a chemical element, dosage or a certain procedure is un-dangerous, harmless, ie not beneficial or healthy. It might slow down inventions of new ways of mass production of goods. In the pandemic vaccination safety is king. But in capitalism you try to maximize profit on behalf of what, consumer protection, social security of laborforce or animal wellbeing? So as I see it, it's cutting corners in the making, and fixing it in chlorine later on. Still detected salmonella 11%↓8% in US, than only 1% in EU speaks volume to me. Loads of additives to ease a production process or have a very long shelf life.
One of the core reasons I plan to move to the EU. That approach is baked into the culture.
I'm affraid it's not the culture per-se, absent regulations encourage to make a cut. EU citizens are not the better or more civilized people. We need to fight against unfair practises, ie only one side take advantage. See right to repair {on your own, changing 🔋 or display} or Apple try to spare charging devices in there inexpensive phones for lame environment purposes, filling their pockets for extra chargers, avoiding standard USB C interfaces.
It beats the 'Let's wait until people start dying and then we'll do something about it' approach.
@@GlenHunt And the bread!
I’m really proud of our European food regulations
European countries think that because hugh fructose corn syrup and GMOs are banned , that people there are protected from our nasty fake crap but you are being tricked by your govts too. How??? Your govt imports this junk for animal feed. You eat the animal, you're eating it.
Well, maybe not proud, but happy!
Don't be. Most, if not all, food is poisonous to your body. Did you even read a label lately?
Yes. I'm anti-EU, but that is one thing that they have done well, in my opinion.
@@fairphoneuser9009 LOL
The key thing about chlorinated chicken is *not* that it is chlorinated - we eat salads that have been washed with the same chemicals without any concern - the issue is that USAlien chicken *has* to be chlorinated because it has been kept in such unsanitary conditions that it is dangerous to eat _without_ the chlorine.
In sweden it is even stricter with salmonella an chicken.
The presence of salmonella in chicken is essential 0, so low that you can eat it raw.
If salmonella is found in chicken farmer all chickens are killed, every chicken at that farm is burned and the hole place is disinfected.
Scorched earth principles...
😨
Also a side note: we (my mum tought me so i assume everyone learns it) learn as kids: raw chicken meat will kill you, multi resistent bacteria everywhere, disinfect every surface with boiling water and knife the raw chicken touched, use plastic cutting boards and never wood.. we germans know, that even we've got measures to enforce "some" animal health it won't protect us from getting frikkin sick if you handle your food not properly.
What about organic free range chicken?
@@susan3200 don't know i don't trust the labels xD i sanitize anything that had contact with raw chicken so nothing can happen haha
Or in other words. The US is more business friendly rather than consumer friendly in their approach to food safety. Who would have thought.....
I'm shocked! Shocked i say!
The US of A, where your safety means jack shit if we can make a huge profit
Could we please change that?!! No amount of money equals the value of our loves and selves.! I'd do without a lot of things.
@@franklinshriver8441 NOT THATS SOCIALISM!!!!!! /s
well i wouldnt say buisness friendly and in Germany it is too hard to open a buisness btw for a normal guy who doesnt want to read 10000 laws. The main point of the government is to protect the country from Dangers from outside and protect the nature ... and well part one is mostly done by all countries, but part 2 is mostly ignored.
While travelling in the US and buying a lot of my food in the supermarket I have to say: many things tasted disgusting, like chewing on chemicals.
Right. I live in the US and don't eat a lot of store bought processed things. I recently went to Europe for two weeks. Then came home and I noticed that I have more gastrointestinal issues. Minor things but still it was noticeable.:(
Europe has better quality food.
@@juliawashburn675 Yes. And that’s one of the reasons the trade agreement didn’t go through some years ago. US food has a number of ingredients forbidden in the EU, one of the things were chlorine washed chicken.
@@claudiakarl7888 Europe washes their vegetables in chlorine.
@@MissRegionRat No. They don’t. Where did you get that information?
@@claudiakarl7888 not sure why my reply poofed so apologies if this shows twice, but this was well-documented during Brexit a few years ago. The weird fear y’all had of chlorine used to wash chicken clashed with y’all using it to wash bagged salads, etc. You also use chlorine to treat your tap water. You literally drink it just like Yankee heathens. All of this is easy to find in any search engine.
EU hold the benchmark for food safety in the world. Often foods get 'more save' because the foreign producers want acces to the European market. They have to change the products and so their whole productionline and ingredients! Europe is the continent with the most strick food laws in the world. So thank you EU for making indirectly our food (and the world) less toxic👌😉
Here I am sitting in Sweden, upset that we had to lower our standards.
Just checked the recommendation on raw eggs:
Do not eat raw eggs that are not from Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland, because eggs from other countries do have a significant risk of salmonella.
That is an unproven claim that the EU is the best in the world, yet you have nothing like the californian proposition 65 that forces companies to label their products if they have dangerous chemicals like lead, cadmium, mercury and other carciogenic heavy metals in them, you eat food that contains these and never know it. I know this because some products exported from europe carry the warning here in California, for example for lead.
Salmonella is such fear mongering by the media. They have destroyed insane amounts of food because of it
I have moved to Germany from the USA, this is also my first time coming to Europe. I can easily say that all the food here tastes much more fresh than American food. Everything isn't overwhelmingly sweet too, it's really nice and I prefer it this way.
I found the same when visiting Italy!
@@thestraightroad305interesting is, we German think, things are more sweeter in Italy then in Germany! 😅 Not everything!
@@SoneaT 😊👍🏻 How I look forward to visiting Germany someday!
@@thestraightroad305 as I looking forward to visiting the USA! Though I don't know if you are from there😅. But I hope you can come to visit Germany, as it is really beautiful 😍
@@SoneaT yes I’m from the USA, and I have seen pictures and videos of Germany. It looks just beautiful. My daughter and her family are living in Italy for a couple of years, I know they want to visit your country!
I am still hesitant to call the carbohydrate sponge that is sold in American supermarkets "bread"
I had to laugh as an American who hates the typical American sandwich bread when we moved to Poland and they sold what looked like the same tasteless white bread and called it 'tost' bread and charged MORE than the regular 'chleb' which makes wonderful toast. I still can't figure out why any Pole would buy so-called tost bread when they have great chleb which makes far better tost than that stuff.
@@beckypetersen2680 it's because it lasts longer, that's the only reason
@@ninototo1 OK. that probably makes sense, but you can always freeze the chleb and pull it out as needed.
@@beckypetersen2680 many people have no freezers
You can buy better bread in bakeries in the U.S. It's not as convenient as the supermarket, but depending on the bakery there is lots of handcrafted bread types available.
Our supermarket sells "La Brea" bread in the bakery section, which is pretty good.
While it may seem draconian to food manufacturers, the EU policy of erring on the side of caution seems a more prudent approach. There are plenty of stories told by US citizens that spend considerable time in Europe, how they lost weight and felt better during their stay, and then felt sick for a while when returning back to the states. That may only be anecdotal evidence, but still evidence that there IS a difference between EU and US food!
Sounds true. But the EU is still controlled by the US in many regards - so I hope we can keep up these upper standards. 😬
I felt sick for around a month after visiting the US, my friend did as well. I completely broke out, felt bloated, gained weight and was just not in a good mood at all. I think most Americans would need the possibility to leave their country for some time to learn about the importance of good food safety, how do you want to know how bad your food is when you never had the chance to try something else?
@@serpent213 Controlled ???????????? By what ? FULL direct legal source links, please. The blind comment is useless.
I lived in the US for a long time, when I moved to another country I dropped a bunch of weigh and felt a lot better immediately
So true. I always go to the garden in my own yard first. Never have trusted government with my food.
The more important question is: do we have to import cheap chicken? Oversweet soda? US American apples? I don't even buy Chilenean oder New Zeeland Apples. And there are enough chicken farmers and apple farmers (and everything else) in my region to buy regional (and seasonal).
Regional sadly is not equivalent to being more ecological and having a better CO2 footprint.
@@BlueFlash215 Well, yes it is when compared to food already transported a few thousend kilometres to start with
@@antonb9459 no it's not. Food that traveled thousand miles per ship produces less CO2 because of the huge amount of food you can store on just one single ship.
A regional food may seem more ecological but trucks and train just can't transport as much as one ship.
Don't get me wrong, I prefer as much regional food as available. But the facts are sadly like I state above...
@@DJST1NG3R well yes it is. A Truck that drives 20 kilometers loaded with apples produces less CO2 than a ship that is under way for thousands of kilometers. Im sure you meant the right thing, but Transportation is important among many other things regarding the footprint. Don't say it isn't . Thats Blashpemy!
@@CosinusCarl I never said it isn't. And yes a truck that drives 20 kilometer loaded with produces infact less CO2 than a container ship. But to bring the same amount that a ship can transport it produces more CO2 (depending a bit on the length of the route) than the ship. Cause the ship can transport 10 thousand of tons with just one drive.
And if you read my first comment right you must have understand that I prefer food that is regional and have a very short transportway.
What I state above and in the other comment are just the existing facts. It doesn't mean I'm prefer that method.
I am sorry Ashton but this video is too "blue-eyed" for me!
You did mention one crucial point only in passing and might have missed it yourself:
In the US risk assessment is mainly done by the companies themselves! Companies can declare their products as "Generally Recognized As Safe". For me, this is the same as declaring the goat as the gardener. ((Ziegen) Bock zum Gärtner machen). In these cases, the FDA only does a check if the company asks for it!
Since its implementation in 1997, a further 250 food additives have been added to the US market. Of course, I am sure the companies have run extensive and expensive tests by independent labs to ensure the safety of their customers...
Also what American Bread are you talking about, please? Isn't it counted as a cake due to the high sugar percentage? ;)
|| declaring the goat as the gardener ||
nice saying, we say "Put the fox in charge of the chicken coop"
@@giacomoboffi9394 German sayings are vegetarian. 😉
Of course risk assessment studies in the U.S. are primarily done by companies-they are the ones applying for safety review, and naturally they should pay for the expensive part of the process. That doesn't mean the studies are flawed; there's huge risk to a company bringing an unsafe product to market. It behooves them to have confidence in safety before applying.
@@TheAntibozo You kind of overstimate the fear of responsibility of companies. If the profit margine is higher then the expected penalty for doing bad stuff, companies will do it anyway. Opiod-crisis in the US is probably one of the best examples for it. Car companies also do it a lot.
If you find out 5 years later that the stuff is carciogenic, the harm is already done. No money in the world is probably worth getting cancer.
How many substances were forbidden by EPA in US last decades? Oh well...
There is a belief in Europe that chlorinating chicken may be safe to the consumer BUT it is UN necessary if good hygiene measures are applied throughout the process. In other words it is a cheap and easy way to avoid implementing hight standards in both hygiene and animal welfare. (and allowing the production of cheaper products that undercut the local producers who DO invest in high standards).
Probably we have to take into account the low level of education and intelligence in general among the population in the USA. Thus it makes sense to chlorine chicken to lower deaths or poisoning in the USA.
@@Kevin-bl6lg We may have lower education but we are not uneducated. We are certainly not stupid. Thanks
@@tammyparish9340 I think this isn't a complaint about American people but about American education system
No the issue is that even with washing with chlorinated water, you are over 10 times more likely to catch Salmonella in the USA than in Europe. Ideally, we would like to wash our chicken in chlorine too, and make it even safer. However while the USA insists on appalling animal welfare standards and disgusting abattoir practices the ban will have to stay in place to keep by European standards dangerous chicken raised to unacceptable welfare standards out.
Another great post.
Apples: 😁
Apples in US supermarkets look pristine, polished and enticing. They taste of nothing!
In EU supermarkets they mostly look gnarled, patchy and small (in comparison). But they have heaps of taste.
For me, regardless of the biological or chemical prohibitions, I'd go for European apples any day.
We touched on the "perfectness" of American food in grocery stores a while back, but it really is an interesting issue. There's a growing movement to normalize "ugly" food to reduce food waste.
@@TypeAshton do lesser quality foods in the US (like apples that aren't up to the highest standard) not get used for juices and stuff?
I never have like apples from the American grocery store. My mom has apple trees , so I have had the tasty alternative
I picked apples in America many years ago that were for sale. Most people don’t understand that they may be getting apples that have been in cold storage for quite some time and as i understand it as much as 5-8 years. Other produce can come out of storage after quite some time too. I know that I am looking for to tell me how fresh the produce is so I don’t buy old food that way. Bread is junk for the most part where I live and if is “squishes” it is just junk filled with air that I don’t waste my money to buy. The problem with produce that has been in cold storage for a while is that it spoiled faster than from a fresh crop so I decide carefully how much to buy in off seasons and am prepared to can, dry or freeze it so it doesn’t spoil on me before I can use it.
There are only a very few American apples I'll buy. Most are very tasteless with a terrible texture. The good ones come from local farms and are varieties I've never heard of before, but they're amazing. I don't think they'd ship well. Other than that, pink lady or honeycrisp, but very little else.
I'm watching twitch streamers from the US for many years now. They often talk about what fast food they had that day and almost never prepare their meals themselves. So far alone this one streamer had four food poisenings. In contrast in my 40 years in Germany I only know of one person that had problems and that was because he ate a potato salad with eggs which were too old.
Honestly, I would be scared to go out eating in the US.
same here for watching US streamers, what I always wonder, about them or people in chat is how they look forward to eating at this and that fast food chain. I don't understand that at all, every corner kebab or whatever streetfood, or just a piece of fruit tastes better than anything I ever had at any fast food restaurant. The only reason I would go for fast food, would be if nothing else was open and I would have to be drunk. So I really don't understand how people can look forward to it, and I guess this is not only a US thing, but I see it mostly in US people. And to be clear I'm just talking taste here, I'm not talking about healthy or unhealthy.
@@Bunny_Aoife well, kebab is fast food.
@@Bunny_Aoife tbh I'd like to try them at least once, because I always here about chains like taco bell, Wendy's, Popeyes, In-N-Out, Chipotle, Chick-fil-A and whatever else there is just for the experience as they don't exist here
@@Bunny_Aoife I live in the US, and where I live we don't have kebabs. I went to Europe and man, kebabs and fish and chips are on every corner.
In the US we do have food trucks that make pretty good food. But it is not everywhere, and sometimes it is more expensive than fast food value menu sandwich.
The people who work in food production & preparation/serving usually have little or no paid sick leave. So turning up for work when you probably shouldn't is normal in the US
Never trust a bread that can be kept in the fridge without tasting terrible. Never trust a bread that can sit on the counter for weeks without molding.
I never had Trouble eating bread untill i was in America. It tastes bad, way to sweet, i was bloated, my belly hurt, felt terrible.
Bread should be stale in 3 days and mood within a week. Keeping it in a fridge makes it stale in a day. Not? I pass.
American laws are in favor of companies. European laws are considering the environment, people and the animal.
Bread should be stale in 3 days? So you don't like/trust the good old Schwarzbrot (pumpernickle) or Knäckebrot (crispbread)? ;)
Was ein Quatsch. Traditionelles deutsches Roggenbrot hält sich mehrere Wochen ohne Kühltruhe. Sättigt etwas älter sehr viel besser als ganz frisch und ist auch bekömmlicher.
Ich hab gerade Gulaschsuppe gegessen und hatte ein Brötchen vom letzten Wochenende dazu, trocken, aber ideal, um es in die Suppe zu brocken. Natürlich ein Brötchen vom traditionellen Bäcker und kein Formstück aus der Großbäckerei.
@@raythevagabond3724 well crisp bread is dry already.
@@raythevagabond3724 just regular bread you put peanutbutter on it for lunch. Yeah that is stale in 3 days. And in summer mold grows on it with a 5 days. Knäckebröd is a cracker not a bread. But when opened those are getting softer.
Sure crackers and ryebread and some others will be okay for weeks but just normal bread with yeast..the best is gone within days and it molds within a week.
Nonsense. I bake my own bread and keep it in the fridge so it won't grow mold. It's delicious.
I very much like European food standards even if they go to far sometimes.
Every time me and my parents go to North America, we break out in acne and gain weight, eating the same things we do back home.
Another point - perhaps already mentioned in some comments - is that a lot of foods in the US contain high fructose syrup either as a substitute for genuine sugar or added for the purpose of being a preservative that extends shelf life. I think it is one of those reasons why many foods are sweeter in the US. Also, if I'm not mistaken, that is one of the contributing factor to the obesity problem. There a timeline correlation between increasing obesity and the presence of high fructose syrup in various foods.
HFGS is used because it is cheaper than sucrose. HFGS is sweeter than sucrose because it is a glucose and fructose mixture. If they didn't use HFGS they could use "Invert syrup" which is produced by breaking sucrose into glucose and fructose with heat and acid.
Thank you very much for your contribution. I have been following your channel for quite a while. As someone who moved to the US from Germany for four years, I find the food comparison very interesting.
It is well known that Germany has the strictest food laws in the world, some of which even exceed the regulations of the EU. But what struck me most in the USA is what the FDA apparently allows in food. When American cheese has to be labeled as "cheese flavored" at the counter or even $5 pasta tastes like you're biting on plastic, you question the FDA system and the so-called approach of "proves." After 2 months in the USA, I almost felt compelled to shop expensively at Whole Foods because I couldn't be sure what I was really getting on my plate anywhere else. Even though I love the USA, this is where I feel there is catching up to do on the US side.
Hi from South Africa. I use unbleached organic pure flour, brown bread flour, and spices WITHOUT FLOUR! And it's delicious! From my Mom's side, her great grandpa came from Germany in the 1800s, my Mom is German, and I grew up with traditional German food and a German culture. We take our health and what we eat very seriously. Very health conscious.
About chlorinated chicken:
My concern is not about the chlorine but about a production method that can't do without.
Yeah, I agree. The American market is really tough for farmers to NOT handle animals commercially. Our family used to raise hogs, but stopped in the 80's because there weren't any profits unless you ran a HUGE operation.
I think that is the EU's concern too.
There is more chlorine in your tap water. Chlorinated chicken is a myth. Yes, the birds are passed through a dilute solution of calcium hypochlorite (HTH) after evisceration. This is because the eviscerator might damage the large intestine, and allow faecal matter into the cavity. The HTH solution kills any pathogens. Rest assured the birds are completely washed in purified water after passing through the HTH solution.
I live in a town that it's major production plant is chicken. Chlorine is necessary to kill all the bacteria and virus contamination. It's safe, it's effective and it's cheap. It's also in drinking water. You get more exposure to it when doing laundry or or swimming.
The existence of bodybuilders prove, that its possible to eat a risky amount of chicken. Its better ro be careful and not borderline poison youre people.
allowed until proven dangerous or not allowed until proven safe
Well, I prefer the second.
By the way: There are many aspects of life where the second principle applies even in the US. e.g. driving licenses. No one is allowed to drive a car until one has proven to having the knowledge of how to drive a car safely. Also in medicine: Not everyone is allowed to treat patients. They have to prove that they're no danger to their patients.
I heard that there was also some different approaches to pharmaceuticals under these premises... 🤔
hey, everyone knows that guns dont kill people, in the USA....
Wrong on the meds - i can’t take the meds here for most issues unless I want to be worse off than I am without them. Good food has proven to be a better promoter of health than drugs especially since Dec 2019
A major problem with the "allowed until proven dangerous" approach is that as long as there isn't any data, something can't be proven harmful. Basically the "this sign can't stop me, because I can't read" approach to food safety.
But you are allowed to drive a car without a license.
You're not allowed on public roads..
Alcohol has been proven unsafe, yet still allowed.
Smoking has been proven unsafe, yet still allowed. And seems quite popular still in Germany.
Sugar causes diabetes yet still allowed.
Innocent until proven guilty is good for the legal system, but bad for the food safety system.
I've heard about 2 unrelated people who traveled to Australia and Ireland. They each lost weight outside the US without changing diet or activity level. They each attributed it to additives in American food.
People with gastrointestinal problems also Report feeling better outside of the US.
Seems to me that Germany is very health conscious, and prefer organic, as in REALLY organic to things on the food that is not food. I'm with Germany on this.
But why do Germans go to the Netherlands and buy a lot of US and Asian import foods?
Organic food is entirely different again. And it's marked. There is the EU label for organic food, but also a couple of organizations with stricter regulations to get their label.
Organic is Banned because of the enviromental damage its fertilisers and Pestecides causes.
@@HappyBeezerStudiosno there isnt we have Bio what is an totaly diffrent Methode from Organic farming.
Organic farming is banned because of its fertalizers and Pestecides beeing banned.
But even comercial farming uses less harmfull product even basic Things like Backingpowder
@@TeRenner123 that means 14% of the farms in Germany are illegal, and farmers are making over 15 billion € with it annually.
German way: Don’t throw children in the water unless you know they can swim
USA way: Let them throw the kids into the water, If they drown we try to help
This was the thinking 40+ years ago. Children are protected now (which they should be). Nowadays kids go to swim classes. In areas where pools, lakes, canals, and/or ocean is common the city and the YMCA offers free swim lessons ages 6 months to 99+ years for people who can't afford swim lessons. In areas where pools etc isn't common they start learning to swim for free at 5 years. My 2 year old already knows how to swim better than alot of adults. She just doesn't have the endurance. I did this when living in Switzerland without a swimming pool in the backyard also.
In areas where pools and lakes are common everyone thinks a 6 month old learning to save itself is drowning. To an untrained person they think the 6 month old is drowning. They aren't. They are holding their breath so they can't drown. The babies are learning to survive if they should fall into the pool without an adult knowing.
@@jessicaely2521 Happy to hear that this crude thing is of the past. But is the idea behind what I described really history? Is the “winner takes all” thinking really not existing anymore? I am not convinced...
@@wr6293 it's not the way you think. Up north where people didn't have pools in their backyard kids didn't learn how to swim unless their parent knew how to swim and the parents made an effort to teach their child to swim. My mom never learned how to swim. My mom only knew how not to drown. My dad had some lessons from his dad, but not much. My parents were born up north. The kids born in the south and had pools in their backyard would either learn how to swim because they fell in, their parents were around when they fell in, they drowned, or their parents were rich enough to afford swim lessons. The people in the south and who had pools didn't have the technology that we do now. Nowadays we have pool alarms for when a child falls in the pool, a sturdy mesh fence that goes around the pool to keep kids out, and better locks for door leading out to the pool. When I was a kid we didn't have the fancy technology (fence, pool alarm, and locks). What we did have when I was a kid is cheap swim lessons (it still wasn't free). I learned to swim by a teacher when I was 1 years old.
Edit the areas where they don't have swimming pools they really don't do "winner takes all." They never purposely did this. It's a requirement by home owner insurance companies to have a pool fence and/or a pool alarm around the pool. We found out about secondary drowning. This is when kids look fine right after they almost drown, but go and die hours later because the way their body reacted to fluid in their lungs. People don't want their child to die. Also if you do this and Department of Children Services finds out about this from a neighbor you will possibly loose your children and be charged with child abuse. If your child dies and it's known that you threw your child into the swimming pool you will be charged with their death. Kids are overprotected in some areas in the US. I mean outside the US have you ever heard of a parent being arrested for child abuse because they told their child to play in the backyard without you being outside? This happens in the US. Playgrounds are super safe in the US. My daughter doesn't like going to pthe playground here in the US because it's boring. My daughter was born in Switzerland and spent the first 5 years of her life in Switzerland. It's unheard of for schools not to allow kids to walk to school in Germany and Switzerland. Kids are expected to walk to school in some areas of Germany and Switzerland at 5. A mother in Texas was arrested for child abuse because she allowed her kid to walk to school. The family lived next door to the school. The kid only had to go out their gate and the child was on school property. The charges fell through and the mom sued the school and city, but still the mom lost her child while fighting the charges. There are schools in the US where they won't accept anyone coming to school by foot even if the parent walks with the child. The child HAS TO be dropped off by car.
@@jessicaely2521 Dear Jessica, I respectfully disagree with your statement that “winner takes all” was not on purpose.
Public pools have been systematically been closed in the USA and hence only those with access to private pools or clubs with pools where in the lucky position of being able to learn swimming…
@@wr6293 You aren't separating north from south. Places like California, Florida, etc it's common to have a pool in the backyard, beach within driving distance, OR a man-made lake in the backyard. Even apartment complexes had swimming pools in Florida. Florida has the Everglades and kids swim there a lot. Florida you can also wait for a good rain during the summer and swim in the low lying areas. This was all 40+ years ago. I don't think you understand how much water there is in places like Florida, Louisiana, Georgia, parts of Texas, and parts of California. The Northerners were on their own. There are lakes, rivers, and ponds they could swim in but again your paremt(s) had to know how to swim and took the time to teach you how to swim.
Nowadays every city in the US has a public pool and it's $1-$10 to swim. Kids under 5 are free in a lot of areas. YMCA has swim lessons based on your income. If you're poor you pay a little. If you're rich you pay alot. Also alot of YMCA's in the US are offering Learn to Swim program which teaches school age children how to swim. Kids would practice what they learned with an adult at the lake, pond, river, pool, etc. I was an instructor for this program. This is an article about the program in my local newspaper.
YMCA offers free lessons with 'Learn to Swim' program
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) - With summer right around the corner, pool safety is vital for families with children, but swim lessons aren’t always affordable. The YMCA is helping to bridge the gap for underserved communities.
Amy Kennedy has been involved in the YMCA “Learn to Swim” program since 2010.
“It’s very important for your kid to learn how to swim,” she said. “Anything can happen. They could fall, they could trip and fall not even into a pool, into a lake or pond. You don’t need very much water to drown. Just knowing what to do in that situation helps out a lot. There’s a lot of apartment complexes out there that have pools and they don’t have lifeguards, so the kids need to be aware.”
Kennedy told News 2 many of the children that come into her class are fearful, while others are very curious.
The Learn to Swim program is a partnership between the YMCA and Metro-Nashville schools, which provides swim lessons for first and second graders during their PE program for free.
The response from parents has been positive.
“I’ve heard from the teachers that they’re extremely excited that they’ve been able to have the opportunity , that their kids are able to learn something so important that they couldn’t provide,” Kennedy said.
The program takes place at four different locations and lasts 14 weeks. That’s plenty of time, according to Kennedy, for the kids become more comfortable in the water.
“We heard a little boy say to one of our instructors that he’s not scared anymore. That’s huge because that little boy was almost in tears when we first started the program, and now he’s jumping into 12 foot,” she said.
If there are parents out there interested in their schools participating in the program, they should reach out to their school’s administrators.
I live in NYC, since 2000, from Milan. I was chatting with the manager of a relatively upscale Italian restaurant (not Italian-American, true Italian/Tuscan). In NY they can not serve cheese or cold cuts like prosciutto/raw ham at room temperature like in Italy. That is why they have to slice the prosciutto paper thin, unlike in Italy. Otherwise, it would be too cold and hard to serve. Cheeses like Taleggio, which are very ripe and decadent need to be served at room temperature. In NY they seem to enforce very cold temperatures. If you buy a $12 baguette sandwich at the airport or some chains like Pret à Manger in NYC, these baguettes will be bought and eaten fridge cold. In Italy €6 panini often sit during rush hour at room temperature and they are grilled or eaten as they are. It is interesting that in the USA artificial flavors, colors, chemicals, unhealthy fats, and huge amounts of corn syrup are allowed in processed foods, but they are so strict in keeping all food extremely cold.
I think another reason for the different approaches is healthcare. In the US if you got cancer due to an additive it falls on your shoulders but in the EU such things cause more stress on the public healthcare system and thus costs the government more so the government is far more careful to let such additives in food.
I would imagine that could certainly play a role.
That's a great reason for the US to introduce universal Healthcare, get rid of crap quality foods te help reduce medical costs.
@@TypeAshton You don't have to imagine, it is always part of the discussion. Maybe more obviously when it comes to smoking and drinking, but absolutely also about food. There is a dilemma when it comes to meat and dairy, though, because it lies very deep in the foundational principles of the EU that we should never again lack those products and potentially starve. Changing diets and agriculture to a greener culture is this generation's big challenge.
"If you drink more than 2l of any soda per day, you're going to have health problems" - nope. One year, might have been 1991, I was working part-time for UPS, loading parcels into containers for long distance transport. In summer, I drank well over three liters of Coke in those four hours of work. If that had been Mt. Dew, I'd have been in trouble. So, I'm ok with the authorities banning an ingredient that you might end up ingesting in dangerous amounts.
LOL.. Vita Cola. The East German clone of Coca Cola (tried it in 1986 when visiting my relatives in eastern Germany, was underwhelmed).
Regarding the different approaches to food safety, I seem to remember the long, drawn-out fights by some individuals against large corporations after getting harmed by some ingredient. It's much easier for a large corporation to prove something is safe than for an individual to prove something is unsafe. If the corporation doesn't want to (or they want to fight the individual because it's just cheaper to keep using the harmful ingredient), in the US the can do so, in the EU, they have to contend first with actual experts that have the power to simply tell them NO! and make it stick.
So, while the EU regulations often place traditional methods of doing something in jeopardy, they seem to be a good idea when dealing with creative uses of potentially hazardous chemicals in food.
Over 3 liters of Cola a day of course causes health problems. Maybe you didn't drop dead, but I'm quite it harmed you a lot (way too much sugar, weakened bone structure from phosphoric acid, results if high doses of caffeine...).
Obviously you don't know a lot about nutrition and biology. Hope your heart is ok and you changed your lifestyle. Our body is able to come back from a lot of damage over time .
Smoking can't be dangerous, because my smoking grandfather became over 100 years old
Short story: An american friend of mine once sent me a package with different stuff. And I was wondering why he sent me sponges!? o_O But they worked very well! So nevermind! Some days later we phoned and he asked me how I liked the bread and me was like: "There was no bread in the package!" ... I mean: That says a lot about american bread! I didn't even recognized it as bread! I though those were sponges! Well, ... tells a lot about the bread quality in the US ... :-( *lol - I guess I'll stay with my german bread instead! :-)
The only fault, and I mean the only fault, about American toast bread they can't make at all. They call it American sandwich bread where you can eat without the toaster, but you cannot. It does not taste good.
With that said, the German bread is much better than the bread in the USA
I love this comment. That America feed poor people.
That's sadly funny.
No I would really love to see a picture of the bread/sponges that you got.
"Come frequently in contact with in our daily lives pretty frequently": "gasoline exhaust"
Last time I checked those fumes weren't recommended in spa treatments. And while yes, we do come in contact with exhaust gases frequently, it is not recommended to make a conscious effort to seek them out. On the contrary, if you need to be exposed to higher concentrations, gas filter masks are advised.
As with most substances, the dosage is relevant. Coming in contact with Aloe Vera once every two years is different from having a daily dose in products made with flour. Which are ubiquitous.
As a European in the EU, i am glad that my food is safe to eat.
I was in Europe back in 2004-Germany, Italy, Austria, Switzerland & Holland. The food was so simple and amazing! I’ve been depressed about the food here in the US ever since and it’s getting unbelievably worse. They are killing us here.
58 live in U.S. and you are spot on!
Bread was the biggest difference I found. The taste, smell, and texture between American bread and German bread is completely different.
There is, of course, a huge difference between having to prove that an ingredient in a food is harmful after it has gone on sale, and ensuring that an ingredient in a food is guaranteed to be harmless before production.
Unfortunately, in the U.S., much is left up to the manufacturing companies. This may be one reason why the average life expectancy in the USA is 4 years less than in Germany.
Or it may not be.
I rather think, the 2nd amendment is the reason for the lower average life expectancy in the US
And the obesity rate is twice as high as in Germany.
I could taste the chlorine in certain brands of American chicken. My friends and family all told me I was crazy, but I could never finish a chicken dinner because the meat tasted like it had been brined in a public pool. Bone-in breasts had the strongest clorine flavor, particularly the meat/juices closest to the breast bone.
Same here, when it was still allowed in the EU.
Guess why aMurican food products are flavored that much. Right.
You’re crazy. 🤷🏻♂️Chlorine breaks down very fast as you know if you have a pool. Depends on where you live (how far from the water plant) the water can have a heavy chlorine taste. But you definitely won’t taste it in chicken.
There must be a reason that people in europe and japan can expect to live longer than in the us. Also the US is the only First World Nation where the Life Expectancy is shrinking since some years.
But I think that is mainly because of our healthcare-systems. We don't stay at home and die, we call an ambulance and don't worry about the cost...
I'm sure access to healthy, balanced meals is part of it. Also in combination with a more sedentary lifestyle and lack of affordable access to preventative healthcare plays a part too. We sadly notice how much more of an issue obesity is in the US every time we go back .
I am sorry but I prefer precaution like we have in Europe. I don’t want trash in my food „just in case it might be safe“. The need to prove their ingredients are safe first.
I buy my groceries from local producers. My groceries are therefore seasonal. I don't feel restricted and am looking forward to the seasonal delicacies
They taste soooo much better in season too!
comparing US bread with German bread is comparing the drawings of a 10 month old toddler to a Rubens painting...
*lol*
You need to say some US bread. There's organic (bio) bread in the US. The only things in my bread in the US Organic whole wheat organic whole wheat flour, organic cracked whole wheat, water, organic cane sugar, organic 21 Whole Grains and Seeds mix organic whole flax seeds, organic sunflower seeds, organic ground whole flax seeds, organic brown sesame seeds, organic triticale (this was invented in Scotland or Germany), organic pumpkin seeds, organic rolled barley, organic rolled oats, organic rolled rye, organic black sesame seeds, organic cornmeal, organic millet, organic rolled spelt, organic brown rice flour, organic amaranth flour, organic yellow cornmeal, organic quinoa, organic buckwheat flour, organic sorghum flour, organic poppy seeds), organic wheat gluten, organic oat fiber, contains 2% or less of each of the following: organic molasses, sea salt, yeast, organic vinegar.
@@jessicaely2521 American bread is still nothing compared to german bread
@@keronimo5713 typical foreigner. You haven't tried every single bread in the US. You can't make a generalization like this.
@@jessicaely2521 Typical American, accusing a foreigner of never tasting real US Bread, when the American hasn't tried real German bread, either.
I agree that you make your own bread and that's awesome.
But I agree with the German. Store-bought bread in the US is gross
Our european approach to food safety (and to safety in general) is influenced by history. Look up Thalidomide (in Germany infamous as Contergan). In those days, it was still more a "let's assume it's safe if the producer says it is".
The error was that the molecular was mirror-inverted
We had thalidomide here too, but continue to pander to the chemical giants.
When I visited Germany years ago I asked someone why the orange crush drink I got was not orange. I was told about them not using artificial dyes and stuff. I didn't see anything wrong with that. I even liked that they were concerned about people's health. And their food in Germany was delicious. I wasn't expecting that. I wasn't a big fan of sauerkraut, but their food is so much more than sauerkraut.
Orange Fanta in Europe looks more like carbonated orange juice because the color is closer to juice. Most orange sodas in the U.S. have an intense orange color.
Fun fact: Sauerkraut is originally from Alsace/France.
Sauerkraut is so good!
@@Goddybag4Lee maybe in Germany it's good but I'm not crazy about the kraut made in the US, specially the canned stuff that tastes like can.
@@susanfarley1332 should be sold in glas jars!
as an older person in alabama, i have often complained that foods often don't taste nearly as good as they did when i was growing up, or even when i started my own household. for example, the additives or way cheese is made makes most brands taste like cardboard. when young, i always bought kraft brand, but now i never touch it. i'd rather do without than buy stuff that tastes that awful. there are lots of other examples i could give, too. lots of things done in this arena are to preserve stuff, but that comes at the expense of taste. anyway, i could rant on this for quite awhile, but you get the idea.
What this demonstrates for me is how far outside the mainstream my food habits are. I exclusively buy eggs and dairy from the farmers market, because I have visited the farms and seen how they treat the animals. For that matter, I also buy the apples at the farmers market, and yes, there are occasionally blemishes. Honestly what I find terribly bizarre is that strange wax they cover supermarket fruit in. The bottom line is that I far prefer knowing that the kale I will buy at the market tomorrow was literally just pulled from the ground today, and I embrace the idea that meals will change with the seasons.
When you see apples in American movies, they are always either bright green (I think the type is called granny smith) or dark red (red delicious) - just like in your example pictures.
I was quite astounded when I tried to buy apples in Walmart in the US and only found those two kinds of apples there. Are there really no other kinds of apples in normal US supermarkets? German supermarkets, even discounters, carry several different kinds of apples at any given time, and the above-mentioned ones are not very common here (maybe because of their taste?)
Interesting! In the US I have also seen Fuji apples, Pink Ladies and Jonathan apples (as you can imagine... Jonathan's favorite 🤣). I am personally partial to the Granny Smith kind.
@@TypeAshton mmmmm…Granny Smith. But yes in US we have many varieties of apples in stores here in US and WalMart is not a good example of variety of produce.
There are many varieties of apples grown in the US, but Corporate Food sells what is most profitable, and other varieties are found in smaller and more local markets. Appearance and shelf life are the biggest factors, and taste and nutrition are irrelevant.
Almost any other supermarket in the US will have better apples than Walmart.
@@VinsonMusic Very true! Food is only a sideline for WalMart, and their produce is often very poor. I never buy food there. I'm happier with the products and prices at Market Basket, a New England chain. In summer and fall I get my veggies (and apples) at a local farm stand. More expensive but fresh and tasty!
None of these things are there to benefit the customer. They are only there to improve profitability and conveneince for the supermarkets.
Hi there, very well done. I work in the area of food safety at the international level and appreciate your thorough research and your courage to simplify things. As already some of the commenters below indicate, there are more nuances, of course. I lived and worked for 15y in the US, 15y in Italy and a few other places (originally I am from Germany), and there is one additional aspect that always stands out for me, Europeans are much more worried about risks from chemicals, Americans about risks from microbes. This translates to the very risk adverse European attitude of the precautionary principle (which is essentially applied only to chemical compounds, but less so to "natural" compounds), but risks from Listeria monocytogenes infections through raw milk and raw milk cheeses are taken as a fact of life and some of these cheeses are even considered a valuable cultural heritage. Another very interesting difference is that growth promoters for animal production are not even considered as an indication for vet drugs (and absolutely banned for the most part) in Europe, but less of a concern in many other countries...not sure why, but the opinions in this area are intense....
Just another small element: IARC only classifies hazards, EFSA and US FDA evaluate risks. The difference being: the risk of anything is a function of the hazard AND the exposure to this hazard (think about lightning, a clear and strong hazard, but when people behave appropriately, it poses a very low risk). Anyway, just wanted to drop a note congratulating you for a segment very well done (all of them are)!!!!
I wasn’t surprised that the Sardinian cheese casu martzu was banned- but that they still make it. Your comment explains it!
Thanks for the great comment and sharing some additional valuable information!
In general:
The US FDA has to prove a substance/treatment is dangerous, to get it banned.
The EFSA asks proof from the producer that it's harmless, to be allowed.
Thanks to all who left comments on my thoughts. Here a few more things to consider, as Ashton already mentioned, there does not appear to be much difference in the outcome (keeping consumers safe) between the US and Europe and in fact, among all the high-income countries, consumers there can by large enjoy a very high degree of food safety, and any differences are marginal.
A deeper comparison between the US and Europe cannot simply rely on virtues and perceived values (as in: who has values higher standards and for what reason). Simply put, it is much harder to sue someone in Europe and even if successful the compensations are much lower to those that can be obtained in the US. Hence, the thread and consequences of litigation has a significant impact on US companies, as any oversight on their end will and does lead to litigation. Contrary to Europe, it is possible for everyone to start a lawsuit as many lawyers agree with sharing any payouts, hence, upfront payment of legal fees is not necessary. Such an arrangement (of splitting damages/compensations won or settlements obtained) is mostly illegal in Europe and a significant hurdle to be able sue as the plaintiff would need to advance all legal fees.
This leads to a scenario that many companies operate very carefully and thus the more or less equal outcome for the consumers.
American food safety sucks- both fom the point of chemical as well as the hygiene standard...
There almost a weekly occuring Salmonella or E.coli outbreak somehere
Great video as always. Love your research. I grew up on a farm in Germany and we had many apple trees as well as over 5000 chicken. The chicken farm was like you had it in the picture with the chicken in cages and the eggs rolling down. I think we had 4 chicken in 1 cage. Now, this was 40 years ago and we already were planning on how to make this better for the chicken but it comes at a cost and space needed and we all know that the US is all about making as much money as possible. The same is true for the apples. We stored them in a cellar with no light to keep them fresh as long as possible. Here in the US, I buy apples and can have them laying around for weeks, seeing bump marks on them, but the apple does not get brown, period! I still eat them but I think the preventive approach to food safety is better then "Let's see in 50 years if some people might have died from it".
FDA: "Can you prove that s/he has died bc of the additive?"
Manufacturer: "Can you prove that s/he hasn‘t died bc of something else?"
@@agn855 Exactly. That's why it's far better to have an independent organ to do those tests and proofs rather than a manufacturer. They simply have another agenda, goals, and also means - and, thus, are more trustworthy than the producer, who would allow chlorine on chicken to lower risks, which are caused by overworked staff and unhygienic conditions in the first place, rather than rising the overall training of staff and hygiene and working standards, as using chlorine is simply the less expensive choice for him and is permitting them higher margins.
Usually, the videos in this channel are quite accurate. But this one is very blue-eyed. And, being a parent, I would have expected her to embrace the extra layer of food safety, she finds in Germany.
an apple a day DOES keep the doctor away - if well aimed and hurled with enough force.
hahahaha okay this comment might be a contender for comment of the day. 😂
Can't say enough how much I appreciate all the effort and research you guys put into your videos wether it's building/zoning laws and policy impact or weird food facts everything is so well presented (while still keeping it lighthearted)..
And as always I learned new things about both the EU and America and how they look at regulating and protecting consumers.
Ah wow thank you SO much. These really are a joy to make and we are thrilled that they're well received. ♥️
Couldn't have said it better.
This channel is going in a good direction. The research you put into this is very appreciated.
11:30 Germany is an apple country. It has rank 14 of the biggest producers worldwide, the production per capita is nearly as high as in the US (12.5 kg vs. 14.1 kg per capita), but since Germans consume more than 19 kg apples per capita every year, about one third of the demand has to be imported. Italy produces around half the total amount of apples as the US, which adds up to about 40,6 kg per capita), and about half of that amount is harvested in (mostly German-speaking) South Tyrol resp. Alto Adige.
Have you tried Boskop Apples for your pies. It is a variety which is not shiny and not great for eating, but phantastic for cooking apple sauce or baking cakes/pies.
Respect for all the work you put into this video. It shows. It goes far beyond what can usually be expected from videos of this kind.
why obsolutely want to make apple pie with US apples ? there's good ones locally produced, which didn't need to cross an ocean... better for the planet.
You kind of overheard the fact that Germany is number one Importeur of apples world wide. Ofc you can buy local aplles as well, but there are not enough for all of our population obviously. Or else we wouldn't import that many
I’ve found pink lady apples in my compost heap while digging it out in Ireland. Everything else around them is compost. Strange!
We just moved to Germany! Hannover to be exact, so this is super interesting. We had no idea about some of these! We've subscribed now and can't wait to watch more of your videos!
Ah that's awesome. Thank you so so much and welcome to Germany! ♥️
Welcome to Hannover!
Subscriber here 🍻
@@art.ikulation-stimme2123 Thank you!!
i hope you like the trolley stations in Hannover, they won some awards, in the 80s...lol
and the Kröpke being a big hole in the ground during the 70s...
i got ask which king was living in the Hannover city hall...lol
I know that a friend’s daughter who went to study in Germany had much fewer problems with her stomach than in the US. She could eat items in Germany that she couldn’t in the US.
I've noticed I have less problems with dairy here too.
I went to Ireland for about 2 weeks and could eat bread without bloating! Here, In the US, I eat gluten free (not crappy GF substitutes, just no wheat).
I really like how well researched your videos are (not only this particular one). There are dozens of videos like these with more or less click-baity titles - but most of them are repeating each other without adding value. Thank you!
I think a good example of good quality in Germany is the frequent checks. It is not uncommon to see a message from a manufacturer in the supermarket that a product is being recalled. because there could potentially have been a problem in the charger or it could have come into contact with something bad. it does not necessarily have to be proven, the possibility is sufficient. It can be contaminated, so you can return and exchange it free of charge in any supermarket.
*All* beverages contain a flame retardant. It's called "Dihydrogen Monoxide", or you may know it by the name "water".
Interestingly, so-called “gluten-intolerant” people whose bodies react badly to wheat products in the USA find that they are able to eat bread without consequences when they visit France
This is an american myth I remember too. However for people with actual gluten intolerance and even celiac disease, wheat in Europe is just as dangerous as American wheat.
@@JessyNyan Just relaying what sufferers have told me. It may be that while there are some truly gluten-intolerant people, I suspect that there are many folks misdiagnosed as such, and perhaps what they are reacting to is allergenic GMO yeast, GMO strains of wheat heavily sprayed with Glyphosate (the Roundup-Ready cultivar), or simply a manifestation of far-too-common Leaky Gut Syndrome.
Was expecting low effort crappy clickbait family content but this was very informative. You obviously put a lot of effort into the research and the presentation was very well done too. Good Job 😅
That was interesting, some new information! Regarding the chlorinated chicken: If you take a closer look at the chlorine bath it turns out to be more than gross. The carcasses are dipped into a brew which contains not only chlorine but also feces, slime and other residues. For detailed reading I can recommend Jonathan Safran Foer (Eating Animals) and Michael Pollan (ALL of his books!).
@@c.krueger9530 Exactly! If you consider that a side-effect (not necessarily unwanted by the producers) is that the chickens soak up part of this brew making each chicken weigh more... Makes you think twice before buying chicken.
I really love your academic way of analyzing things. Go on like this. Thumbs up!!
Thank you so much. ❤️
Thank you once again!
As other comments have pointed out, your conclusions about the difference in the fundamental approach of the food safety authorities represents a distinct difference between German/European and American attitudes in general. The former is more concerned about potential threats; the latter takes no action until harm has become obvious.
One comment was also interesting - the American obsession with germs! Fill food with chemicals to make sure that not one single microbe, virus, bacterium, whatever can possibly survive. Keeping cans of disinfectant sprays around the house and spraying everything after every touch.
in 1979, Theo Albrecht, owner and CEO of the German grocery chain, Aldi Nord, bought the Trader Joe's specialty food chain that now has 560 stores around the US. No need to visit a number of delicatessens for your high-quality imported (EU) wine-and-cheese social event ,or for your own use. One stop at TJ's will do.
Your videos go far beyond simple onset. Nice job digging deeper into available information and working to provide perspective. I’ll be looking at your other videos. Thanks.
The problem with things like "you would have to consume THIS MUCH for something to be bad for you." inherently disregards the other sources of those possible harmful ingredients/chemicals/whatevers. For example, maybe Chlorine in chicken is not a problem by itself, but in places where we use it to keep drinking water safe, or have other unavoidable amounts of chlorine in other foods or our environment, the chlorine amounts we consume can get very worrying.
In the end you are talking about the 'Brussels effect', a term was coined by U.S. legal scholar Anu Bradford in an essay that appeared in 2012. There are some videos on YT about it, including a lecture by Bradford herself. It is worth noting that EU regulations are not only influencing the product standards for the global players, but via lobbying the whole industry in countries all over the world.
I've heard the term "regulatory superpower" used in this context - i.e. the ability to influence international production standards just by regulating access to the EU market.
@@varana Correct, if you cannot sell your products in the EU, many other countries will not accept them.
Many countries copy the EU standards for their production, to safeguard their EU export and to cut down on their own research, banned by EU = bad, allowed by EU = harmless.
The fact that 27 relatively rich countries cooperate and set a standard based on science, and specialized institutes with world fame participate in these standards, makes them trustworthy.
And do not forget: the US, Japan and other big players in the market did the same before the twelve stars did appear above the horizon.
That's also what makes the Brexit claim of deregulation so hilarious. If you want to export you'll comply. And you most certainly won't bother to produce with different standards, labeling etc. cause that's also expensive.
Thanks to Phil of "a different bias" for pointing that out time and again.
Basically, it's all about the question whether adding ANY new chemical substance to a food product adds an advantage for the consumer or for the manufacturer.
Healthwise, ANY chemical that is not part of the natural environment adds a considerable risk. And there must be a goddam good reason for adding anything to my food.
Why would you add red color to meat? To make it better or to sell more meat that has already had too long on the shelf? Why would you need to wash chicken in chlorine if the only purpose of chlorine is to remove bacteria that shouldn't be there in the first place?
The EU regulations regarding colors in the ingredient list serve to empower the consumer to make en educated dicision. Don't get me wrong. EU industrial food production is far from ideal and there are more holes in the regulations than in a fishernet. Problem with American industrial food is that there no net at all. What happens is that safety is mainly achieved by suing companies into bankruptcy. That doesn't serve anybody, because the damage has already been done by then, it raises prices because companies need legal shielding against such lawsuits, and it certainly does not provide for good quality. The precautionary principle is vastly superior to that principle of paying for the damage AFTER it's done.
"Drinking more than 2L a day Soda products...." is not very uncommon in the USA! Actually, that is ONE of many reasons, why there are so many obese people in the USA. Most of them eat to much sugar. All the drive thru restaurants (for example) provide unbelievable big containers, the biggest easily more than 1L per container! You never see this in germany.
Best CocaCola market on the planet: Mexico
Most obese children on the planet: Mexico
The way that you explained this makes it so easy to understand, it's absolutely incredible that you go to such lengths to explain the small nuances and differences for these laws and processes. Very well done, and very admirable!
So glad you enjoyed the video! We learned a lot making this one too!
@@TypeAshton I imagine so! I apologize for the off topic question, but if you don't mind me asking, do you ever plan to add German subtitles to any of your videos?
@@Midas-rf4lo fyi youtube adds subtitles automatically when you press “cc”. In the options menu you can than select auto translation, and german is one of the options.
I get why you're culturally inclined towards the approach of allowing things until they're proven harmful - which btw. is often kind of hard to do. Best example being the timeframe of the tobacco getting away with their BS. And I really appreciate your effort when it comes to putting things in perspective. However, gasoline exhaust may not have been the best example to pick here, as the potential carcinogenic nature of that is the very reason why gas stations had to change their pistols over here.
So let me rephrase that for you: 'Is it really so bad that we allow our corporations to potentially kill us in this instance, when we also do not mind allowing the same to them in so many other areas?'
I'm so glad I live in a country, where we largely try to prevent harm from our fellow citizens instead of (mildly) slapping the fingertips of corporations after thousands died, because the ignored warnings were indeed justified.
US government is completely corrupt, that's why
of course the following is an exaggeration, but one of my hobbies is:
checking out brand new expats (US to Germany) that are making videos and check out their skin condition upon arrival
and then check a year later
no more pimples, spots and zits
cleaner/healthier foods, soaps & cosmetics etc. makes cleaner/healthier bodies
and since it is all on videos you can even check your favorite expat videos in retrospection
That is probably because video makers tend to get more professional with time. Better makeup, better lighting setup..
From what I always heard about the Dutch equivalent of the FDA (single countries can have their own bans), in some cases that lead to bans, the idea behind the massive consumption of the single product that might contain a dangerous ingredient or agent or trace of it before it actually becomes dangerous to humans, there can also be indications with other foods.
It can stem from the idea that those other foods might contain other agents or ingredients and can have undesired effects due to the stacking effect of bio-accumulation in our body when those ingredients are combined.
One of them is deemed safe enough, but the combination isn't, or, due to prospects of foods increasingly containing the safer ingredient, the chances of suffering problems because of the combination of both increase.
Perhaps they should try BVO containing soda instead of soda containing BVO? 😉
Probably I‘m lost in translation, but the way you worded the sentence sounds funny to me. #nooffense 😊
Iirc Vita Cola is the original brand that was unique to the GDR. And it really tastes different but is still good.
The problem I see with the FDA approach to food safety is, as you said, the burden of proof is on the consumer side. But if harm is done it is very difficult to proof the cause for a single person. Even when they associate the right ingredient with their cancer, what alone is probably difficult, I believe there will be legal battles between customers and companies for years. So I‘m happy with the approach that everyone who wants to sell me her/his products, especially when I will digest them, that they have to proof they do no harm. 😊
When I moved to Canada, my partner and I noticed a substantial change in our digestive tract. And it is not pleasant.
Living in Canada for many years...missing all the good things from my home in Germany.
😒😢
Again; great job.I spent a couple of years in Germany; well it was West Germany back then I was in the Army and stationed not too far from the Black Forest. What a beautiful country and wonderful people.
There's also the "cocktail effect" of additives, so if a particular chemical isn't proven either way very safe or potentially dangerous, it is better to avoid it as the combination with other chemicals can create adverse effects.
The number of combinations and doses are virtually endless and impossible to really test.
The quantities allowed may seem excessively restricted, but it is also to prevent potential cocktail effects.
Also taking into account that portions of the population have medical treatments that once again multiply the number of possible interactions, it is safer to avoid potentially dangerous chemicals.
As a German who lived many years in the UK and suffering as a mother, nurse and consumer I am so glad to live here in Germany, juice for instance full of E numbers as well as a lot of foods, sent my children hyper, so yea Germany any day 🎉
Citing US studies, paid for by the companies who want to sell their produce, as evidence.... Does not work here. Maybe in the US. But not here.
Apples: Sorry Ashton, but when Germany imports huge amounts of apples does not mean they import from USA. There are other European countries producing apples and southern countries that harvest apples when it's winter here.
I love the video. It's been a while since I had the time to really watch my favorites here working Saturdays and trying to cram all my free time between doing my work here at home especially washing my work clothes and other clothes. Giving me very little time for me. But hey, I have a long weekend this weekend. 😂. Great video. I will check more out this next day and a half. Now back to work here. 😂
Very interesting Episode Like Always, but sorry Ashton. I totally disagree with your opinion regarding this topic.
I give you another example, the WHO and also the EU considers processed meat ( Like a Sausage) as “proven carcinogenic for "Colorectal cancer". If even eating something simple and delicious Like a sausages can get you cancer in the Long Ran.
I personally prefer, Not to consum chemical substances If it's not nessesary. So any practises to use chemical substances for Profit gain, should be extremly resticted or even banned. If you can evoid the use Just do it, Independent of the question of safety.
Your list of 15 Apple importing countries Show. That there is simply No Need for some it.
No it does not depend. I understand it must be hard to say, but it is what it is.
"Prove it's safe, then I eat it" VS "Eat it and prove it's not"
The second approach is just too american..
It's actually more like: Food from the U.S.A. is prohibited in whole Europe and not only Germany. And rightfully so.
Interesting view.
But I still prefer that the EU are "proactive" and prefer to ban things until the industry can prove it is safe. They do this with medicine to. Their health care system is also proactive and trys to deal with health issues before they arise, or catch them early, which is better for the person and from a financial prospective.
I rather this proactive approach to the American approach of "act first, ask later" which allows harmful or potentially harmful substances. Then just waits for people to get sick, which costs lives if they can not afford medical care and then allows the people to sue for millions of dollars.
Süd Tyrol Apfel Strüdel tastes so much better and less sugary than American apple pie. Apple strudel I fin in NYC is bland and sweet. The one I used to buy in Europe, even frozen had tart apples, pine nuts, seeded raisins, true cinnamon. SO good. But I do love pumpkin pie, if not too sugary.
I'm all about research and as an american I don't eat so many different foods here. I was happy to see you are on point when it comes to doing your research. JOB WELL DONE
Been watching and enjoying your videos lately, and they mostly make sense to me, but are you suggesting that gasoline exhaust is not worryingly carcinogenic? Curious for clarification.
My cousin came over to Australia from the US and he said that our chicken tastes soooo much better than chicken in the US. Would love to know why?
if you want american apple varieties for your american pie, you can consider growing an apple tree with american varieties crafted on. and for small gardens there is a solution too, like small growing trees (zwergobstbäume) or staight growing trees (seulenobstbäume).
*Säulen*-Obstbäume, soviel Zeit muss sein ....
@@Balligat was hat eine rechtschreibschwäche mit zeit zu tun?
@@nikomangelmann6054 Gerade in diesem Fall beispielsweise eine Rechtschreibkorrektur - die fast jeder Computer anbietet - zu nutzen bevor man den Kommentar abschickt ...?
@@Balligat stimmt in gewisser weise schon, aber trozdem hat jetzt ihr beitrag überhaupt nichts mit dem thema hier zu tun. ich versteh eh nicht warum man den oberlehrer raushängen lassen muss und jemanden den man überhaut nicht kennt auf evttuelle rechtschreib oder grammatikfehler hinweisen muss wenn es im thema des beitrags überhaup garnicht um rechtschreibung oder grammatik geht. wenn es fehler im inhalt meines textes geht bin ich gern bereit mich belehren zu lassen. evtl sollten sie sich etwas zeit nehmen bevor sie einen kommentar abschicken, ob dieser auch zum thema passt oder einfach nur ihn das gefühl gibt über jemanden zu stehn.
@@nikomangelmann6054 So ist das leider heute: Es werden keine Fehler mehr zugegeben - immer ist wer anders schuld. Sie haben doch die Sache hier ausgedehnt anstatt den Hinweis anzunehmen und es damit gut sein zu lassen .... bemühen Sie sich nicht weiter, für mich ist das jetzt 'Ende der Fahnenstange'!
I think I have seen Mountain dew in shops over here in Ireland. But, in lot of cases drinks that exist here and over there are often produced with very different recipes
It is being sold here in Norway
In the UK and Ireland Mountain Dew is sold as an energy drink by Britvic who hold the local rights to manufacture and distribute the PepsiCo brands in GB and Ireland. However they don’t put a lot of energy into the brand as it cuts across some of their other brands in particular R Whites/TK/C&C. Miranda isn’t distributed in the UK as Britvic own Tango, Robinsons, and MiWadi, so aren’t going to pay PepsiCo for a mark which isn’t as well known as their own similar brands.
In the US, most of our food is produced by huge corporations whose principal purpose is profit. To achieve the greatest profit they produce the maximum amount at the minimum cost. Appearance and shelf life is important, while taste and nutrition not so much, and any legal chemical may be used. These corporations pay lobbyists to influence regulatory legislation.
The safest and most flavorful and nutritious foods are found in smaller, local markets and farm stands.
Personally I prefer the european way with the precautionary principle. That way in europe I can be sure not to be harmed by food etc. while in the US there could b be damage done before the production was stopped or adjusted.
This might not happen as often in the US though as some germans might think and that is due one of the reasons why it is almost impossible to utilize the US-way: reparation payments. Reparation payments in the US once damage would be done are insanely higher than in germany. So companies in the US might have a higher interest in themselfs to produce food and other things than they might have in germany.
That does not mean though that they necessarily give anything about unhealthy effects as log as they can get away with it. And that again is when the precautionary principle can boost the quality on a larger level compared to the US system.
thx again for the video.
as austrian i like the EUs approach to food (and drugs ...) safety more. from my pov even the EUs regulations are often too concerned with profit but not with consumer safety.
that said, my wife and i try to get our food as local as reasonable possible.
one could not always live that 100% but we all could try - not only for your regions but also to reduce the impact of transport on climate change.
grretings from austria.
Thanks for the great video. I remember watching a documentary about a us farmer for organic foods fighting the us reglements for his chicken. They got slaughtered and processed in an open shed, like simply a roof on some stamps. This was considered critical about hygiene standards. He did send multiple examples of his organic chickens and multiple supermarket versions to a laboratory where all the supermarket chlorine chickens had much higher contamination levels than his organic ones. Even the chlorine hammer couldn`t get rid of the bad production consequences.
the sheer amount of research you did for this one video: hat's off! AMAZING! Outstanding. And getting things into perspective.
Fantastic job!
I totally do not oppose to importing food from the US.
BUT: I want it to be safe.
The one thing that really strikes me though is:
How the US agriculture industry keeps on whining about our regulations.
Guys, literally THE ONLY THING you have to do is to adhere to our quality standards. That’s all.
There is no secret barrier to enter European market. Just produce what we, your potential customers, WANT.
I can’t imagine any other industry whining „oh no those evil Europeans only want red cars but all we produce is blue cars, let’s put up as much political pressure as well to make them accept blue“. Every other sane person would simply decide to set up a second paint shop and start painting red if that’s what your potential customers want.
Only in agriculture your industry refuses to accept customer demand as a factor in how they produce.
If Europeans don’t want chlorinated chicken then why oh why dint you just produce the way WE want them instead of trying to force your cr*p to the rest of the world?
Start to produce what we want and you won’t have any entry barrier into our market and face happy consumers, that’s how easy it is.