FORBIDDEN FRUIT and OTHER ILLEGAL EATS

and OTHER FORBIDDEN FRUIT ILLEGAL EATS MANGOSTEEN WHAT IS IT: A fruit native to South- east Asia WHY IT'S ILLEGAL: Due to fear of Asian fruit flies that can devastate local crops, Southeast Asian countries are unable to export the fresh fruit. WHERE IT'S ILLEGAL: North America, Europe DURIAN WHAT IS IT: A large, smelly fruit that looks like jack fruit or a green porcupine. WHY IT'S ILLEGAL: The fruit smells so pungeantly bad that many public places, such as hotels and bus stations, prohibit people from carrying it. WHERE IT'S ILLEGAL: In many public places in Southeast Asia FOIE GRAS WHAT IS IT: Fatty duck or goose liver WHY IT'S ILLEGAL: The birds are painfully force-fed food until their livers are 10 times their normal size. The cruel and horrific process has made it illegal. WHERE IT'S ILLEGAL: Argentina, and the cities of Chicago and San Diego. Force-feeding birds for the production of foie gras is illegal in Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Italy, Norway, Poland, and Israel. FUGU LIVER WHAT IS IT: Fugu is the Japanese word for pufferfish, a small fish that is considered the second-most poi- sonous vertebrate in the world. WHY IT'S ILLEGAL: The meat of a Pufferfish is considered a delicacy in countries like Japan and Korea. However, the liver contains the deadly neurotoxin, tetrodotoxin, of which humans need only ingest a few milligrams for a fatal reaction to occur. WHERE IT'S ILLEGAL: Japan HAGGIS WHAT IS IT: A dish containing sheep's heart, liver and lungs, minced with spices and vegetables, sim- mered in the animal's stomach or sheep's casing WHY IT'S ILLEGAL: The U.S. prohibits sale for consumption of haggis' awful ingredients such as sheep's lungs and windpipe. WHERE IT'S ILLEGAL: United States CASU MARZU WHAT IS IT: Sardin- ian for "rotten cheese," this deli- cacy is made by injecting Pecorino cheese with half- inch maggot larvae that digest the cheese, bringing it to a whole new level of fer- mentation. WHY IT'S ILLEGAL: Often eaten with live maggots inside, there are dangers associated with consuming the cheese. The larvae are largely unaffected by stomach acid and can bore through the intestinal tract and make a run for internal organs. WHERE IT'S ILLEGAL: It is only illegal in the only place where people eat it: Sardinia. ORTOLAN WHAT IS IT: A sparrow-size song- bird from Europe and parts of Asia that is captured alive, blinded, and painfully fattened on a diet of figs and oats. It's then drowned alive in Brandy, roasted and consumed whole in one bite. WHY IT'S ILLEGAL: The bird is highly endangered. Those caught hunting the bird in France can receive a $10,000 fine. WHERE IT'S ILLEGAL: It is illegal to hunt them in France, but not to eat them. wikipedia.org | browardpalmbeach.com | npr.org mentalfloss.com tripbase.com | downtownexpress.com вх вX