These Five Foods Are Now Illegal in Minnesota

Food preferences here in Minnesota are unique and varied. Whether you prefer some genuine Minnesota Tater Tot Hot Dish or the more traditional lutefisk is a matter of personal preference-- neither food is against the law to serve. But did you know five foods are actually illegal to serve here in the Bold North?

The Land of 10,000 Lakes is known for some great restaurants and some uniquely Minnesota foods, some of which you'll likely only find here in the North Star State. Good luck finding some genuine Minnesota Wild Rice Soup elsewhere! But there are some unusual foods that you WON'T find here in Minnesota-- because they're now illegal.

Now, there aren't all that many foods that are against the law here in the Gopher State, but keep scrolling to check out five foods that are actually illegal, and are not allowed here in Minnesota. And, once you see which ones made the list, it's likely you probably wouldn't want to eat them anyway.

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RAW MILK

Reader's Digest says raw, or unpasteurized milk, hasn’t been pasteurized to kill bacteria, and is 150 times more likely to cause foodborne illness than pasteurized dairy products, according to the FDA’s website, and its sale is banned in 21 states, including Minnesota.

However, Minnesota does have a provision on how you CAN get raw milk. According to the Minnesota Department of Agriculture:

On an occasional basis, consumers may go directly to dairy farms to purchase raw milk directly from the farmer. Farmers are not allowed to bottle raw milk for sale, so consumers must also bring their own container to the farm if they are buying raw milk. Any sales that take place off the farm are a violation of State law.

HORSE MEAT

While Reader's Digest notes that horse meat is 'a fairly popular dish in other parts of the world,' importing horse meat and utilizing horse slaughterhouses are both illegal in Minnesota and across the U.S.

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SHARK FIN SOUP

This Culture Trip story says that any product made with shark fins, like shark fin soup, is banned in Minnesota and every other U.S. state, due mainly to the 'cruel method of acquiring them (which involves cutting the fins of the animal while alive and throwing it back into the sea) and to preserve shark numbers.'

BELUGA CAVIAR

Reader's Digest says this food is considered a delicacy in other parts of the world and was so popular it resulted in endangered the wild Beluga sturgeon population. It's been banned here in Minnesota and the rest of the U.S. since 2005.

HAGGIS

Mashed says haggis is a food native to Scotland and is made of from a sheep's stomach and 'filled with sheep's liver, heart, and lungs, as well as oatmeal, suet, stock, onions, and spices.' I'll pass! Which is a good thing, since Reader's Digest says the USDA banned any food containing lungs in 1971.

While most of those five banned foods here in Minnesota originated in other countries, there are some foods that we love here in the U.S. that are viewed in a much different light overseas. Keep scrolling to see which ones they are!

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