"He just smiled and gave me a vegemite sandwich..."

[robotech_master]

...which may fly if you're "a man in Brussels" but won't be possible in the USA any longer. It seems that the FDA has banned the importation of the Australian staple food product Vegemite, to the consternation of many Australian expatriates in the USA. Why the ban? Some sort of technicality; vegemite contains folic acid, which by American law can only be added to bread and cereal products. (Pointed out to me in Internet chat by dvandom.)

Of course, many Americans who've tasted vegemite will probably not be that upset at the loss...

Suddenly I have this vision of international mail-order pharmacies adding vegemite to the list of stuff that they'll ship over the American border in plain packaging.

Comments

[erikred.livejournal.com]

Granted, the first taste of Vegemite is not a pleasant experience. Nor is the second. Or the third. BUT! If you have truly persistent friends, well, you will eventually discover its allure.

Not now, of course. Now the real Vegemite lovers will have to hoarde their precious substance.

We live in a truly silly world.

[foomf.livejournal.com]

That's pretty stupid, if true. Folic acid is naturally present in just about every animal product, which is what vegemite is: leftover, extracted brewer's yeast.

[robotech-master.livejournal.com]

Interestingly enough, it may not actually be true. It's just that Kraft's spokesperson says that's why the ban was instituted. But an entry in the Talk page for the Wikipedia entry on Folic Acid (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Talk:Folic_acid#Dietary_Fortification_of_Folic_Acid) states several other issues, such as licensing problems or labelling violations, as reasons. Weird.

[kaylens.livejournal.com]

This is an outrage. Please consider signing our petition at www.savevegemite.com to help us get our Aussie icon unbanned.
WE ARE NOT HAPPY LITTLE VEGEMITES!