Foods That Will Land You In Jail Or (Gulp) In A Coffin

When it comes to food, federal legislation can be more about subjective queasiness than true danger. Licensed chefs can serve a rare fish that contains a deadly poison, but unpasteurized cheese aged for less than 60 days cannot be imported. Eating a meat from a hugely overpopulated species is a no-no, but importing the fins recently ripped off live endangered sharks is perfectly legal. It’s all a big mess and highlights the fact that the way our food is regulated can be ridiculous. Here’s our list of items that could land you in the hot seat (or in a coffin!), and the (often nonsensical) reasons why.