These Cheeses Are Banned In The US

There are so many great reasons to eat more cheese. Dishes like raclette, gooey macaroni, and pizza topped with fresh mozzarella would be nothing without their rich, creamy cheeses. And for those interested in trying foods from around the world, cheese offers an extensive arena of flavors and textures to experience.

Anyone with a basic knowledge of cheese is familiar with the usual options. Parmesan, Gouda, sharp cheddar... You're used to seeing these at your local supermarket. But no matter how refined your cheesy interests, there are some cheeses you'll never, ever see in an American grocery store. Why? Because in the U.S., these cheeses are actually illegal.

The Food and Drug Administration has a lengthy and detailed set of regulations on cheese. Most of the banned cheeses are illegal in the U.S. due to the use of unpasteurized milk, or raw milk, in their production. The FDA deems these milks a public health concern. Foodborne pathogens can grow and spread; pasteurization is meant to kill off these germs. There are some cheeses banned for other health reasons, too. You might be surprised to discover the germy (and even flea-ridden) cheeses people eat abroad — but that you'll never find legally in the U.S.

You've probably tried brie, the cheese so delicious it's rumored that Louis XVI's last wish was that he taste it. But you haven't lived until you've tried this special variety of the famous French cheese. Brie de Meaux (which hails from the town of Meaux) is different from normal brie because it's made from unpasteurized cow's milk. Unfortunately, that's also what makes it illegal in the United States. But travel to Europe and you'll be able to taste the cheese fit for kings.

Casu marzu translates to "rotten cheese," which (once you hear what it's made from) is actually an appropriate designation. This cheese from the Italian island of Sardinia is made from sheep's milk and contains live maggots. Yes, maggots. After the fermentation process, the cheese is left to rot among swarms of fly larvae. This alters the texture of the cheese so that it's soft and liquid seeps out. This cheese is illegal not only in the U.S., but also in the entire European Union. Since maggots can actually live inside the intestine (ew), consuming this cheese poses a significant health risk. If you really must try the fly-ridden round of casu marzu, you'll have to risk heavy fines for breaking the law by buying it on the black market. Oh, and you'll also be risking pseudomyiasis — the condition that can occur when you consume those bugs.

Based on 16th-century methods learned from Cistercian monks, Epoisses' production process was refined over generations until it became one of the most beloved cheeses in all of France. That may not sound like a big deal, but in this case it's quite the feat — Époisses stinks. It's so pungent that Murray's Cheese insists the word époisses means "stinky but incredibly loveable" in French, even though the cheese is actually just named for a town. People all over the world adore this creamy cow's milk cheese, regardless of its pungent odor. Pasteurized versions of Époisses are available in the U.S., but the original unpasteurized variety can only be found elsewhere.

Morbier is named after a town in the Franche-Comté region of France. In this region, cheeses are made with a black, ash-like line through the center. This line, traditionally, was made of actual ash and would separate the cheese made from cow's milk milked in the morning and cow's milk milked in the evening. These days, however, it's made of food dye and just one batch of milk is used. Still, the cheese is unique for its slightly bitter aftertaste. The cow's milk used is, of course, traditionally unpasteurized, and only pasteurized versions are available in the U.S.

Reblochon is a mountain cheese from France. Made from full-cream, unpasteurized milk, the cheese is semi-soft, rich and flavorful. Tartiflette, a traditional French dish from the Savoy region of the Alps where the cheese is from, cannot be cooked without it (not as well, at least). But since it's unpasteurized, Americans have to travel elsewhere to taste it.