Australians are particularly unhappy. (Kelvin Healey, “US bans Vegemite”, The Courier Mail, Oct. 22; News.com.au, Oct. 21; Tim Blair via Dylan). If you’re an American fan, act fast before Ebay shuts down the auction. Update: The Australian press and bloggers appear to have fallen for a new urban legend.
Australians are particularly unhappy. (Kelvin Healey, “US bans Vegemite”, The Courier Mail, Oct. 22; News.com.au, Oct. 21; Tim Blair via Dylan). If you’re an American fan, act fast before Ebay shuts down the auction.
Update: The Australian press and bloggers appear to have fallen for a new urban legend.
6 Comments
It’s an outrage that vegemite is banned. Please consider signing my petition at http://www.savevegemite.com and help get our favourite Aussie icon unbanned.
WE ARE NOT HAPPY LITTLE VEGEMITES!!!!
It’s also particularly stupid because it’s under a technicality. Vegemite contains folic acid, which is in fact a recommended nutrient for pregnant women and those of childbearing age, but for some reason is only approved in bread in the US.
You know what else contains folate? Beef liver, spinach, broccoli, cantaloupe, green peas, and even those little pills labelled “folic acid” sold over the counter in the vitamin section of the local Walgreens. Will our caring government protect us from these dangerous substances also?
As an American who has tasted the stuff (from some little packets that my Ozzey friend left when he went home), I gotta say one thing about vegamite: It is the nastiest stuff I’ve ever run into * (that’s supposedly edible). For me, it falls below both sushi and Palmetto bugs!
Even so, I stand by your right to eat that cr_p. I’d personally rather breath in 6 hours of second-hand smoke in the bar then taste even a dab of vegamite again. Oh, wait, the smoking is banned – also not my idea ….
On a better note, I’ll always have fond memories of the song: “… he just smiled and gave me a bite of his vegamite sandwich. … I come from a land down under …”
* Oh, it’s good for you; that totally explains the taste!
Reply from US embassy, Canberra, to my email regarding Ban on Vegemite.
See Below
Regards
Brad
Thank you very much for your mail. Contrary to some reports in the
Australian media, there is no U.S. import ban on Vegemite. The U.S. Food and
Drug Administration, which regulates all food imports to the U.S., has
confirmed that Vegemite is allowed to be imported to the United States.
Warm wishes,
Victoria Fakan
U.S. Information Resource Center
Office of Public Affairs
Embassy of the United States of America
Canberra, ACT
This not go a long way to Oz/US relationships. I for one am quite happy to see regulation introduced to protect our health and wellbeing however, this does make one ask the question….”why?”