A close relative works with a major national food brand/manufacturer. He was just telling me about how US government regulations prohibit food manufacturers from using specific strengths and types of flavors. Food companies are prohibited from using strong peppermint, straight natural vanilla, and certain almond flavors. But not for the reasons you might think.
See, these prohibitions are in place not for consumers (who want the flavors), but for manufacturing. The flashpoint of the flavorings are too low - they burn at too low of a temperature. As a result, manufacturers that wish to meet consumer desires are forced to import the food from other countries. I don't mind imports (another topic), but when companies would prefer to make something here, but import because they are not allowed to make here, that just hurts everybody.
Some safety standards make sense. If workers regularly are injured and maimed, maybe something needs to be done. How many Canadian workers are dying in food factory fires? Because that is where we are importing food from made with the prohibited flavors. If the standards were necessary, a country without the standards would expect to see people being injured and killed.
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