So is it banned or not? Help Save Vegemite!

[Matt88S]

Help save vegemite.

Petition.
http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Unbanvegemite/

In October 2006, the Melbourne Herald Sun reported that Vegemite is banned in the USA, with Customs officials going so far as to even search Australians for Vegemite when they enter the country,[1][2] but later reports cast doubt on the claim.[3] The Food and Drug Administration later stated there was no import ban on Vegemite, and that it was never pulled from American supermarket shelves. It has however, definitely been pulled from the shelves of Southern California markets. Consumers have been told various reasons including, 'the company doesn't make it anymore' and 'it has banned ingredients so it can no longer be sold'. When Kraft were contacted and questioned, their spokesperson said the company had sold the distribution rights of that particular food item and no longer has any association with it. Clearly that is not entirely true as Kraft still manufacture the product, they do not however distribute the product in the US. That responsibility goes to International Glace, whenever they get the green light from...the FDA. It is a dismaying situation to Australians living in the US, as while everyone is denying there is a problem, Vegemite is still not available. [4]

Well I sure as heck can't get it and nobody around here can get it either so I'd say its somehow or another banned.

I don't understand that. I just finished off half a container of crackers smeared with marmite and cream cheese and yellow cheese. How can they ban such a wickedly good tasting substance?

And yes I said Marmite. It's the only thing I can get and it was flow over from England by a friend of my brother's.

This whole thing is so stupid. Is vegemite unsafe? No, I don't think the FDA is even disputing that anymore, it looks like its just a matter of its not one of their approved substances to add folic acid too. They seem to want to add it to everything under the sun but they don't want it in vegemite. That makes a lot of sense espcially considering one of the articles below says some 88% of americans are deficient in Folic acid to some degree.

And pregnant woman simply have to have folic acid, otherwise horrid things like spinal bifida can happen and all kinds of other things, folic acid is a vital nutrient to have.

Meh, I think I'm going to go find a FDA official to smack.

http://www.pinc.com/healthnews/folate.html#supple
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folic_acid
http://www.washingtonwatchdog.org/documents/cfr/title21/part172.html#172.345
http://www.overlawyered.com/2006/10/...rban_lege.html

[cassonian]

I work about half a mile from the Marmite factory in Burton upon Trent, England! It's right next door to Coors brewery (which was Bass), the yeast gets piped straight through!

Interesting smell as you drive past, sort of get used to it after a while!

[escalator guru]

Simmer down, Matt, it's just a rumor.

http://www.snopes.com/food/warnings/vegemite.asp

What's basically going on is that you can bring in Vegemite on your way home but Kraft isn't supplying it until they can figure out the folate situation.

[G__]

BAN THAT VILE SMEAR UPON FOOD!

I LOTHE vegemite (and marmite too). Vile, disgusting creations, unfit for human consumption by the civilized world.

Seriously, I had never heard of the stuff until a trip to Fiji, they had some @ the resort, I put it on toast thinking it was Nutella - WOW was I wrong.

If there is any reason to build fortress North America it could be to keep Vegemite out (and hopefully paris hilton if we can get the walls up when she's somewhere else, oh heck if we do it fast we keep out tom cruise too).

[Matt88S]

Originally Posted by escalator guru

Simmer down, Matt, it's just a rumor.

http://www.snopes.com/food/warnings/vegemite.asp

What's basically going on is that you can bring in Vegemite on your way home but Kraft isn't supplying it until they can figure out the folate situation.

BUT NOBODY AROUND HERE HAS IT. I'M GONNA DIE IF I DON'T GET MY VEGEMITE! Its all the FDA's fault. They killed me I tell you, write it on my headstone! ''Killed by the FDA, a true Saaber to the end when his 900T crashed and burned when his poor weak undervegemited body could no longer keep control of the "lively" power of a Saab FWD vehicle".

[Murray]

Originally Posted by cassonian

I work about half a mile from the Marmite factory in Burton upon Trent, England! It's right next door to Coors brewery (which was Bass), the yeast gets piped straight through!

Interesting smell as you drive past, sort of get used to it after a while!

I bet that is lovely! my brother is about to move to Burton on Trent! lives in one of hte small towns outside at the moment - back to the point...Marmite is just like stronger vegemite! i love them both! Yummy!!

[sab aero]

Plenty of the stuff down here... its God's creation! Damn fine stuff!

All the better to immigrate to Oz for me thinks! Well, that, the weather, the babes, the weather, the babes, the beer... et al

sab

[woywitka]

Originally Posted by G__

I LOTHE vegemite (and marmite too).

what is not to love about yeast extract?

I smelled vegemite once, I nearly vomited.

Matt-just get an Aussi on here to send you a case. hmmmmmmmm, cuba is a Kiwi right?-they don't like vegemite, who else is there?

I can prob just hook you up with some from Canada, everything is legal here, you want some good green plant as well to help you through some troubled times, I can track that down easily too!

[Brendan]

Originally Posted by woywitka

Matt-just get an Aussi on here to send you a case. hmmmmmmmm, cuba is a Kiwi right?-they don't like vegemite, who else is there?

Aussie right here

I can send you a case of the stuff, what size do you want.




There's also a tube (bit like tooth paste)

[mike saunders]

Ask a runny-nosed toddler to crap in a jar, let it sit in the sun for a week, add some stale bread crumbs for body and -- SHAAZAAM! -- Vegemite.

This fetishistic love for craptacular food products (food used very loosely) is why the British are wrongfully perceived as not understanding the whole cuisine thing.....

[amish_geek]

What is vegemite? What is it made of?

Is it on par with SPAM? (Although I do enjoy a nice slice of SPAM fried to a golden brown, with brown sugar sprinkled on it every now and then.)

[Matt88S]

Quite simple really, its all the yeast goo thats left over from the brewing process. And no its not on par with SPAM, it far exceeds it.

[i want an aero]

Originally Posted by Brendan

Aussie right here

I can send you a case of the stuff, what size do you want.




There's also a tube (bit like tooth paste)

how big is the biggest container you can get hold of it looks huge

[TheRedBaron]

That sounds absolutely disgusting. Of course I would say the same thing about hot dogs if I had never tasted one...

[Aeronaut]

What is this stuff and what is it used for? Does it have pcb's in it or something - looks like some kind of grease used for bearings on trailers, etc

[Tomarse]

Originally Posted by Aeronaut

What is this stuff and what is it used for? Does it have pcb's in it or something - looks like some kind of grease used for bearings on trailers, etc

The vegimite label above is actually similar to the label on the tin of flux i used when i was soldering ends onto battery cables a short while back.

I think most people use it for toast, though there are some wierdos who use it on bread or crackers.

Personaly i like mike saunder's description:

Ask a runny-nosed toddler to crap in a jar, let it sit in the sun for a week, add some stale bread crumbs for body and -- SHAAZAAM! -- Vegemite.

[unkleG'sif]

Originally Posted by mike saunders

This fetishistic love for craptacular food products (food used very loosely) is why the British are wrongfully perceived as not understanding the whole cuisine thing.....

going to have to rebuke that comment im affraid... the UK is one of the most culturally diverse places in the world, and has been for some time... as such we have the most amazing range of cuisine available ANYWHERE in the world....

not anting to generalize, or make dramatic sweeping statements, or offend ANYONE, but compared to the US (been there manyimes, so speaking from experience, not heresay) the food in the UK is, as a rule, much better

yes there's more of it, but i'd take quality over quantity anyday
G

[mike saunders]

Originally Posted by drg23

going to have to rebuke that comment im affraid... the UK is one of the most culturally diverse places in the world, and has been for some time... as such we have the most amazing range of cuisine available ANYWHERE in the world....

not anting to generalize, or make dramatic sweeping statements, or offend ANYONE, but compared to the US (been there manyimes, so speaking from experience, not heresay) the food in the UK is, as a rule, much better

yes there's more of it, but i'd take quality over quantity anyday
G

Friend, please re-read my comment...

My point is that British cuisine is wrongfully perceived as being bland and pedestrian because of freaky things like Vegemite and Marmite.

And I'll put the cultural diversity of the US up against that of the UK any day.

The country is just so big that it's impossible to see everything.

[cassonian]

Originally Posted by mike saunders

My point is that British cuisine is wrongfully perceived as being bland and pedestrian because of freaky things like Vegemite and Marmite.

You know I read that about 10 times very slowly and just about stopped myself falling into the same trap as drg23!

I soooooo nearly did go blazing off on a trail of defence though!

[Aeronaut]

You have not experienced cultural diversity until you have visited canada, especially in food - just imagine being down at the rink having back bacon smothered in poutine and a donair with mega sauce washed down with a tims double double - no where else on earth i say.