Food taboos in various countries

Ask customs when entering the country and respect boundaries.

A few years ago, I worked as a supply chain liaison for Chinese food exports to the United Arab Emirates. Before departure, I memorized half a book on halal dietary regulations. Only when I arrived did I realize that I was not prepared enough. After the local customer looked through our pre-supply list, he directly crossed out an orange gummy candy. I was still wondering at the time, does this product contain neither pork nor alcohol? Later I learned that the gummies contained gelatin made from pig skin, which is strictly prohibited according to strict halal standards. Of course, this is still controversial. Many young Muslims living in Europe and the United States believe that as long as they do not actively consume pork or alcohol products, there is no need to deliberately avoid the trace ingredients inadvertently ingested. However, in traditional Islamic communities in the Middle East and Southeast Asia, this is still a red line that cannot be touched. In addition to Islam, Hindu beef taboos and Jewish "kosher" regulations also fall into this category. For example, Jews cannot eat pork and shellfish, and meat and milk cannot be eaten at the same time. If you bring a cheeseburger to a restaurant in a Jewish community, you will most likely be politely asked out by the waiter.

Don’t think that all dietary taboos are related to religion. Some are emotional memories accumulated by a nation for hundreds of years. Not long ago, I went to Budapest to attend a food festival. The young girl I was traveling with just raised her beer glass to clink it with the local guide. The other person’s smiling face instantly turned cold. Later we learned that the Hungarian revolution failed in 1848 and 13 rebel generals were executed by the Austrian authorities. At that time, Austrian soldiers clinked glasses to celebrate. So until now, most Hungarians do not clink glasses when toasting. If you do it without knowing it, the other party will not want to pay attention to you at least, or it may cause a conflict. The dog meat controversy in South Korea is more typical. The older generation has the tradition of drinking dog meat tonic soup in the dog days of summer, believing that it can dispel dampness and resist the heat. However, the younger generation is influenced by animal protection ideas and has a very low acceptance of eating dog meat. There are almost no open dog meat restaurants in Seoul. If you mention eating dog meat in front of local young people, you will most likely be so angry that you will not come to Taiwan. The dispute between the two sides has not yet been decided. The best choice for ordinary tourists is to actively avoid this topic.

There is another type of taboo, which is a public health consensus gained through blood lessons and leaves little room for negotiation. I worked at an izakaya in Hokkaido for two months. The chef in the store had a 12-year qualification certificate for handling puffer fish. He said that a customer had brought wild puffer fish to the restaurant and asked the chef to help process it, but he pushed him out of the door. Every year in Japan, there are cases of poisoning due to eating privately slaughtered puffer fish. People without a license handle puffer fish, and the toxins in the internal organs alone can kill more than a dozen adults. In addition, since the outbreak of mad cow disease in the last century, the UK has banned the sale of cow spinal cord and cow waste produced in the affected areas. This is not a matter of eating habits, but a real risk of infection. If you smuggle such products into the country, if you are caught, you will be fined directly, and there is no mercy.

There are also many differences in discussions about dietary taboos. The most typical one is "should dietary options be adjusted for minority groups in public places?" In the past few years, many schools in France have canceled exclusive halal and kosher meals. Supporters believe that France is a secular country and public resources cannot make way for religious needs. Opponents believe that this is disrespectful to the beliefs of minority groups. The two sides have been arguing for almost five or six years without reaching a unified conclusion. Some people think that the current dietary taboos are too "hypocritical". For example, vegetarians require restaurants to prepare separate vegetarian meals without cross-contamination. Many businesses find it troublesome, but diners think this is basic respect. The best way to deal with such disputes that do not have unified standards is to communicate in advance, and don't wait to defend yourself if you step on the wrong.

I have traveled to nearly 30 countries to conduct food research. Many people have asked me whether it is necessary to memorize the "Encyclopedia of Food Taboos in Various Countries". To be honest, I can't even remember so many detailed rules. If you really want to go out, search the two or three core local minefields in advance. If you accidentally step on the rest, apologize sincerely and say that you are an out-of-town tourist and don’t understand the rules. Most people will not make things difficult for you. To put it bluntly, dietary taboos are ultimately a matter of "respect" - if you don't deliberately make fun of other people's taboos, and don't feel that "my own habits are more advanced than others", it is easier than memorizing 100 rules.