Why isn't it a good idea to import certain eggs?If someone wanted to import the traditional hardboiled Easter egg, the answer to the question is simple – the eggs would be rotten and/or broken by the time they arrived. On the other hand, the importation of the plastic eggs is a booming business for seasonal importers. Imagine containers full of the colorful plastic eggs making their way into the U.S. However, there is one type of egg you won’t likely find in those containers…the Kinder Egg.
A Kinder Egg is a hollow chocolate egg that is about the same size as a hen's egg and packaged in a colorful foil wrapper. A colorful plastic capsule containing a small toy is found inside of the egg. So, the recipient gets two treats – a tasty chocolate egg and a surprise toy. Sounds good, so what’s so bad that the egg is banned in the U.S.?
First, the toy usually requires some assembly and the Consumer Product Safety Commission “CPSC” determined that many of the toys tested presented a choking hazard for small children.
Second, Section 402(d)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act prohibits the embedding of non-food items completely enclosed inside food items, unless the non-edible part has a functional value. For example, the wood stick used in a popsicle is a non-food item, but it serves a purpose as a handle. Click HERE for a recent FDA Alert
The eggs are made in Germany, but often make their way into the U.S. by way of the Canadian border, the mail or by express carrier. Kinder Eggs can be found on Ebay too. The Wizard wonders if a CBP agent would pop out of the computer screen and slap the cuffs on or appear at your front door if you ordered these eggs. Not to worry, the Wizard is NOT curious enough to try it !
A Kinder Egg is a hollow chocolate egg that is about the same size as a hen's egg and packaged in a colorful foil wrapper. A colorful plastic capsule containing a small toy is found inside of the egg. So, the recipient gets two treats – a tasty chocolate egg and a surprise toy. Sounds good, so what’s so bad that the egg is banned in the U.S.?
First, the toy usually requires some assembly and the Consumer Product Safety Commission “CPSC” determined that many of the toys tested presented a choking hazard for small children.
Second, Section 402(d)(1) of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act prohibits the embedding of non-food items completely enclosed inside food items, unless the non-edible part has a functional value. For example, the wood stick used in a popsicle is a non-food item, but it serves a purpose as a handle. Click HERE for a recent FDA Alert
The eggs are made in Germany, but often make their way into the U.S. by way of the Canadian border, the mail or by express carrier. Kinder Eggs can be found on Ebay too. The Wizard wonders if a CBP agent would pop out of the computer screen and slap the cuffs on or appear at your front door if you ordered these eggs. Not to worry, the Wizard is NOT curious enough to try it !
Happy Holidays!
2 comments:
Thank you for explaining this! At one point I thought that Nestle was producing a similar egg and they were trying to keep the Kinder Egg out of the US market. I don't know if that was true though.
Believe it or not these eggs are avilable all of over CT. Mostly in smaller stores selling Polish foods. My kids enjoyed them for Easter. I had no idea they are illegal!
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