Traditional haggis

Yes, traditional Scottish haggis is banned in the United States. The problem is one ingredient: sheep lung. Since 1971, US rules have said livestock lungs cannot be used in human food, so authentic haggis cannot be sold or imported. Haggis made without lung is legal.

What Exactly Is Banned

Traditional haggis is made from sheep’s heart, liver and lungs, mixed with oatmeal, onion, suet and spices, then cooked in a casing. The US ban targets the lung, not haggis as a dish. It covers:

• Imports of authentic haggis from Scotland or anywhere else
• US-made haggis that uses sheep lung
• Any other food containing livestock lung, including traditional lung dishes from other cuisines

The rule does not apply to pet food, which can legally contain lung.

The Rule Behind the Ban

In 1971, the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) ruled that “livestock lungs shall not be saved for use as human food.” The concern was food safety: lung tissue can trap contaminants during slaughter. The rule was never written to target Scotland, but haggis became its most famous casualty. As CNN reported, Scottish producers have campaigned against it for decades.

Two Bans, Not One

Haggis was hit by a second restriction in 1989, when the US banned British lamb after the BSE (“mad cow disease”) outbreak. That ban finally ended when the US reopened to British sheep meat from January 3, 2022, as The Grocer reported. The lung rule, however, is still in place, so authentic haggis remains off the menu.

What It Means for Travelers and Expats

• Visiting Scotland: eat haggis there, but do not pack it to bring home. Traditional haggis contains lung and is not allowed into the US.
• Ordering online: Scottish shops cannot legally ship lung-based haggis to US addresses.
• Burns Night in the US: look for lung-free haggis from US producers or Scottish brands that make a US-compliant recipe.

Legal Alternatives

Lung-free haggis is sold in the US, both fresh and canned. It uses other parts of the sheep, or beef, along with the usual oatmeal and spices. Vegetarian haggis is also legal and easy to find around Burns Night in January.

Other Foods Banned in the US

Haggis is one of several foreign foods that clash with US food rules. Kinder Surprise is another, banned because of the toy sealed inside, as explained in our Kinder Surprise eggs entry. You can browse every food and drink banned in the USA on TabooWorld.