Ahead of the World Cup in the United States, Norway’s delegation surprised organizers by asking for special permission to bring more than 1,000 kilograms of food for its players. The shipment reportedly included about 300 kilograms of salmon, roughly 115 kilograms of local brown cheese, around 6,000 oranges, and other items that could easily be bought in America. The team also traveled with its own chef to preserve the diet its players are used to.
The article says this was not about religion or a requirement like kosher food, but about foreign sports nutrition experts viewing American food as risky. It argues that U.S. food regulation is looser than in Europe because corporate influence is stronger, allowing far more approved additives. The European Union permits about 400 additives, while the U.S. system allows many more. According to the piece, that difference helps explain why Europeans are generally healthier and leaner than Americans.
The text uses Luka Doncic as an example, saying he returned from an offseason in Europe in better shape, then quickly gained much of the weight back after returning to an American diet. It also points to oranges as an example of why Norway preferred imported produce. The article says many U.S. oranges are picked green, then dyed with Citrus Red No. 2, a petroleum-based additive classified as a possible carcinogen, and treated with morpholine and ethylene gas to speed ripening and improve appearance.
The author concludes that top athletes need enormous calorie intake and therefore treat food as fuel, likening American food to diluted diesel for race cars. On that basis, Norway’s football federation reportedly spent hundreds of thousands of euros to fly in meals from home rather than rely on local supplies.
