Can I bring in food as a traveler (fruit, cheese, meat, etc.).note¶

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Can I bring in food as a traveler (fruit, cheese, meat, etc.)?

The information contained in this answer does not apply to foodbeing sent to the United States (U.S.) through

the mail, courier services or other means.

This information only covers food (fruit, cheese, meat, etc.) entering the U. S., in passenger baggage for

personal use.

For information on food for resale, Please see

You may be able to bring in food such as fruits, meats or other agricultural products depending on the region or

country from which you are traveling. Restrictions are placed on these products to protect community health,

preserve the environment and prevent the introduction of devastating diseases to domestic plants and animals.

You must declare all food products. Failure to declare foodproducts can result in up to $10,000 in fines and

penalties.

The following are generally admissible:

Condiments: ketchup (catsup), mustard, mayonnaise, Marmite and Vegemite and prepared sauces that do

not contain meat products

Olive oil and other vegetable oils
Bread, cookies, crackers, cakes, granola bars, cereal and other baked and processed products
Candy and chocolate
Cheese - Solid cheese (hard or semi-soft, that does not contain meat); butter, butter oil, and cultured milk

products such as yogurt and sour cream are not restricted. Feta cheese, Brie, Camembert, cheese in brine,

Mozzarella and Buffalo Mozzarella are permissible ( , Table 3-14-6). Cheese in

liquid (cottage cheese or ricotta cheese) and cheese that pours like heavy cream are not admissible from

countries affected by foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). Cheese containing meat is not admissible depending on

the country of origin.

Canned goods and goods in vacuum packed jars (other than those containing meat or poultry products) for

your personal use

Fish - Personal amounts of fish, shrimp, abalone and other seafood are allowed and can be fresh, frozen, dried,

smoked, canned or cooked.

Dried Fruit- Apricots, barberry, currants, dates, figs, gooseberries, peaches, prunes, raisins, tomatillos, and

zereshk ( , Table 3-69)

Liquid milk and milk products intended for use by infants or very young children are admissible if in a

reasonable amount or small quantity for several days.

Powder drinks sealed in original containers with ingredients listed in English. However, admissibility is still

under the discretion of the Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer and the Agricultural Specialist.

-Juices - Commercially canned, see the ( , Table 3-75)

-Tea- Commercially packaged and ready to be boiled, steeped or microwaved in liquid. Coca, barberry and

loose citrus leaves are prohibited ( , Table 3-148)

How do I import food(canned goods, meat, vegetables, fruits,

bulk food, etc.) for resale?

USDA Animal Product Manual

USDA Miscellaneous and Processed Products Manual

-Coffee - roasted or unroasted if there is no pulp attached. (

, Table 3-48)

-Spices - most dried spices are allowed except for orange, lemon, lime and other citrus leaves and seeds,

lemongrass, and many vegetable and fruit seeds

-Honey- comb honey, royal jelly, bee bread, or propolis if it is not intended to be fed to bees (

, Table 3-100)

-Noodles and ramen that do not have meat or eggs in the spice packets

-Rice- (See ALERT below) white rice, basmati rice, brown rice, husked rice, polished rice, rice flour and other

products that do not have the hull attached ( , Table 3-

130).

ALERT: Effective July 30, 2011 non-commercial quantities of rice from countries where Khapra beetle is

known to occur will be prohibited from entering the United States. Failure to declare rice will result in fines.

-Flour- wheat, rice, oat and cornmeal

-Mushrooms -fresh, dried and above the ground parts that are clean and free of soil

-Nuts- All nuts are allowed if they have been boiled, cooked, ground, oven dried, pureed, roasted, or steamed.

Other nuts may be allowed if they are free from their husks (the shell remains), such as almonds, betel nuts,

Brazil nuts, cashews, coquilla nuts, filberts (hazelnuts), Java olives, kara nuts, gingko nuts, macadamias,

pecans, pili nuts, pine nuts (pinon nuts), pistachios, and walnuts. (

, Table 3-105, 3-106)

-Bakery items, candy, chocolate, and dry mixes containing dairy and egg ingredients [such as baking mixes,

cocoa mixes, drink mixes, instant cake mixes, instant pudding mixes, liquid drink mixes containing

reconstituted dry milk or dry milk products (including those that contain sugar), potato flakes, and infant

formula] commercially labeled and presented in final finished packaging are generally admissible.

Fruits and Vegetables:

Travelers may check the general admissibility of fruits and vegetables by consulting .

Simply select the type of fruit or vegetable in the "Approved Name:", and then select the country of origin in

the "Country/Region:" field. You will receive one of the following results:

· 0 entries found means the fruit or vegetable is NOT allowed into the United States

· # entry(ies) found [followed by the name of the commodity and the name of the country] click on "CIR".

Every fruit or vegetable must be declared to a CBP Agriculture Specialist or CBP Officer and must be

presented for inspection - regardless of its admissibility status. Fresh fruits and vegetables need to be clean and

may be prohibited if they have insects or diseases.

USDA Miscellaneous and Processed Products Manu

al

USDA Miscellane

ous andProcessed Products Manual

USDA Miscellaneous and Processed Products Manual

USDA Miscellaneous and Processed Products

Manual

APHIS's FAVIR database

If the import requirements indicate: 1 Subject to Inspection: This commodity is subject to inspection at the

port of entry and all general requirements of 7 CFR 319.56-3. The fruit or vegetable is allowed into the

United States pending Inspection.

If the import requirements indicate: Condition of entry treatment then the fruit or vegetable is NOT allowed

into the United States in passenger baggage.

Note: See FDA Web site and radiation safety.

The following items are admissible:

Animal Products and Animal By-Products:

Meat, milk, egg, poultry, and their products, including products made with these materials, such as dried soup

mix or bouillon, are either prohibited or restricted from entering the United States, depending on the types of

animal diseases which occur in the country of origin. Fresh (chilled or frozen), dried, cured, and fully cooked

meat is generally prohibited from most countries. Canned meat is allowed entry, except caprine and ovine

meats, including lamb, mutton, and goat, etc., from Canada and countries affected by bovine spongiform

encephalopathy (BSE).

Products containing raw egg ingredients are prohibited from most regions.

Eggs and egg products from (END) and (HPAI)

affected regions, including cooked eggs, if not accompanied by a USDA Veterinary Service import permit

remain prohibited regardless if those items are for personal consumption. Effective February 15, 2012, travelers

may once again bring fully cooked eggs from Mexico into the U.S.

Pork should be commercially canned and labeled in unopened containers. Pork and pork products are not

admissible from Mexico, except for cooked pork in small amounts for a meal.

Effective January 14, 2010, cooked pork skins (also known as pork rind) entering as commercial cargo or in

passenger baggage from regions affected with disease (FMD),

(SVD), (ASF), or (CSF) must be accompanied by an

original certificate issued by an official of the National Government of the region of origin.

Canadian Agricultural Products:

For fruits and vegetables from Canada, consult the .

Fruits and vegetables grown in Canada are generally admissible, if they have labels identifying them as

products of Canada. Fruits and vegetables merely purchased in Canada are not necessarily admissible, i.e. citrus

or tropical fruits such as mangos, which clearly were not grown in Canada because it does not have a climate

that supports those crops. (Potatoes from western regions of Canada are currently restricted because of a disease

outbreak. While commercial imports are permitted under stringent guidelines, travelers from Canada should

avoid bringing raw potatoes with them into the U.S.).

Food products imported from Japan

Aloe- above ground parts

Coconuts-husks must have been completely removed and cannot have sprouted

Garlic- peeled cloves

Ginger- clean roots

St. John's bread- pod

Tamarind bean pod

Water chestnut- corm or nut only

Exotic Newcastle Disease Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza

Foot-and-Mouth Swine Vesicular

Disease African Swine Fever classical Swine Fever

FAVIR database

Food products from Canada, including pet food and fresh (frozen or chilled), cooked, canned or otherwise

processed products containing beef, veal, bison, and cervid (e.g. deer, elk, moose, caribou etc.) are now

permitted from Canada in passenger baggage. Products containing sheep, lamb, or goat will not be allowed

entry. Food products should be commercially packaged and sealed with ingredients listed in English.

The passenger must provide proof of the origin of beef, pork, poultry, cervid meat, and pet food in order

to bring them into the United States. Examples of proof of origin include the grocery store receipt where the

product was purchased or the label on the product indicating the province in which it was packaged.

Hunter harvested game birds (pheasant, quail, goose, etc.) or cervid carcasses (e.g. deer, moose, elk, caribou,

etc.) from Canada are allowed entry when importers present to the Customs and Border Protection officer

evidence such as a hunting license that the product is hunter harvested wild game. Hunter-harvested wild non-

cervid animal (e.g. wild sheep, goats, or bison/buffalo, etc.) meat or carcasses, which must be eviscerated and

head removed, are allowed when the hunter shows to CBP officers a hunting license, tag, or equivalent.

Mexican Eggs/Poultry:

The regulations regarding bringing cooked poultry-such as chicken and turkey-meat, including deli-sliced

poultry meat, and cooked hard-boiled eggs into the U.S. from Mexico have changed. The U.S. Department of

Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service informed CBP that APHIS is implementing new

requirements for processed (including cooked) poultry meat and cooked, hard-boiled eggs brought by

passengers arriving from regions where APHIS considers Exotic Newcastle Disease (END) to exist. Currently,

Mexico is a country recognized by APHIS as being affected by END.

According to the new requirements, processed poultry meat brought by passengers arriving from Mexico or

from any region classified by the USDA as affected with END or HPAI must be accompanied by government

certification confirming that the meat was cooked to a minimum internal temperature of 74 degrees centigrade.

This requirement is for all poultry meat (excluding canned, hermetically sealed, shelf stable meat), poultry meat

products, and poultry products. There is no exception for cooked eggs from the Mexican states of Sinaloa and

Sonora.

Certification of poultry having been cooked at a temperature of at least 74 degrees centigrade does not apply to

poultry meat products intended for personal consumption (poultry meat and meat products in passenger

baggage or carry-on, personal meals). For movement into the U.S., CBP officials must still visually inspect

these items to certify that poultry meat and poultry products in checked or carry-on passenger baggage or in

meals, from END or HPAI affected regions, for personal consumption appear thoroughly cooked throughout.

Amounts greater than 50 pounds found in passenger baggage are considered commercial and will require a

USDA APHIS Veterinary Services certificate as part of the entry packet.

Further Information:

APHIS has posted country/regional fact sheets on agricultural items that can or cannot be brought into the U.S.

For Mexico, Canada, Hawaii and Puerto Rico fact sheets visit . See "Region Specific

Information" on the right side of the page. More countries will be added in the future.

APHIS/USDA website

Other than the above general guidelines, it is impossible to advise you in this forum about the admissibility of

specific fooditems because it is so susceptible to change. Disease and pest outbreaks which impact the

admissibility status of fresh and packaged food items may occur all over the world at any time.

The USDA establishes criteria for the admissibility of plant, dairy, meat and other animal products returning

with travelers and they make the determination for what may be admitted into the U.S. For more detailed

information, visit the . If you have any

questions, or require further information related to imports of specific animal products or by-products, please

contact National Center for Import and Export at . You may also call

APHIS at 301-851-3300 or toll-free at 877-770-5990.

All commercial and personal imports of products from endangered species and other wildlife are subject to

FWS permit requirements. For more information, please call the FWS at (703) 358-2093.

CBP Agricultural Inspectors are stationed at ports of entry and along our land and sea borders. Because of the

complexities of regulations governing the importation of food they may need to contact specific agencies for

information about what is or is not admissible. If no expert is available, food may be detained in the interest of

preventing possible outbreak of foreign diseases in the U.S.

Visit

For information on traveling with alcohol for personal use;.

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USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) Web site

AskNCIE.Products@aphis.usda.gov

Bringing Food into the U.S.

please click here