Transporting food into the US

Hi everyone...

I am going to the US for Christmas next week, and I am taking several food gifts, as my mom is a gourmet. Does anyone have any experience with transporting food via plane? Is there anything I am not allowed to bring?

Here is what I have bought for my family

• lincolnshire sausages (frozen and packed to keep them fresh; my mom loves these and you cannot get them in Vegas)
• cranberry cheese (same)
• orange chocolates
• Elderberry preserves
• Some mini mince pies
• Mead
• tea (of course )
• And for me, some Jordon's Country Crisp

Also, I want to bring back some sugar free pancake syrup. I did a search, and it turned up nothing. Thanks!

I am pretty sure you are not suppose to take Meat, Dairy, fresh fruit or veggies into the US. Perhaps, someone will have more knowledge on this issue.

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/travel/clearing_goods/agri_prod_inus.xml#GeneralListofApprovedProducts

I hope this helps

edited to say: yes I believe maddie is correct,no meat or dairy is aloud. However, veggys and fruit are aloud only if it is canned or processed

Shoot! My poor mama will miss out on her sausages and cheese.  :\\\'(

That list did not include alcohol (The mead). I take that it is forbidden?

Thank you both

hmm I'm not sure about Mead. It does have honey in it. What percentage of honey is in it?

Also, I want to bring back some sugar free pancake syrup. I did a search, and it turned up nothing. Thanks!

You can buy sugar-free syrup in the states but if it's a particular brand that you want to bring, I'd put it in carry-on, unopened, and say it's for personal use. I doubt anyone would question the syrup, though.

You can take in the Mead--just tell them you have a bottle of spirits if asked.  I take cheese in all the time--just delcare it. They will do one of three things:
1-Not care
2-Ask you about it
3-Ask to see it
If for some reason they don't approve it, they will just take it from you. I took in clotted cream last week & heavy cream the week before that--I just declared them and I got the IO's who didn't care.
The sausages are a big no-no and if you bring them and declare them, they will be confiscated. As long as you declare everything, you wouldn't be fined--it's just if you are trying to sneak stuff in and get caught, then they nail you.
There are certain meats that you can bring in--you will find these in places like SNN (Shannon) which has a counter set up with salmon and Irish bacon which have all been OK'd to bring in.

Shoot! My poor mama will miss out on her sausages and cheese.  :\\\'(

That list did not include alcohol (The mead). I take that it is forbidden?

Thank you both

Not sure if it is forbidden, but I did have it in my carryon luggage, it was scanned at the airport before I boarded, and I got no grief over my bottle that I took to the US with me.

I once had a very embarrassing/frightening experience with foodstuffs... We stopped over at my dad's house on our way to the States (and he drove us to the airport). We'd emptied our fridge and put all the expiring stuff in a plastic bag to give to my dad. Well, forward to customs in America... They pulled the very same plastic bag out of one of our bags. We'd forgotten to leave it with my dad... I explained the situation, and they just took some of the stuff away (oranges and tomatoes, I seem to remember). They did let us keep an unopened package of turkey luncheon meat, though. Haven't forgotten stuff like that since...

I hope  you were able to get your gift items in w/o too much trouble.

I know I'll be taking back loads of food items when I return, but they are all pre~packaged goods.

I had an interesting experience flying from Marseille back to Orlando in 1998, when I tried to take in some bread which I'd opened as a snack on the plane. The IO grabbed it, unwrapped it, chopped it in tiny bits as if they expected to find drugs inside...and then said I could have it...but it was well past edible at that point!

we've just arrived back from the USA ....ummmmm remeber to never let hubby pack a block of cheese in his suitcases then throw in his phone charger and batteries !
He almost gave the guy on xray a heartattack at Manchester!!!!!!!

something organic with wires and batteries showing up on an xray really wakes people up after they opened the case they couldnt stop laughing though and let us take the cheese through with no problems lol

I have brought cheese and prosciutto into the US before.  It's OK by customs as long as it is vaccuum sealed......not in an airtight container but actually vaccuum sealed.

June

we've just arrived back from the USA ....ummmmm remeber to never let hubby pack a block of cheese in his suitcases then throw in his phone charger and batteries !
He almost gave the guy on xray a heartattack at Manchester!!!!!!!

something organic with wires and batteries showing up on an xray really wakes people up after they opened the case they couldnt stop laughing though and let us take the cheese through with no problems lol

dear oh dear!!