What foods can be imported to the USA for personal consumption?

Can I travel to the United States with my food — cheese, fruit, or meat in a suitcase? To the question about allowed and prohibited food items in baggage when entering the USA answered Customs and Border Guard. This information does not apply to products sent by mail or imported to America for sale.

In the US, there are special rules governing the importation of products into the country. Photo: Depositphotos

Please note that all products imported into the United States must be declared. For violation of this rule can be fined up to $ 10 000.

Restrictions on the importation of food are introduced to protect public health, the environment and prevent the transmission of diseases to domestic plants and animals.

Product categories allowed to enter the US:

— Seasonings - ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise and ready-made sauces, in which not contained meat products.

— Olive oil and other vegetable oils.

— Bread, biscuits, crackers, cakes, granola bars, breakfast cereals and other baked and processed foods.

— Candy and chocolate.

— Cheese. Hard cheese (hard or half soft, not containing meat); butter, ghee and dairy products (yogurt and sour cream). Feta cheese, brie, camembert, brine cheese, mozzarella are also allowed. Liquid cheeses (cottage cheese or ricotta) and cheeses that resemble thick cream in consistency cannot be imported from those countries where epizootic stomatitis is registered (foot and mouth disease). Cheese containing meat is not allowed to be imported depending on the country of origin.

— Canned food and vacuum-packed products (other than products containing meat or chicken) for personal use.

— A fish. Fish in quantity for personal consumption, as well as shrimp, abalone and other seafood are allowed for import in fresh, frozen, dried, smoked, canned or ready-made form.

— Dried fruits - apricots, barberries, red currants, dates, figs, gooseberries, peaches, prunes, raisins, Mexican tomato.

— Liquid milk and dairy products for children can be imported in reasonable quantities for consumption over several days.

— Powder Drinkssealed in original packaging with a list of ingredients in English. However, the final decision on the authorization of importation is made by customs specialists.

— Juices industrial (not home) conservation.

— Tea in commercial packaging, ready for brewing, soaked or brewed in the microwave. Coca, barberry and individual citrus leaves are prohibited for importation.

— Coffee - fried or unroasted without the shell.

— Spices - most dried spices are allowed, with the exception of leaves and grains of orange, lemon, lime and other citrus fruits, lemon sorghum and many vegetable and fruit grains.

— Honey - honeycomb, royal jelly, perga or propolis, if imported not to feed bees.

— Pasta and instant noodles, not containing meat or eggs, packaged.

— rice - white rice, basmati rice, brown rice, polished rice, polished rice, rice flour and other products without husks (shells). Note: Since July 30, 2011, non-commercial quantities of rice from countries inhabited by kojeshad are prohibited from being imported into the United States. For undeclared rice fines may apply.

— Flour - wheat, rice, oatmeal and corn.

— mushrooms - fresh and dried; parts growing above the ground, cleared of soil.

— Nuts - all nuts are allowed for import in boiled, boiled, ground, dried in an oven, ground, fried or steamed. Other nuts are allowed without the shell, for example, almonds, betel nuts, Brazil nuts, cashews, rope nuts, hazelnuts (hazel), Javanese olives, ginkgo nuts, macadamia nuts, pecans, drank nuts, pine nuts, pistachios and walnuts.

— Baked goods, candies, chocolate and dry mixes containing milk and egg ingredients (baking mixes, cocoa mixes, drink mixes, muffin mixes, pudding mixes, drink mixes with milk powder, including sugar; potato cereals and infant formula), with original labels and packaging, are generally permitted for import.

Fruit и vegetables:

Arriving in the US can check the permit for the importation of fruits and vegetables in the database APHIS FAVIRby selecting the desired fruit or vegetable in the Approved Name column and country of origin in the Country / Region field. You will get one of these results:

• 0 positions found. This means that the fruit or vegetable cannot be imported into the United States.
• N items found (after this is the name of the product and country). Click on “CIR”, you may have such results:
  • Subject to Inspection - this item must be inspected at the place of arrival. Import is allowed upon inspection.
  • Condition of entry treatment - this means that fruit or vegetables cannot be carried to the USA in passenger baggage.

Regardless of status, transported fruits and vegetables must be provided for inspection by a specialist in agricultural goods at customs. Fresh fruits and vegetables should be clean. If insects or signs of illness are noticed on them, they may not be allowed to be brought into the country.

It is allowed to import:

• Scarlet - ground parts
• Coconuts - without husk
• Garlic - peeled cloves
• Ginger - Pure Root Vegetables
• Carob tree - pods
• Tamarind pods
• Chestnut water - only onions or nuts.

Products of animal origin:

Meat, milk, eggs, poultry and products from them (for example, a dry mixture for soup or broth) are either prohibited for importation or their importation into the United States is restricted depending on animal diseases registered in the country of origin.

Fresh (chilled or frozen), dry or prepared meat is generally prohibited from being imported from most countries. Canned meat can be imported, except for lamb, lamb, goat and so on from Canada and other countries where there is mad cow disease.

Raw egg products are banned from most regions. Eggs and egg products from regions where Newcastle’s exotic disease and bird flu are recorded, including boiled ones, are not allowed for import without permission from the veterinary service, even for personal consumption. Boiled eggs can be imported into the United States from the territory of Mexico.

Pork can be imported only in an industrial (non-domestic) tin can, which has not been opened. Pork and pork products cannot be imported from Mexico, except for small quantities of prepared meat for personal consumption.

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