Taking foodstuffs into the USA

[marialuisa]

Do any of you know what the regulations are on taking food into the USA from the UK. We're off to visit friends there on friday and have a list of essential home comforts, will be ok if we declare everything (it's stuff like tea bags and baked beans, so all packaged and nothing "fresh" or are there forbidden items?

Also, please resolve a debate: can you pack cans of fizzy drink in your luggage or should they be taken on board as hand luggage?

TIA

this will tell yuo all you need to know
www.usembassy.de/travel/b42_5.htm#food

Thanks Valleygirl, looks as if we're safe with teabags, irn-bru and branston pickle!

Anyone got any ideas on the fizzy drink question?

It might be best to put the cans in your hand luggage. The hold is not pressurised and there might be a few explosion amongst your undies ( in your luggage I mean).

When my parents lived in the states (10 years ago) I used have to take them back cheddar cheese and smoked bacon!! Rules have diffinetly tightened up since then. I got the strangest stares when I had to take two porcelain toilet brushes!!!

My thoughts exactly Pollingfold. DH thinks I'm being overy dramatic. Though oddly enough when I said the irn-bru could go in his suitcase if he were so sure that he was right, he went quiet...

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Ds1 took two home-made Xmas puddings and an Xmas cake back to LA in Jan and even they were acceptable. Ds1 is sending me a list of things I'm to bring out when I visit in November. It's very sad, having to send food parcels to the US.

We've put IrnBru into the hold luggage - but having said, there was one occasion when one of the cans did burst - fortunately into a dark towel, so nothing was damaged (or stained!). The can did look as if it had a weakness in it though (a vertical split), and we weren't sure if it was the pressure or rough handling that had caused it.

I think since then we've kpet them in hand luggage! (or make sure they are surrounded by absorbant, dark material or in sealed bags!)

Well I've only bought 6 cans so they should go into hand luggage ok. mind you it's given me a whole new picture of our friend's eating habits....

Be aware that US customs have sniffer dogs to check for "illegal" food stuffs in your luggage! Be prepared for some unwanted interest from a small beagle wearing a sniffer dog uniform