Did you know that you aren't allowed to import cured meats from Europe!? I didn't! I learned about it yesterday when I lost $30 of store bought pre-packaged sausage from Switzerland at the Customs and Boarder Protection bag check in San Fransisco.
Maybe I can replace it with some of that listeria tainted Boar's Head stuff... ;)
Thank you for the reminder. Sorry that you lost the food that you hoped to bring home. In the future, it is wise to look up this information with the US Customs and Border Protection.
https://www.cbp.gov/travel/international-visitors/agricultural-items
Bringing Food into the U.S.
Many agriculture products are prohibited entry into the United States from certain countries because they may carry plant pests and foreign animal diseases. All agriculture items must be declared and are subject to inspection by a CBP Agriculture Specialist at ports of entry to ensure they are free of plant pests and foreign animal diseases. Prohibited or restricted items may include meats, fresh fruits and vegetables, plants, seeds, soil and products made from animal or plant materials. For generally allowed food items please visit USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.
Declared agriculture items, in non-commercial quantities, that are found to be prohibited or restricted by the CBP Agriculture Specialists can be abandoned at the port of entry should the traveler wish to continue into the U.S. However, undeclared prohibited agriculture items will be confiscated and can result in the issuance of a civil penalty to the traveler for failure to declare the prohibited item. All agricultural items that are abandoned or confiscated at ports of entry are destroyed in accordance with USDA approved destruction methods to prevent spread of pests and diseases.
Agricultural pests and diseases are a threat to U.S. crop production and to the livestock industry. Some animal diseases can be highly contagious and could cause severe economic damage to livestock and result in losses in production, which could lead to increased costs for meat and dairy products. Plant pests and disease, as well as invasive plant material can cause crop loss and also damage lawns, ornamental plants, and trees. Plant pest infestations can result in increased costs to consumers due to pest eradication efforts as well as lower crop yields. High risk plant pest and animal disease outbreaks within the U.S. could also adversely affect the economy as a result of reduced trade of U.S. origin goods to countries around the world.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Department of Homeland Security are partners in the effort to protect American agriculture against the introduction of pests and diseases at our nation's ports of entry. USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service determines what agricultural products are admissible into the U.S. and what products pose a risk and should be prohibited or restricted entry. U.S. Customs and Border Protection enforce these agricultural rules and regulations at ports of entry. Learn more about protecting agriculture.
Any time you contemplate bringing back foodstuffs it's prudent to check the Customs website first, to avoid confiscation.
There is a lot of "may" and "could be" on the CBP site.
Excerpted from https://www.aphis.usda.gov/traveling-with-ag-products/meats-poultry-seafood. Suggest you read the site in its entirety because the devil is in the details. If you felt like taking a chance they wouldn't put you on a naughty list, you could have protested unless you were entering from one of the named countries.
Travelers may bring back boneless meat in commercially packaged,
labeled, and contained in unopened hermetically sealed containers or
packages that are cooked by a commercial method after such packing to
produce articles that are shelf-stable without refrigeration.Cured hams (prosciutto, Serrano ham, Iberian ham) and salami from
areas within France, Germany, Italy and Spain may not be brought into
the United States by travelers. These items may only enter in
commercial shipments because there are special restrictions that
require additional certification and documentation.
Last year I bought a few small Pick salamis--they are fabulously tasty, made in Szeged, Hungary, can't get them here easily if at all--at the duty free shop in the Budapest airport. I worried for the next 11 or so hours, until I realized that I have never had a carry-on bag checked at Customs in San Francisco. Briefly contemplated an I Love Lucy-esque scenario where I dressed the salamis as a baby (she tried to smuggle in a huge cheese from Italy), or, worse, going to prison for possessing salami. I was grateful to not have them confiscated, but won't try it again.
Yes, we learned it the hard way after we brought sausage back from Germany. Thankfully we declared it, or we could have been subject to a $10,000 fine. We were informed that only meat in a can is allowed into the US from abroad.
What's the word on dairy...?
There seems to be a number of videos circulating on social media of people bringing back French butter and having them vacuum-sealed at the French market store.
Blockquote
What's the word on dairy...?
There seems to be a number of videos circulating on social media of people bringing back French butter and having them vacuum-sealed at the French market store.
https://www.aphis.usda.gov/traveling-with-ag-products/milk-dairy-eggs
Most milk and dairy items from countries with foot-and-mouth disease (FMD) are not allowed. To find out a country’s status for FMD, visit Animal Health Status of Regions.
There are three exceptions:
Liquid milk and milk products for infants or small children are allowed in small quantities (enough for several days’ use)
Products containing powdered or dry milk (baby/infant formula, baking mixes, soup mixes, drink mixes) are allowed in small quantities, if they are properly labeled.
Commercially packaged and labeled, cooked, shelf-stable, fully finished food items in unopened packages are allowed.
Exemptions
Certain items may enter from any country. These include:
Butter
Butter oil
Solid hard or soft cheeses (as long as the cheese does not contain meat or pour like a liquid such as ricotta or cottage cheese)
There are official websites for this kind of information. Food imports is regulated by the US Dept of Agriculture: APHIS on dairy
I know an entomologist who did airport inspections for agricultural products. He said they know which international flights are most likely to have salami smugglers, etc. And it's the lying about it that will get you into deep trouble.
We are currently watching the 1971 comedy film “Mortadella” (Lady Liberty title in English) starring Sophia Loren. This is about a young Italian woman who flies to the US to marry her fiancé, bringing a large whole Mortadella sausage twice the size of a football as a gift. Customs agents at JKF will not let her bring in the meat, which is under a ban by the USDA.
Available on YouTube, but not great resolution.
That brings back memories of taking the MIL to Switzerland twenty some years ago and coming back thru SFO. The customs agent insisted on checking her carryon bag because “old people are notorious for trying to sneak in the cured meats” only to find her bag jam packed with all the little shampoo bottles and soaps from all the hotels we stayed at, gifts for all her lady friends. She was furious he made her open her bag and even more so when we all, agent included, started busting up.
Our neighbors from Eastern Europe go back every year to visit relatives. The dad told us one year he brought back a large hunk of cured meat and declared it. When told it would be confiscated, he argued with the Customs agent about it. "And now, every single time I get my luggage searched. The rest of the family just walk through, but I get searched every time."
Sophia Loren movie “Lady Liberty” comically deals with this subject
