Bringing Home Food To U.S.

Processed meats sealed in original packaging is OK.

I couldn't immediately find an official citation--perhaps you'll have better luck with persistent Googling--but based on earlier research (including plaintive reports by disappointed returnees), prosciutto is a definite "no". If you try to smuggle it in (not listing it on the customs declaration), you are liable for a substantial fine in addition to confiscation. For all I know, criminal charges might also be possible if they really get mad at you. Don't risk it.

I can't say for sure about salami, because I've never been tempted to bring any back.

I know that some hard cheeses are OK (though packaging may matter), whereas at least some fresh cheeses are totally prohibited.

For any foodstuffs / agricultural products it's important to look for the official regulations before you buy anything. Do not trust information from foreign sellers of such goods. They may honestly believe that what they're selling you is OK, but their opinion does not matter whatsoever.

Here's a quote from one of mm14's links: "In very few cases swine and swine products can enter the United States (U.S.). Commercially canned pork is allowed if the CBP officer can determine from the label that the meat was cooked in the can after it was sealed to make it shelf-stable without refrigeration." [Emphasis mine]

Salami--no. the sniffing beagle will get it in customs.
Prosciutto--maybe.
Good luck.

This is straight from the CBP guide to bringing food back to the US:

"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." Packaging is not mentioned so appears to be irrelevant.

Is that clear enough? Its a disease/insect issue not a customs issue. I have a friend who was a USDA inspector at a US airport, and he said they always knew which flights are likely to have people bringing back sausage and salamis and like to catch people with it. Nothing personal, just trying to protect your food supply.

But the point is that you must declare all food, and the inspector will decide if you can keep it or not. Same thing with cheeses. Its not what you can try and get away with, and you dont have to guess what's allowed or not. Just declare the prosciutto and see if they let you bring it in. No harm done. Not declaring it, and being caught, pisses them off.

Over the years I have managed to bring a great deal of Italian food back to the States....mostly in the form of extra inches on my waistline. Truly the best form of snuggling.

Not declaring it, and being caught, pisses them off.

....which typically means a fine in addition to confiscation. The more stamps you have in your passport the more likely they are to fine you. Frequent travelers are expected to know the rules. In addition should you get fined you'll most likely be entered into a database and get a hand-search every time you reenter the US:(

I have read more than one first-hand report by a traveler who tried--unsuccessfully--to bring back prosciutto.

Enjoy it while their and find an Italian market when you return home--- no need to be stressed

I imagine U.S. regulations are similar to those here, and I wouldn't take a chance on it. I've heard of people being fined in excess of $1000 because their non-compliance "annoyed" the Customs inspectors.

Depending on where you live in the U.S., you should be able to find those same products at your local Italian Deli. I live in a smaller city (~40,000), and have no problem buying all kinds of genuine Italian products. It probably helps that there are quite a few Italians living in this area (the Deli is owned by a Calabrese family). A nearby larger city also has a large Italian population and they also have a a store that supplies a range of products.

We have brought back cheese and one little salami. They let us through. Maybe because all we had was a backpack??

Some cheeses are perfectly OK (though proper packaging may be required--I don't know). I simply do not know about salami; it is processed differently from prosciutto.

Don't do it. If you live near a decent Italian food store in the U.S., go there. Or you can order online from places like Eataly. And local producers in the U.S. are turning out decent facsimiles of what you'll find in Italy. If you must, bring olive oil, truffles in jars (or truffle paste), grappa, which is cheap in Italy, really costly in the U.S., vinsanto and other beverages that are hard to find or prohibitively expensive in the U.S.

My rule of thumb that has worked for years....

• No meats, certainly no expensive meats. Canned or jarred fish (anchovies, good tuna, etc) is OK, but any red meat and pork, whether dried, preserved, packaged, canned, or in a jar just raises a flag; and whether you get through or not is at the discretion of the agents.
• Cheese is generally not a problem, anything that has been aged a bit is OK. Hard cheeses and semi-soft cheeses are best bets, runny cheeses and ones floating in whey (fresh mozzerella) will raise flags.
• Canned goods, dried beans, Rice, packaged items, candy, oils, alcohol, if not covered by one of the first two bullets are nearly always OK.
• At entry to the US you will be asked a general question about a litany of items that also includes if you have any food or alcohol...declare it (answer yes). I always bring back some type of food, always say "yes", only one time were my bags looked at, though I am usually asked what exactly I have. If you answer confidently, they usually just wave you through.