What kind of food can I bring into Canada?

[raistlinn]

Hello everyone according to the following link,

https://www.inspection.gc.ca/food-safety-for-industry/information-for-consumers/travellers/eng/1389630031549/1389630282362

I'm allowed to bring cheese up to 20kg but on some websites, it says it has to be labeled and they might as for a receipt. My uncle has a farm so I'm not going to pay for them and they will all be sealed, would this be a problem?
And also I'm planning to bring some olives can you tell me if it is prohibited or not?

Thanks.

 

[scylla]

Hello everyone according to the following link,

https://www.inspection.gc.ca/food-safety-for-industry/information-for-consumers/travellers/eng/1389630031549/1389630282362

I'm allowed to bring cheese up to 20kg but on some websites, it says it has to be labeled and they might as for a receipt. My uncle has a farm so I'm not going to pay for them and they will all be sealed, would this be a problem?
And also I'm planning to bring some olives can you tell me if it is prohibited or not?

Thanks.

The cheese should be in commercial packaging that hasn't been opened. If you bring something you or your family have packaged yourself, you probably won't be allowed to bring it into Canada. The olives are fine as long as they are in commercial packaging and unopened.

 

[primaprime]

You seem to have done your research; that's good.

As long as everything is properly sealed in its original packaging, and you declare them, you should be fine. If something isn't allowed, it won't be a problem unless you failed to declare it.

 

[raistlinn]

The cheese should be in commercial packaging that hasn't been opened. If you bring something you or your family have packaged yourself, you probably won't be allowed to bring it into Canada. The olives are fine as long as they are in commercial packaging and unopened.

Appreciate the quick reply. Is there a reason why it doesn't say commercially packaged for cheese because it says for fruits and vegetables here:
1 bag up to 4 kilograms of US No. 1 potatoes per person and the bag must be commercially packaged

And I won't have them on the plane so it will be in my suitcase, how are they going to check that exactly?
Thanks

 

[raistlinn]

You seem to have done your research; that's good.

As long as everything is properly sealed in its original packaging, and you declare them, you should be fine. If something isn't allowed, it won't be a problem unless you failed to declare it.

thanks for your reply. I thought that even though if I declare it and if it is not allowed it would be a problem but worst case scenario I think they take it away which is not a big deal.

 

[bongoman]

I believe you will be with your bags by the time your declaration is checked. There is a TV show on YouTube you can see the process.

 

[primaprime]

thanks for your reply. I thought that even though if I declare it and if it is not allowed it would be a problem but worst case scenario I think they take it away which is not a big deal.

Yes, as long as you declare it, if it's not allowed they'll just take it and say they're sorry (this is Canada after all haha). At the customs area you'll be asked to declare food products, etc. and you should just answer yes to that and go from there.

 

[raistlinn]

Yes, as long as you declare it, if it's not allowed they'll just take it and say they're sorry (this is Canada after all haha). At the customs area you'll be asked to declare food products, etc. and you should just answer yes to that and go from there.

Perfect, haha. And any idea on this?

Is there a reason why it doesn't say commercially packaged for cheese because it says for fruits and vegetables here:
1 bag up to 4 kilograms of US No. 1 potatoes per person and the bag must be commercially packaged

And I won't have them on the plane so it will be in my suitcase, how are they going to check that exactly?
Thanks again!

 

[primaprime]

Perfect, haha. And any idea on this?

Is there a reason why it doesn't say commercially packaged for cheese because it says for fruits and vegetables here:
1 bag up to 4 kilograms of US No. 1 potatoes per person and the bag must be commercially packaged

And I won't have them on the plane so it will be in my suitcase, how are they going to check that exactly?
Thanks again!

It doesn't say that, but it certainly helps to not have mystery food products in unlabeled packages. If they aren't confident that it's actually cheese, they won't let you bring it in.

If you declare food products they'll probably take you into the secondary area to verify your declaration, and if you haven't collected your suitcase at that point they'll fetch it for you.

Of course, if you don't declare anything there's a good chance you can simply collect your suitcase and stroll out of the airport unbothered, which people do all the time, but on the off chance they randomly select you for more screening at the carousel area you'll be in trouble.

 

[raistlinn]

It doesn't say that, but it certainly helps to not have mystery food products in unlabeled packages. If they aren't confident that it's actually cheese, they won't let you bring it in.

If you declare food products they'll probably take you into the secondary area to verify your declaration, and if you haven't collected your suitcase at that point they'll fetch it for you.

Of course, if you don't declare anything there's a good chance you can simply collect your suitcase and stroll out of the airport unbothered, which people do all the time, but on the off chance they randomly select you for more screening at the carousel area you'll be in trouble.

Alright, thank you.

 

[PMM]

HI

Hello everyone according to the following link,

https://www.inspection.gc.ca/food-safety-for-industry/information-for-consumers/travellers/eng/1389630031549/1389630282362

I'm allowed to bring cheese up to 20kg but on some websites, it says it has to be labeled and they might as for a receipt. My uncle has a farm so I'm not going to pay for them and they will all be sealed, would this be a problem?
And also I'm planning to bring some olives can you tell me if it is prohibited or not?

Thanks.

1. If it is unpasteurized cheese don't bring it to Canada.

 

[scylla]

Appreciate the quick reply. Is there a reason why it doesn't say commercially packaged for cheese because it says for fruits and vegetables here:
1 bag up to 4 kilograms of US No. 1 potatoes per person and the bag must be commercially packaged

And I won't have them on the plane so it will be in my suitcase, how are they going to check that exactly?
Thanks

If something isn't commercially packaged, it's not as easy for an officer to tell what it is. Consequently much higher chances of confiscation.

They have dogs around the baggage retrieval area that are trained to smell food that can easily smell stuff through suitcases no matter how well you've packaged it. I've seen that happen lots of times. Plus you have to declare the food when you arrive in Canada. Make sure you declare you have food - you don't want to go down the path of non-declaring.

 

[raistlinn]

HI



1. If it is unpasteurized cheese don't bring it to Canada.

It is pasteurized