Can You Bring Fruit Salad On A Plane?

 

Can you bring fruit salad on an airplane? Are the rules different for domestic and international flights? And just how long will fruit salad remain safe to eat when packed in your luggage? Read on for the answers.

 

Bringing Fruit Salad On A Plane

Can You Bring Fruit Salad on Domestic Flights Within the U.S.A.?

Carry-On Baggage:

Yes, if boarding in the continental U.S.*

Checked Luggage:

Yes, if boarding in the continental U.S.*

 

 

*If you are flying from Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands, you cannot bring most fresh fruits and vegetables on board. If you are flying to Hawaii, you must declare all fresh produce upon arrival; it may be prohibited depending on type and origin.

 

Can You Bring Fruit Salad on Domestic Flights Within the U.S.A.?

Carry-On Baggage:

Yes, if boarding in the continental U.S.**

Checked Luggage:

Yes, if boarding in the continental U.S.**

 

**You can bring fruit salad on board and consume them during the flight. But you might not be able to bring fruit salad into your foreign destination (see details below).

 

 

Can You Bring Fruit Salad Into The U.S.A. on an International Flight?

Carry-On or Checked Baggage

 No in most cases (see details below)

 

 

How Long Will Fruit Salad Last In Your Luggage?

Fruit Salad / Cut-Up Fruit, fresh:

2 hours at room temperature

 

Sources: Transportation Security Administration, U.S. Customs and Border Protection, StillTasty.com

 

BRINGING FRUIT SALAD ON A PLANE: FLIGHTS ORIGINATING IN THE U.S.A.

Can you bring fruit salad through airport security in your carry-on baggage?

Yes, if you are boarding a flight in the continental United States*, the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) will allow you to bring fresh fruit salad or cut-up fruit through airport security in your carry-on baggage. The fruit salad or cut fruit should be placed in a resealable bag or container with a secure-fitting lid. There is no limit to the quantity of fruit salad or cut fruit you can bring in your carry-on: You can pack as much of it as you’d like and will fit into your allowable hand luggage.

The exception is fruit salad that contains added juice or liquid. If there is too much liquid collecting in the bottom of the container, the TSA agent on duty may decide that the fruit salad falls under the TSA’s “3-1-1 liquids rule”, which requires that all liquids and gels in your carry-on luggage be stored in 3.4-ounce or smaller containers — all of which must fit into one quart-sized plastic bag.

*If you are flying from Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands to the U.S. mainland, you cannot bring most fresh fruits and vegetables on board. If you are flying to Hawaii, you must declare all fresh fruits and vegetables you bring upon arrival; these may be inspected and prohibited depending on type and origin.

 

Read more: Here are the foods you can bring through airport security

 

Can you bring fruit salad on an airplane in your checked baggage?

Yes, you can bring fruit salad in your checked baggage when boarding a flight within the United States, with the exceptions for Hawaii, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands noted above. You can bring as much fruit salad as you’d like in your allowable checked luggage. To prevent fruit salad from getting crushed, pack it in sturdy containers with tight-fitting lids. Since fruit salad is perishable, you should pack it along with some ice or a frozen gel pack to keep it cold throughout the trip.

 

Can you bring fruit salad on an international flight leaving the U.S.A.?

Yes, you can bring fruit salad on an international flight departing from the U.S. — but depending on where you’re going, you may not be able to bring the fruit salad off the plane once you arrive at your destination.

If your intention is to bring the fruit salad onto the plane in your carry-on baggage and eat it during the flight, you’ll have no issues. The TSA applies the same rules for allowing fruit salad through security at U.S. airports, whether you are flying domestically or internationally.

But taking the fruit salad off the plane and bringing it into a foreign country is a different matter. The rules around fresh produce can be strict: Some countries, such as Australia, prohibit international travelers from bringing in any fresh fruits and vegetables whatsoever. Be sure to check your foreign destination’s rules before leaving if you’re hoping to bring in fresh produce.

 

BRINGING FRUIT SALAD INTO THE UNITED STATES

Can you bring fruit salad on an international flight back into the U.S.A.?

In the vast majority of cases, the answer is no. The United States has strict rules about allowing travelers to bring fresh fruit and vegetables into the country, due to the risk of spreading pests and diseases to U.S. crops.

Whether you can bring fruit salad back into the U.S. will depend on the fruits contained in it and the country from which you are arriving. The U.S. Department of Agriculture has a tool for checking the restrictions on specific fruits and vegetables from foreign countries.

Note also that you must declare all fruits and vegetables that you bring into the United States — whether they are allowable or not — to U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and permit them to be inspected by a CBP agent. This can be a time-consuming process. The penalties for failing to declare your food items can be steep; bear in mind also that the CBP routinely conducts random screenings for arriving passengers.

 

FOOD SAFETY: HOW LONG WILL FRUIT SALAD LAST IN YOUR LUGGAGE?

Fresh fruit salad or cut-up fruit can be kept safely for about 2 to 4 hours at room temperature; discard any leftovers. You can bring ice or a frozen gel pack to keep it cooler longer. But ice or gel packs in your carry-on luggage must be completely frozen when passing through airport security — if they are even partially thawed, the TSA screeners will likely bring them from you.

 

Note: While the above information is based on applicable Transportation Security Administration (TSA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) guidelines at the time of publication, the final decision for whether to allow a food item through airport security or into the United States rests with the TSA and CBP officers on duty at the airport. Regulations also change frequently: For the latest information, check the US Customs and Border Protection and Transportation Security Administration websites.

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