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Bringing Food Back From Mexico

Bringing Food Back From Mexico

There are a few good resources about what food can be brought back from Mexico with you:

  • A brief article from the U.S. Customs and Border Protection website: "What are the general foods that can enter the United States?"
  • Visit the USDA website and search the USDA's Fruits and Vegetables Import Requirements (FAVIR) Database of approved items.
  • Call the USDA to find out specific information regarding what you would like to bring back into the U.S. at 1-877-770-5990 or 301-734-0814.
  • Below is a list of items provided by the USDA and U.S. Department of Homeland Security, called Notice To Traveler, given to SENTRI card holders as a guideline. The list is not comprehensive, some items not listed may be prohibited from entry. The list is continuously updated by the appropriate government agency and the list below may not reflect those changes.
Notice To Traveler Publication

Note that presence of absence or SEEDS is not a determining factor in entrance requirements on any fresh fruits into California. If a fruit is prohibited whole, it is also prohibited cut into pieces. All agricultural products must be declared and are subject to inspection for pests and diseases before allowing entry. Any item failing inspection will be prohibited from entering the USA.

This is only a portion of the items not allowed to enter from Mexico, some fruits or vegetables not listed may be prohibited from entry.
Prohibited Fresh Fruits
Avocado
Apricot
Sweetsop
Star Apple
Black Cherry
Chico Sapote
Cherimoya
Plum or Mombin
African Oil Palm Fruit
Peach
Pomegranate
Passionfruit
Manila Tamarind
Soursop
Guava
Genip
Grapefruit
Fig
Kiwi
Sweet Lime
Mamey Sapote
Mandarin Orange
Mango
Cashew Flower
Apple
Quince
Mesquite (pods)
Nance
Orange
Nectarine
Loquat
Pear
Persimmon
Pitahaya
Pummelo
White Sapote
Black Sapote
Tangerine
Hawthorne Apple

Prohibited Fresh Vegetables
Sweet Potato
Sugar Cane (may be enterable when properly cut)
Okra
Potatoes
Lemon Grass

Prohibited Cut Flowers
Chrysanthemums
Gladiola
Please note that many of the items used as greenery in cut flower arrangements are prohibited and all flower arrangements should be inspected by agriculture.

Prohibited Miscellaneous Plant Products
Alfalfa
Bamboo
Hay
Fodder
Live Plants
Seeds for Planting

Prohibited Animal Products
Please note that all pork products are prohibited from Mexico including lard (manteca), sausages (chorizo, salchicha) and all processed meats without an acceptable list of ingredients. Some soy chorizo (chorizo de soya) is made with lard, please check the label.
Raw poultry meat and eggs
Pork (raw or cooked)

Prohibited Live Animals
Birds
Horses
PreviousBorder Crossing Overview - Which Lane Do I Use?NextRequirements to Reenter the U.S. from Mexico by Land
About Our Sources
We work hard to maintain the validity and accuracy of the information we provide in our Before You Go guide to traveling into Mexico, and coming back to the United States. We source our information through government websites and the direct relationships we have with community and government leaders both in the United States and Mexico. Our team is based in San Diego and crosses the US/Mexico border often. Additionally we are involved with advocating for a better border crossing experience through our work with the Smart Border Coalition and regional chambers of commerce. Please contact us with questions or corrections.
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