Fresh fruit in flight carry-on bag?

[knlasv]

Would I be ok to bring oranges in my carry on bag? We are flying Spirit. I don't want to put them in my checked luggage for fear of them getting smashed.
TSA says
"Carry On Bags:
Yes (Special Instructions)
Checked Bags:
Yes
Solid food items (not liquids or gels) can be transported in either your carry-on or checked bags within the continental United States. Liquid or gel food items larger than 3.4 oz are not allowed in carry-on bags and should be placed in your checked bags if possible.
Passengers flying from Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the U.S. Virgin Islands to the U.S. mainland cannot take most fresh fruits and vegetables due to the risk of spreading invasive plant pests."

 

[Capt_BJ]

from:
https://traveltips.usatoday.com › ... › Air Travel › Airplanes


In general, the TSA has no problem with passengers packing fresh or frozen fruit and vegetables in either carry-on or checked bags. As long as the items are in a solid form, as in the case of apples or baby carrots, the TSA doesn't have any restrictions related to these foods.

 

[Alesia]

Are you flying from Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the US Virgin Islands? If not, than you can put them in your carry on

 

[seashoreCM]

First double check your destination to be sure that the fruit is allowed.

If you do not have a carryon then put the fruit in a handbag or other small satchel referred to as the "personal item" and meeting the size restrictions for same.

Oranges are not considered liquid items.

 

[DisneyDillyDally]

When I fly from Can to US I just declare the fruit on my customs card. I’ve never had a problem.

 

[kaytieeldr]

Mmm, probably because Canada isn't Hawaii, Puerto Rico, or the US Virgin Islands .

 

[DisneyDillyDally]

Yes, I know. The OP didn’t say where she was flying from so I was giving my experience from Can.

 

[ImDMous]

It really depends on where you're going, where you're coming from and what you're bringing.
If you're coming into California for example, there are a lot of specific rules. Now these are not TSA rules, they don't care at all and I think the likelihood of you running to an agriculture inspection point in the airport is non-existent.

https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/plant/factsheets/BringingFruitsVeggies_to_CA.pdf

 

[_19disnA]

OP's profile indicates they are from Ohio.

 

[knlasv]

I will be traveling Cleveland to Orlando and bringing oranges. Thanks for the responses!

 

[kaytieeldr]

Wait. You're brining oranges to the state that produces the most oranges?

 

[gatour]

Wait. You're brining oranges to the state that produces the most oranges?

However most of the oranges produced in Florida are for making orange juice and not eating

 

[Capt_BJ]

and the juice business is failing too .... locally our last processor closed shop. From local news:

One of only a handful of orange juice-processing plants left in Florida has stopped processing fruit in yet another sign of the havoc that imported juice, diseases and Hurricane Irma have had on the fortunes of the state’s signature crop.
Officials at U.S. Sugar-owned Southern Gardens Citrus announced the end of processing at its plant in southwest Florida on Tuesday, a month before the start of the next growing season in Florida.
Southern Gardens will have its fruit processed at other plants. It will bring the juice back for storage and then distribution to its customers. Shipping, growing and research operations also will continue at the plant, company officials said.
Company officials said the plant was built a quarter century ago to process 20 million boxes of fruit, but it only processed 6.5 million boxes of citrus last year.
Like many in Florida's citrus industry, Southern Gardens has been hurt by a flood of imported orange juice from Brazil and Mexico, company officials said.
Citrus diseases and Hurricane Irma in 2017 caused drops in the number of citrus Florida produces and that void has been filled with juice imported from Brazil and Mexico. Most of Florida's oranges are used to produce juice.
"Our processing plant was built to efficiently produce much more juice than we can sell due to the current market situation, something that, unfortunately, has become common throughout the Florida industry," Southern Gardens president Dan Casper said in a statement.
Florida Citrus Mutual, the industry's advocacy group, said Florida now has seven major citrus processing plants left in the state, down from around 30 processors two decades ago.

 

[SteveMouse]

There is also a quarantine and import restrictions regarding citrus. See https://www.fdacs.gov/Divisions-Off.../Citrus-Quarantine-and-Disease-Detection-Maps

 

[bumbershoot]

Wait. You're brining oranges to the state that produces the most oranges?

I thought that too, but every orange I’ve purchased in Florida has “grown in California” stickers on them.

There is also a quarantine and import restrictions regarding citrus. See https://www.fdacs.gov/Divisions-Off.../Citrus-Quarantine-and-Disease-Detection-Maps

Doesn’t say you can’t bring fruit in. Next to the restriction on importing plant parts it says “except USDA inspected and certified fruit” and the later mentions of restrictions are for moving it within or out of Florida.

 

[SteveMouse]

Doesn’t say you can’t bring fruit in. Next to the restriction on importing plant parts it says “except USDA inspected and certified fruit” and the later mentions of restrictions are for moving it within or out of Florida.

It actually states “

Citrus Plants or Plant Parts – Movement into and out of Florida

Citrus plants or plant parts (except USDA inspected and certified fruit) from other states, territories or countries may not enter Florida.”


3 points of note:

1. The language specified movement INTO the state.
2. Fruit is considered a plant part, as specified in the quote.
3. Uninspected/uncertified fruit may not enter the state.

Keep safe, and please keep potentially contaminated citrus out of the state.

 

[MaleficentRN]

I thought that too, but every orange I’ve purchased in Florida has “grown in California” stickers on them.



Doesn’t say you can’t bring fruit in. Next to the restriction on importing plant parts it says “except USDA inspected and certified fruit” and the later mentions of restrictions are for moving it within or out of Florida.

I don't know how you'd get caught bringing it in, but the ban includes the oranges because of Asian citrus psyllid.

 

[tnolan]

I just checked the TSA can I bring list, put oranges in the search box, and it said no to carry ons but ok to checked.