is chocolate candy?

[Flossbolna]

this is a customs question: It is stated on the US customs site that candy is exempted from the rule that no food may be taken into the US. So my question is whether chocolate would fall under the term candy in that sense?

 

[drew64]

Yes it is allowed and considered candy. Other foods are also allowed depending on what they are and how they are packaged.

 

[Flossbolna]

Thanks for the fast answer!

 

[OKW Lover]

My first inclination is to tell you that chocolate is one of the basic food groups.

As others have already said, chocolate falls into that loop hole called candy.

 

[LuvsTigger80]

Depends. If you've got a 3 year old, its more like a controlled substance!

 

[DizneeMommy]

Chocolate, my friends, is in a class aaaaaaall by itself!!

 

[bytheblood]

Oddly, we have learned that it is allowed for flights coming back through customs, but not for cruises. Weird, eh?

 

[Sillyminny40]

"Chocolate is a vegetable and is good for you." Tinkerbelle

 

[Mary976]

Customs is often picky about things being in their original packaging. I had to throw away an opened bag of candy coming in on an international flight. The still sealed bags were fine though.

Mary

 

[bavaria]

I am so ashamed.... a fellow countrywoman starts a thread asking about the classification of chocolate.

Na bitte!!! Have you not read about my international chocolate smuggling exercises?! I am the one who had to purchase a 'Ritter Sport' branded duffle bag after visiting the factory in order to haul away my purchases.

Here I sit in China with Milka, Ritter Sport, Toblerone, Cailler, and a few other assorted brands in my suitcase.

actually, in many instances chocolate is actually on the verboten list but that is what the secret zippered section inside the suitcase is for.... not that you heard it from me! Generally it is due to the situation of the traveller and not the food itself; if you are part of a government preclearance program you would/should know the rules.

But why ask me? Here is an answer in German from Dr Honigtau Bunsenbrenner, also known as Dr Bunsen Honeydew (I kid you not) Albeit from not an official site, and Dr Honeydew is actually incorrect as not all food products are prohibited from entry.

Nur die Schokolade koennte problematisch werden, weil die Einfuhr von Lebensmitteln in die USA grundsaetzlich verboten ist. Allerdings ist die Wahrscheinlichkeit, mit ein paar Tafeln Schokolade ungeschoren davonzukommen, sehr gross. Und selbst wenn, dann wird sie halt weggenommen und das war's.

http://de.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081207045724AAem2Ds

The US Embassy site in Holland says that it is permitted as well. (I didn't mean to drag the Dutch into this, but it was the only official European based site I could find in English quickly for our non-German readers)
http://thehague.usembassy.gov/faqs/u.s.-customs#allowedfood

 

[bavaria]

(And to anyone who thinks that they may have 'caught' me breaking the rules, there is no restriction on bringing chocolate to China. While Shanghai may be a source of many foreign items due to the large expat community, finding chocolate of any sort in the smaller towns is almost impossible, let alone the good stuff)

And if anyone thinks that I am being a poopyhead to Flossbolna, let me assure you that we Germans do have a sense of humour, although it may be quite different from the American humour. I'm actually still in a state of shock that she has apparently never travelled with her emergency chocolate ration in her purse on trips to America...

 

[Flossbolna]

(And to anyone who thinks that they may have 'caught' me breaking the rules, there is no restriction on bringing chocolate to China. While Shanghai may be a source of many foreign items due to the large expat community, finding chocolate of any sort in the smaller towns is almost impossible, let alone the good stuff)

And if anyone thinks that I am being a poopyhead to Flossbolna, let me assure you that we Germans do have a sense of humour, although it may be quite different from the American humour. I'm actually still in a state of shock that she has apparently never travelled with her emergency chocolate ration in her purse on trips to America...

It never crossed my mind to be offended by your comments - I was highly amused! Thanks for the link to the Dutch Embassy site, why can't they offer information like that on the Berlin Embassy site?

To be honest, so far I was always too scared of the whole US immigration process that it never crossed my mind to tempt fate. But this time I am meeting someone while at WDW and I thought some Rausch chocolate from the shop here in Berlin (one block from where I work) would be a nice gift. I was just not sure whether "candies" translates into "Süßwaren" or into "Bonbons"

And I hope you will still be speaking with me if I tell you that personally I prefer Gummibärchen (gummy bears) over chocolate.

 

[bavaria]

And I hope you will still be speaking with me if I tell you that personally I prefer Gummibärchen (gummy bears) over chocolate.

Of COURSE I will - I don't eat Gummibärchen (Haribo macht Kinder froh und Erwachsene ebsenso - now I will be singing that all night long). That just means more chocolate for me......

And I understand being scared of US Immigration - a Customs officer was once very interested in my emergency chocolate ration in my handbag, until I explained that I never leave the house without my emergency chocolate, two changes of underwear, and my passport.