🥫 Canned food

Security authorities treat canned food as a liquid or gel because the contents are dense and opaque. If a can exceeds 100ml — which most standard cans do — screeners will not allow it through in carry-on and will confiscate it at the checkpoint. Small cans at or under 100ml can go in your quart-sized liquids bag, but in practice most canned goods need to be checked.

Australia and New Zealand apply biosecurity rules to canned meat and fish that go beyond aviation security. You are required to declare canned animal products on your arrival card at Australian and New Zealand customs, and biosecurity officers may inspect or confiscate items they consider a risk. This is separate from the 100ml carry-on rule and applies even to factory-sealed, commercially produced cans that passed all security checkpoints.

No — the liquid rule is applied consistently to canned goods regardless of what is inside. A can of soup gets the same treatment as a can of peaches: if the labeled capacity exceeds 100ml, it will not pass in carry-on. Screeners do not make exceptions based on the type of food or the manufacturer's assurances that it is sealed. Check your cans.

Pack cans in checked baggage to avoid losing them at the carry-on checkpoint. If you are flying to Australia or New Zealand, declare all canned meat and fish products on your arrival card — failure to declare can result in fines. For carry-on, the only viable option is a very small can at or under 100ml in your liquids bag, which is uncommon for most standard products.