🧀 Cheese

Soft and creamy cheeses are classified as liquids or gels at security, so a large wheel of brie will be flagged and confiscated if it is over 100ml. Hard cheeses like cheddar or parmesan are treated as solids and pass through freely regardless of size. If you want to travel with soft cheese, keep it in a container of 100ml or under, or pack it in your checked bag.

Australia and New Zealand require all dairy products — including cheese — to be declared on arrival because of biosecurity risks associated with foot-and-mouth disease and other agricultural threats. Most commercially produced, factory-sealed cheeses are cleared after inspection, but the declaration is mandatory. In contrast, arriving in the US, UK, or EU with commercially sealed cheese from another country typically requires no declaration.

Screeners are trained to apply the liquid rule to items that are gel-like or spreadable, which means soft cheeses, cream cheese, and ricotta are treated as liquids. Firm hard cheeses that hold their shape are treated as solids. If you are unsure whether your cheese counts as hard or soft in the screener's assessment, err on the side of packing it in checked baggage.

Hard cheese travels well in carry-on without any special preparation. For soft cheese in carry-on, use a sealed container of 100ml or less and include it in your quart-sized liquids bag. For checked baggage, wrap cheese tightly in cling film and then in a zip-lock bag to contain any odour, and pack it away from items that could be stained if the cheese softens during transit.