Dry and packaged foods don't need a cold chain, but they do need an FDA Prior Notice filed before they reach a US port, complete labels (ingredients, allergens, batch and expiry dates) and packing that keeps moisture and contamination out. Most food clearance problems come from labels and ingredient declarations, not freight paperwork.
What this guide covers
Dry and packaged food fails in transit in three ways: it picks up moisture, it gets contaminated, or its labels don't meet the destination's rules. This guide covers how to pack against the first two, which documents and labels you need for the third, and when to choose air over ocean.
Food products this guide covers
Grains, pulses & cereals
Rice, beans, lentils, flour and oats
Spices, seasonings & powders
Pepper, turmeric, masala blends and dried herbs
Packaged & canned foods
Ready-to-eat meals, sauces, and canned fruit and vegetables
Tea, coffee & beverages
Loose-leaf tea, roasted coffee beans and packaged drinks
Edible oils & fats
Cooking oils, specialty fats and nut oils
Snacks & branded packaged foods
Chips, biscuits, confectionery and health foods
Shipping food products?
Get a quoteThree ways food gets damaged in transit
Your packing plan has to keep food dry, clean and traceable. Here is what goes wrong and how to prevent it.
Dry food soaks up humidity, which leads to mold, grain insects, clumping and off-odors. Moisture protection has to start before loading; once the container door is closed it is too late.
- Line the container with a food-grade liner
- Put silica gel or desiccant pouches inside cartons
- Use clean, dry pallets that have never carried chemicals
- Fumigate the container when the destination requires it
- Keep warehouses ventilated and humidity-controlled
Packaging has to keep food clean, protect shelf life and survive a long ocean voyage without tearing, leaking or crushing. A shipment can be rejected because the packaging looks unhygienic, even if the food inside is fine.
- Strong outer cartons with food-safe inner packaging
- Tamper-evident seals
- No double-stacking of fragile packaging
- Shrink-wrapped pallets to keep out dust and contain spills
- Labels placed where customs inspectors can easily read them
Regulators must be able to trace food back to where it was made. Recalls are rare, but regulators want proof that you could run one correctly if needed.
- Batch numbers, production dates and expiry dates
- Manufacturer details and food-grade declarations
- A complete ingredient and allergen list
- Warehouse and trucking procedures that prevent contamination
Documents and labels you'll need
Most food clearance problems come from labeling and ingredient-declaration errors, not freight paperwork. The documents split into two groups: the product and food-safety records you supply as the shipper, and the transport documents your forwarder prepares.
What you supply: product and food-safety documents
| Document | Why you need it |
|---|---|
| Ingredient statement & allergen disclosure | Required for consumer food imports and labeling |
| Batch, manufacturing and expiry date list | Proves traceability and shelf-life compliance |
| Phytosanitary certificate (when required) | Needed for plant-based ingredients and grains |
| Fumigation certificate (for wood packaging or grain insects) | Keeps pests out of destination ports |
| Food safety certification (HACCP / ISO / local food authority) | Shows the facility follows hygienic, food-safe processes |
| Lab test / quality certificate (for regulated food items) | Confirms product quality and microbiology standards |
| Halal certificate (market-specific) | Required in many Middle East markets |
What your forwarder prepares: transport documents
| Document | Why you need it |
|---|---|
| Commercial invoice and packing list | Describes the food, its ingredients and its HS code |
| Certificate of Origin (if required) | Supports tariff treatment and proves origin |
| Bill of Lading / Air Waybill | The transport contract; shows how the shipment is routed |
| Container cleanliness seal record | Good practice for food shipments |
Shipping food products?
Get a quoteRules by destination
- FDA Prior Notice must be filed before the shipment arrives
- Food facility registration may be required
- Allergen labels and packaging are checked for compliance
- Regulated food is entered in the TRACES system
- Strict limits on pesticide residues and contaminants
- Labeling rules for allergens and nutrition
- Halal certificates for relevant product categories
- Arabic labels on retail SKUs in many countries
Typical transit times for dry food
Most dry food moves by ocean. Air is used for premium or urgent SKUs.
| Trade lane | Mode | Typical transit |
|---|---|---|
| Asia ⇄ North America | Ocean / Air | ~20–40 days / ~3–6 days |
| Asia ⇄ Europe | Ocean / Rail | ~18–35 days / ~12–20 days |
| South America ⇄ North America / Europe | Ocean | ~12–28 days |
| Europe ⇄ Middle East | Ocean / Air | ~10–22 days / ~1–3 days |
Shipping food products?
Get a quoteHS codes for common food products
| Code | Description |
|---|---|
| 1006 | Rice |
| 0713 | Pulses |
| 0904 | Pepper and spices |
| 0902 | Tea |
| 2008 | Preserved fruits and vegetables |
| 2103 | Sauces and condiments |
| 2106 | Food preparations |
These codes are indicative starting points, not a classification. Find the exact 10-digit line for your product in the HTS Code Finder. Getting the classification right is the importer of record’s legal responsibility.
Estimate US import duties for these codes with our free tariff simulator. Code list reference: https://www.wcoomd.org/en/topics/nomenclature.aspx
Food shipping FAQs
Keep the cargo dry from the start: line the container with a food-grade liner, put desiccants in the cartons, use clean pallets, and check that the container floor and walls are dry before loading.
No. Fumigation is mainly required for grains, seeds and wood packaging. Always check the destination's rules for your product.
Ingredients, allergens, batch number, expiry date and manufacturer details. Retail goods also need nutrition information.
Ideally not. Avoid co-loading food with chemicals, fragrances, machinery oils, or anything that sheds dust or moisture.
Choose air when shelf life is short, demand is urgent, or the product needs stable temperatures to keep its flavor and aroma.
FDA Prior Notice is a mandatory electronic filing to the US Food and Drug Administration, submitted before a food shipment arrives at a US port. It tells the FDA what is in the shipment, who made it and where it is going. If it isn't filed on time, the cargo is held at the port and refused entry.
You need one for raw or minimally processed plant products: raw grains (rice, wheat), whole spices (peppercorns), raw nuts, pulses (lentils), and fresh or dried herbs. It is generally not required for highly processed, shelf-stable products such as canned vegetables, roasted coffee or ready-to-eat sauces, because cooking or roasting removes the pest risk.
Yes, significantly. Retail products (for example, a bag of chips) need a full consumer label in the destination country's language, with ingredients, allergens, nutrition facts and the manufacturer's address. Bulk ingredients (for example, a 25 kg sack of flour sold to a bakery) have simpler rules: often just the product name, batch number, expiry date and manufacturer on the outer packaging.
"Food grade" is a standard of cleanliness, not a special container type. The container must be clean (swept, with no residue from earlier cargo), odor-free (no smell of chemicals, paint or other goods), dry (no moisture or leaks) and unstained (no visible spills on the floor). A food-grade container liner is the best way to make sure your cargo sits in a clean environment.
Shipping terms in this guide:Phytosanitary CertificateCommercial InvoicePacking ListHarmonized System Code (HS Code)Certificate of Origin (COO)Bill of Lading (BOL)
U.S. import duty on Food & Edible Commodities by country of origin
Total duty on the highest-value tariff lines in this category, by country of origin, calculated with our tariff engine and U.S. Census import values. Each page breaks down the duty components, how the rate has changed by entry date, and the landed-cost math.
- Wine of fresh grapes from France
- Palm oil and its fractions from Indonesia
- Wine of fresh grapes from Italy
- Animal, vegetable or microbial fats and oils from China
- Sparkling wine from France
- Spirits obtained by distilling grape wine or grape marc from France
- Sparkling wine from Italy
- Extra virgin olive oil from Italy
- Castor oil and its fractions from India
- Beer made from malt from China
- Beer made from malt from Thailand
Rates are our tariff engine's total for a commercial entry today. Open a page for the duty lines behind a rate and how it changed by entry date, browse all import duty pages, or price your own shipment.
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