If you’re planning to take canned food through airport security, there are a few things you need to know. While the TSA does not ban canned goods in carry-on bags outright, there are many canned food items that you won’t be able to bring with you in your carry-on. This is due to TSA regulations that govern which items can go through the security checkpoint. One of these regulations, the 3-1-1 rule, states that liquid and gel items brought aboard the aircraft in carry-on bags must be in containers that hold 3.4 ounces (100 milliliters) or less. This holds true for liquids and gels in canned foods, too. Cans taken through the checkpoint must be 3.4 ounces or smaller if they contain liquids or gels.
I spoke with a TSA officer, who told me that food items that will conform to the shape of their containers are considered to be gels. According to the officer, it’s extremely difficult to tell how much liquid is in a can of food, so TSA agents use the 3-1-1 rule for the entire can.
Packing canned goods in your carry-on bag can present other problems, too. If your can resembles a prohibited item or looks unusual on the X-ray, you probably won’t be able to take it through the checkpoint, even if it’s smaller than 3.4 ounces. This applies to canned pet food, too. In general, you’re better off packing your canned goods in your checked bag or leaving them at home.
Which canned goods can you bring in your carry-on bag?
The 3-1-1 rule leaves you with few options for bringing canned food items onboard the airplane, but there are some possibilities. Canned bread can go through the checkpoint, as bread is a solid. Cans of coffee beans or ground coffee and canned nuts should be okay, too.
One exception to the 3-1-1 rule for liquids is canned baby formula concentrate. Although it’s a liquid and comes in a can that’s larger than 3.4 ounces, baby formula concentrate falls into the medically necessary items category, so it must be screened separately. When you reach the Divestiture Officer at the security checkpoint (the person who stands in front of the X-ray machine and tells you to put your items on the belt), tell them that you have baby formula and take it out of your bag for screening. As long as you bring a reasonable amount of baby formula concentrate, there shouldn’t be a problem taking it through the checkpoint.
The final determination of which canned items you’ll be permitted to take through airport security lies with the TSA. The officer who screens your bag may make this call, or a supervisor might be brought in to make a final decision. Either way, if your canned goods can’t go through the checkpoint, you’ll have to discard them.
One last thought: As a courtesy to your fellow passengers, if you fly with tiny tins of seafood, please don’t open them on the airplane.
