Sending homemade food from Canada to Japan and New Zealand

December 20, 2007 5:41 AM

Can I send homemade sealed raspberry jam from Canada to Japan and New Zealand?

Some Japanese friends I've met here in Canada just love my mom's homemade raspberry jam. I think they even love it more than I do -- and I love it a lot.

They're back in Japan now, and one of them is in New Zealand, and they've asked for some jam of mine. So now I'm wondering, can I send homemade food from Canada to Japan and New Zealand? If I can, should I use Canada Post? Should I go with a priority courier instead? The package doesn't need to get there by New Year's Day, but it would be nice if it can.

The jam is sealed in small glass jars. The content is perishable, but as long as its sealed, it will take a long time before it rots. I also know glass is heavy, and I hope it won't break easily. I guess bubble wrap will become handy.

Any suggestions, with links, if possible, will be appreciated. Thanks!

posted by remi to travel & transportation (7 answers total)

NZ Customs is really, really strict about importing food items. There's some info here.
posted by the duck by the oboe at 6:08 AM on December 20, 2007

My daughters in Vancouver send me a 'care package' of homemade raspberry, blackberry, and other jams every autumn. They use fairly small Mason jars, and roll each one in bubble wrap, then pack it all into a cardboard box, and send it by Canada Post to me here in Tokyo.

They write 'jars of jam' on the Customs label, and the packages usually come straight through to my door. One year, one of the jars didn't make it intact, and the package became vividly stained in red on one side. That one was opened by the Japanese post office, the broken stuff re-wrapped into a fresh plastic bag, the entire carton then sealed in plastic (to protect other people's mail, presumably), and delivered to my door.

They also send an annual homemade fruitcake, and that's due any day now!
posted by woodblock100 at 6:18 AM on December 20, 2007

I think I got most of the info I need. Thanks to both of you!
posted by remi at 6:31 AM on December 20, 2007

Umm, I want some :)
posted by govtdrone at 7:46 AM on December 20, 2007

I would assume that the rules vary by country, but my mom has sent me jars of rhubarb jam from the States to Romania, and they've let those through without any apparent problems. Just label appropriately on the customs form, and, yeah, bubble wrap is your friend.
posted by the luke parker fiasco at 12:31 PM on December 20, 2007

Japan should be ok - but yeah New Zealand is probably a lot stricter about any food stuffs containing plant seeds.

You can send me some here in Japan to check if you like (^_~).
posted by gomichild at 4:40 PM on December 20, 2007

My understanding is that New Zealand customs would absolutely not let this through. It may be different if it was a commercially bought jam, which was sealed, but not homemade.
posted by girlgeeknz at 6:37 PM on December 20, 2007