April 23, 2016 - 8:03pm
Traveling with sourdough starter into the UK?
I'd like to take some sourdough starter with me when I travel from Aus to the UK but don't want to get there and have customs take it off me if it isn't allowed in (I know that it won't be allowed back into Aus). I can't find anywhere if sourdough is OK to bring into the UK. Does anyone know?
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I took sourdough starter home to the UK from the US by simply putting some recently fed starter into a plastic freezer bag, evacuating as much air as possible, and putting this bag into a second plastic bag in case of leakage. I put the whole thing into my checked on luggage and had no problem with customs. I didn't declare it.
Hi Debsch,
I can't think of any reason why you couldn't bring some starter into the UK, but here are three thoughts:
1. If your airline has a restriction on amount of fluids you can travel with then you may need to restrict yourself to the maximum volume (probably 100ml) and it may be better to bring the starter dried out in a packet.
2. I don't know how customs officers minds work, and dried out sourdough starter isn't something they come across too often, but probably isn't something that sniffer dogs are going to get excited about.
3. We certainly don't have the type of import restrictions on foodstuffs in the UK that Australia does. Getting my case thoroughly searched after sniffer dogs pounced on me years ago wasn't very entertaining (I had mistakenly put a couple of pieces of fruit in my case before setting off for Melbourne). For this reason I'd suggest putting your starter in your hand-luggage, rather than in the hold.
UK Government's publication on import restrictions for travel to the UK is available from https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/travelling-to-the-uk and some more details about foodstuffs are at https://www.gov.uk/bringing-food-animals-plants-into-uk/food.
Hope you have a great trip to the UK, and don't have any problems on arrival.
Best wishes, Colin.
I am being slightly flippant but I would think that dried starter would draw the attention of customs officers big time (think white powder here).
As for the smell I was recently making bread at my son and daughter-in-law's house ....... they have a dog ...... he went into sniffer overload every time I was mixing up the sourdough or yeast!
Bringing an unidentifiable white goo or a white powder may both have possible causes for "interest" from Her Majesty's customs officers.
There are, of course, many reasons why people may want to bring a sourdough starter half-way across the world. If it is simply so that a friend has some sourdough to work with without growing one from scratch, then I'm sure that there would be British bakers, including me, who'd be willing to send some from inside the UK to help get someone started.
Obviously, a sourdough with a provenance from elsewhere will gradually become a native sourdough as local yeasts and bacteria settle-in and take over the mix. But then there is often sentimental attachment to sourdough than simply making bread rise...
Although we haven't taken loads of flights in and out of the UK we have visited Canada several times and have yet to see Customs officers make an appearance in the Green Channel.
travel via Columbia if you are carrying white powder;)
I would think the best policy is to be upfront about what it is and then the worst that will happen is that they will dispose of it for you. If you don't declare it and you are questioned about it your travel plans may be delayed for several hours as they try to figure this out. I have never had trouble with borders but I always declare what I bring back and I have only been asked to pay once and it was a ridiculously small amount where I thought the paper work cost more than the amount collected. I know when you travel into the U.K. you self select if you have anything to declare by exiting through the appropriate hall, the agents seem to have a pretty good idea of who to randomly select for investigation.
Gerhard
spelling out "Sourdough starter" date and write your name on it. I've always claimed it and it was never a problem anywhere so far.
Other things to think about... if the starter is very runny, you may have a messy suitcase, work a lot of flour into the starter to make it good and stiff, almost flaky and hydrate at the destination. Give the hydrated starter a chance to ferment before feeding it again.
Double bag your sample to prevent any accidents. Closed container and bags will expand as the plane goes up so leave a few pin holes for the air to expand. Carry a sample in both your checked baggage and your hand carry and make it small. large samples may be throw out only because they exceed the max liquid/gel weight. keep it under 50g.
See if there is someone local to where you're staying in the UK and just get some starter from them. The local four will be more of an influence than anything else after the first feed anyway.
If coming to Devon then you're welcome to have some of mine ...
-Gordon
I travel back and forth to uk several times a year. I usually feed a small pinch of starter just before I leave, making a stiffer starter than usual. I put it in a small plastic container and keep it in hand luggage. Never have had any problem.
Thanks for all the advice. I've made up a test ball of starter, as described above, to see how it goes after a few day untouched at room temp. When I leave I'll make up a couple dough balls, leave some in the fridge at home and take some, double bagged, in my luggage and declare it at customs with all fingers and toes crossed :D
I'll let you all know how I go. If it's confiscated I'll be asking around for some starter in the UK so thanks for the offer Gordon. I've found baking and eating sourdough bread to be quite addictive!
When you reach customs just tell them you have no illegal white substances in your luggage. They will then let you go right through.
I made up a thick blob of sourdough starter, squashed it flat in a sandwich bag with a couple plastic scrapers and a print-out of my favourite recipe, and put it in my hand luggage along with the other food/snacks I took for the journey.
My bag went through security and customs at our stop-over in Hong Kong and again at Heathrow, no questions asked. And the sourdough starter was fine after traveling like that for about 2 days. As was my backup, sent in the mail a day before we left, which took a lot longer to arrive. About a week from Australia to the UK.
I was sooooo happy to see those bubbles!
And I've been making bread with my starter every couple of days since then.
I hope this encourages anyone else considering traveling with sourdough starter.
Hi Debsch, welcome to the UK to you and your starter. I'm now interested to know which bread flour you are using. Hope you have a great visit while you are here, and of course, happy baking! Colin.
Believe it or not I used what my mum had in the cupboard which was plain all purpose white flour. The kind for cakes and general cooking. Worked just fine as you can see from the photos. I've since bought and used bread flour from asda. Allinson is the name. One bag of white and one bag of wholemeal with added bits.
Hi Debs - your posts have inspired me, and I'm going to try bringing some of my aunt's decades-old starter ("it even has a name," my mother says) into the UK from the US. Did you go through the green lane when you arrived in the UK? And was there any paperwork you needed to fill out? I can't remember for sure, but I almost think there isn't a customs form (which there is entering the US). Thank you for your help!
There is a customs and two lines, red and green. Can't remember ever filling out a customs form. I think with the USA everyone fills out a customs form and only those visiting had to fill out a second form. In the UK I wouldn't know what is included on the landing form so there may very well be something of that nature but can't say for sure. But for those who are residence don't have to fill out anything. Just chose a line and hope you aren't randomly asked to show your case :-P
When I arrived in the UK, it was late at night, 10/11pm I forget, I was last off the plane, and I had two small tired children with me. I went through the red something-to-declare channel to declare my sourdough starter but there was no one around. Some people were in an office nearby, I called out 'hello?' and they just waved me on. Oh and I didn't fill out any paperwork other than the ones for the passport control. My advice is just to be honest. If the forms/signs say to declare all foodstuff then declare your sourdough. And then inspire others by telling your story on TFL forum!! :D
Thanks everyone - the starter is now in its new UK home, and I just need to figure out what to do with it! Oh, and name it...
Will be looking for recipes and tips on this site --
There's a good few of here, spread out all over the place! I'm in sunny Devon - if you're nearby, say hello!
-Gordon