# Will I have problems bringing Jordanian Jameed to the US via Japan?



## Simey (Dec 4, 2012)

This is probably rather a specific question but maybe someone can advise. I'm currently in Jordan and I bought some Jordanian Jameed Karaki so that I can give it as a gift to my sister in the US who used to live in Amman, and also my Jordanian-born nephew and niece. 

Jameed is fermented sheep or goat yoghurt and it is used to make the delicious Jordanian national dish Mansef. 

The problem is it is sold dried in a big compacted lump of white powder. I'm kind of wondering what customs will think!

I'm not so much worried about bringing it to Dubai but my plan is to bring it to my sister in Honolulu. Complicating things is that I will have a 24 hour layover in Tokyo so I have to clear customs in both Tokyo and Honolulu - both places without large Arab communities and therefore I expect, places that might not be familiar with jameed. 

Any thoughts or recommendations? Objectively it is just yoghurt but I would prefer not to have a hassle at the end of long flights.


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## JamesC123 (Aug 26, 2013)

Depends on whether each country prohibits bringing yoghurt in. Never been to the US or Japan but I know countries like Australia prohibit bringing in most foods.

I can picture them opening your luggage and finding this bag of white powder! 'Do you have any more of this on your possession Mr Simey?' *snaps on a rubber glove* 

I'd try it. Just declare that you have food if they ask. Worst that can happen if you declare is that they'll throw it out.


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## saraswat (Apr 28, 2012)

I've taken food from India and Dubai to the States regularly earlier. Some of the stuff was pretty exotic too like specific pickles, base ingredients for some of mom's best recipes etc.. Didn't really have any problems, at the most customs would ask me to open the bag and then inspect the stuff. An explanation and some labeling usually clear the way, but I would say that nothing I ever took was in a white powder form. Was entering via Atlanta and Washington D.C those times. 

If you do decide to take it with you, just make absolutely certain that it is properly vacuum sealed and packaged appropriately.


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## dizzyizzy (Mar 30, 2008)

I've traveled with powdery items from Mexico to Dubai via Houston or Dallas, these airports are quite strict with what they allow/don't allow and I've never had any issues bringing anything in. As long as it's on its original packaging and in your checked baggage you should be ok. Does it come in proper sealed packaging? or is it one of those loose powders that you buy in bulk?


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## Eng.Khaled (Feb 8, 2011)

Check the answer HERE


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## Eng.Khaled (Feb 8, 2011)

Mentioning Mansaf, this is a real one :kiss:


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## Simey (Dec 4, 2012)

Eng.Khaled said:


> Mentioning Mansaf, this is a real one :kiss:


Yeah, that's the stuff I can't seem to find here - because it is served at home not in restaurants. If you know of a restaurant in Amman that has it please share! But shouldn't there be a head on that?

Thanks everyone for the replies. I know from family experience that it _can_ be brought into the US, but that experience is all based on Dulles or JFK and I suspect they see more Jordanians than does Hawaii. Also, I'm not Middle Eastern myself so I think it might take a bit more explaining. Finally, my personal experience bringing foodsuffs into the US has been mixed. USDA has some real jerks if they are bored. They made me wait an hour because of a jar of Bovril once. 

Japan I know very little about but the last time I visited their customs officers seemed stern but in a rather comical way. They opened a big catalog of forbidden things and politely asked me if I had them with me. It was tempting to say "nothing but a bazooka, 10 kilos of coke and a 12 year old Thai prostitute, Ma'am."

I picked up the Jameed at a local grocery store. It's packed on a flat tray with cling film on it and it is labeled but it doesn't look that official. I figure I will bring the original receipt and carrier bag and hope for the best. It's yoghurt after all. 

Thanks for the advice. I would have asked my sister but that would have spoiled the surprise.


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## Eng.Khaled (Feb 8, 2011)

Well... The head is usually used when some people cook the mansaf in their home, not a restaurant. It used to be a sign that we are greeting you very well so we are serving a whole lamb, with the head.

It's not very common to find this with restaurants, but I guess if you ask them for it they will serve a one. Its meat is delicious!

There's many places serving mansaf in amman... the mose famous one is Jabri in Gardens street (wasfi al tal street)... Sometimes they serve it excellent sometimes below average. An excellent restaurant is Al Quds restaurant in Amman downtown somewhere near the roman theater. There's also (ward w kabab) in swaifyeh and Makka mall!

Now you made me decide what to have on my lunch for today  



Simey said:


> Yeah, that's the stuff I can't seem to find here - because it is served at home not in restaurants. If you know of a restaurant in Amman that has it please share! But shouldn't there be a head on that?
> 
> Thanks everyone for the replies. I know from family experience that it _can_ be brought into the US, but that experience is all based on Dulles or JFK and I suspect they see more Jordanians than does Hawaii. Also, I'm not Middle Eastern myself so I think it might take a bit more explaining. Finally, my personal experience bringing foodsuffs into the US has been mixed. USDA has some real jerks if they are bored. They made me wait an hour because of a jar of Bovril once.
> 
> ...


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## Simey (Dec 4, 2012)

Eng.Khaled said:


> Well... The head is usually used when some people cook the mansaf in their home, not a restaurant. It used to be a sign that we are greeting you very well so we are serving a whole lamb, with the head.
> 
> It's not very common to find this with restaurants, but I guess if you ask them for it they will serve a one. Its meat is delicious!
> 
> ...


Great! Thanks very much. I may not be able to check them out this trip but I will next time. 

Have a great lunch!:hungry:


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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

Eng.Khaled said:


> , but I guess if you ask them for it they will serve a one. Its meat is delicious!
> 
> There's many places serving mansaf in amman... the mose famous one is Jabri in Gardens street (wasfi al tal street)... Sometimes they serve it excellent sometimes below average. An excellent restaurant is Al Quds restaurant in Amman downtown somewhere near the roman theater. There's also (ward w kabab) in swaifyeh and Makka mall!
> 
> :


Yes, yes we get it there are a number of good Mansaf places in Amman, what we need to know is if there is anyting comparable in the UAE


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## Eng.Khaled (Feb 8, 2011)

Of course! There's one place with very good taste called rawabina restaurant... I tried it there and it was very good... the place is somewhere after emirates aviation college after garhoud bridge. There's another restaurant called Mr. Mansaf in Abu Hail behind al Mamzar center. The taste is good but the place isn't as fancy as rawabina.



Tropicana said:


> Yes, yes we get it there are a number of good Mansaf places in Amman, what we need to know is if there is anyting comparable in the UAE


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## Simey (Dec 4, 2012)

As expected I had no problems bringing the Jameed in to Dubai. 

Now I need to store it at home for a couple of months before my trip to the US. Should I refrigerate it?


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## Tropicana (Apr 29, 2010)

Eng.Khaled said:


> Of course! There's one place with very good taste called rawabina restaurant... I tried it there and it was very good... the place is somewhere after emirates aviation college after garhoud bridge. There's another restaurant called Mr. Mansaf in Abu Hail behind al Mamzar center. The taste is good but the place isn't as fancy as rawabina.


Thank you, will try one of them this weekend


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## Eng.Khaled (Feb 8, 2011)

That's good to hear...
Of course you don't need to refrigerate it 
Jameed is a very dry and salty that it will no ger spoiled for long time. You just need to keep it in dry (really dry) clean place and that's it! The idea from Jameed is to keep the yogurt for long time.




Simey said:


> As expected I had no problems bringing the Jameed in to Dubai.
> 
> Now I need to store it at home for a couple of months before my trip to the US. Should I refrigerate it?


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## shawgialbess (Sep 4, 2012)

Eng.Khaled said:


> Mentioning Mansaf, this is a real one :kiss:


Mansaf is looking goooooooooooooood


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## Jumeirah Jim (Jan 24, 2011)

No idea about the US but I travel quite a lot to Japan and customs there always go through everybody's bags pretty thoroughly. 100% certain they will open and go through all your bags so you will be questioned what it is. I doubt it is something Japanese customs will have seen before so be prepared to be delayed for some time if you take it...


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## Simey (Dec 4, 2012)

Jumeirah Jim said:


> No idea about the US but I travel quite a lot to Japan and customs there always go through everybody's bags pretty thoroughly. 100% certain they will open and go through all your bags so you will be questioned what it is. I doubt it is something Japanese customs will have seen before so be prepared to be delayed for some time if you take it...


Thanks. That would be annoying because my flight arrives at midnight. However, I think I will go ahead as it will really make my Sister's day. At the end of the day it is only yoghurt so hopefully they should be able to figure out that it isn't anything untoward.


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## mehranR (Jul 27, 2013)

I recommend when you fill the customs forms, to mention you have food. Be ready to show it to them, be ready to have them panic if it looks like a white powder. And finally don't argue with the customs officer or there will be severe consequences. Good luck


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## Simey (Dec 4, 2012)

mehranR said:


> I recommend when you fill the customs forms, to mention you have food. Be ready to show it to them, be ready to have them panic if it looks like a white powder. And finally don't argue with the customs officer or there will be severe consequences. Good luck


Yes of course, thanks. Appearances aside though, presumably they have available field tests to identify the kinds of white powders they are really concerned about?


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## mehranR (Jul 27, 2013)

Simey said:


> Yes of course, thanks. Appearances aside though, presumably they have available field tests to identify the kinds of white powders they are really concerned about?


Yes, they get dogs mostly


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## mfas2000 (Mar 8, 2010)

[email protected] jameed....


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