Holidaymakers are cautioned against carrying one forbidden food item that is strictly banned on aeroplanes due to its potential to "spontaneously combust". The International Air Transport Association's Dangerous Goods Register (IATA) has included one particular snack in its latest list of banned items for flights, which may come as a surprise - coconuts.
While passengers are allowed to pack whole coconuts in both their hand luggage and hold luggage, the dried coconut meat inside, known as copra, is problematic. Copra contains a high amount of oil, making it highly flammable and a potential fire hazard, hence it's not permitted in either carry-on or checked baggage. Consequently, most airlines have prohibited it due to the fire risk it poses, with the only exception being retail-packaged coconut products.
The IATA classifies dried coconut as a "Class 4 Dangerous Good", marking it as a flammable solid. Copra is categorised as prone to spontaneous heating under normal conditions encountered during air transport. Dried coconut is so flammable that it shares company with items such as matches, firelighters, metal powders and sodium batteries on IATA's Dangerous Goods list.
According to IATA's website: "The IATA Dangerous Goods Regulations (DGR) manual is the global reference for shipping dangerous goods by air and the only standard recognised by airlines."
The UK Civil Aviation Authority has also prohibited carrying extremely flammable coconut meat on board, among other hazardous items.
Some goods can be brought into the UK from any country, while others require a phytosanitary certificate and have further restrictions, particularly regarding plant produce.
The Civil Aviation Authority has listed highly flammable coconut meat among the items and substances prohibited from being carried in hand luggage. Other items include:
Liquid oxygen
Stunning devices
Ammunition
Guns, firearms and all other devices that discharge projectiles, including replicas
Camping stoves
Mercury thermometers
Explosives including fireworks
Blunt instruments including baseball bats and fishing rods
Chemical or toxic substances
Tools including drills and crowbars
Sharp objects including knives and razor blades (though disposable razors are allowed)
Hoverboards
"Smart luggage" (a bag or suitcase with a battery)
Party poppers
Print and toner cartridges that weigh more than 500g
You can bring the following into Great Britain from any country without any restrictions: bread, but not sandwiches filled with meat or dairy products; and:
Cakes without fresh cream
Biscuits
Chocolate and confectionery, but not those made with a lot of unprocessed dairy ingredients
Pasta and noodles, but not if mixed or filled with meat or meat products
Packaged soup, stocks and flavourings
Processed and packaged plant products, such as packaged salads and frozen plant material
Food supplements containing small amounts of an animal product, such as fish oil capsules
In the UK, there are specific restrictions on what you can bring into the country. For those arriving from the EU, Switzerland or Lichtenstein, they can bring in fruit (excluding of course non-retail coconut flesh), vegetables, nuts and seeds for personal use.
