Travelling with canned food can be a tricky situation. Though cans are a convenient and compact way of transporting food, they come with their own set of regulations when it comes to packing them for a plane carry-on. The good news is that travelling with cans is allowed by the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) as long as you adhere to certain rules.
The first rule for bringing canned food on a plane is to prepare the cans for inspection. All metal cans must be emptied, rinsed and dried before being placed in your carry-on bag. This means that any liquid or semi-liquid foods (such as soup or jelly) should be emptied into a separate container, such as a plastic or glass jar.
Additionally, all cans must have the labels removed prior to passing through security.
The second rule for travelling with canned food is that all cans must fit inside your one quart-sized clear plastic bag of liquids and gels. This one quart bag is part of the 3-1-1 rule which states that each traveler can bring 3.4 ounces or less of liquids, gels and aerosols in one clear quart-sized plastic bag per person through security checkpoints. Cans should be sealed and placed in the same reusable clear plastic bag with other liquids, gels, and aerosols such as shampoo and conditioner.
The last rule for bringing canned food on a plane is that all cans must pass through the X-ray machine at security checkpoints without additional screening. If any can appears suspicious during the X-ray scan, it might need to undergo additional screening which could include being opened by TSA agents. If this happens, you may be asked to throw away the item or place it in your checked luggage.
Conclusion:
In conclusion, travelling with canned food on a plane carry-on is allowed by the TSA provided you adhere to certain rules. All cans must be emptied, rinsed and dried before being packed in your carry-on bag; they must fit inside your one quart-sized clear plastic bag; and they should pass through the X-ray machine without additional screening.