Travellers warned not to bring back foodstuffs, such as cheese, from outside the EU
Travellers have been urged not to bring back foodstuffs from outside the EU which could bring diseases into the UK.
They were warned that they run the risk of being prosecuted if they try to bring in banned foods.
It is illegal to bring any meat or dairy products into the UK from countries outside the EU - it does not not matter if they are vacuum packed, tinned or in a sealed packet.
There are also strict rules on certain other food products such as fish, shellfish and honey.
The rules are in place because bringing items back to the UK can increase the risk of animal diseases such as foot and mouth disease and bird flu entering the country.
New research from Defra - the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs - has found that one in five Britons are unaware that restrictions exist on food items and one in three believe restrictions on food imports are not important.
Chris Pratt, Border Force officer at Heathrow airport, said: "Lots of people see celebrity chefs going abroad to discover new exotic dishes and want to recreate the experience at home.
"However, it's an unnecessary risk to the whole country to bring back illegal foods especially when many of these food items can be bought legally in the UK."
Around 85 tonnes of illegal animal products was seized from travellers last year.
Many were either not aware of the rules or were confused about the differences in the personal import rules from outside and inside the EU.
