Anyone entering Britain from an EU country has been warned not to bring any meat or dairy products after a temporary ban was introduced. The government has placed restrictions on certain food items with the aim of preventing afoot-and-mouth disease (FMD) outbreak, which has run rife through the continent. The new rules, which came into effect on Saturday April 12, are an extension of the previous ban which only applied to Germany, Hungary, Slovakia and Austria.

This means travellers are unable to bring back meat from pigs, cows, sheep and goats. Dairy items are also restricted with milk, butter, cheese and yoghurt on the list. Sandwiches, or similar items, that are filled with any of the products are also banned, including cured and raw meats. This extends to any product already packaged or bought at duty-free.

There are limited exceptions to the new rules, which includes allowing 2kg per person of powdered infant milk, infant food or any special foods required for medical reasons.

However, the ban is only applicable for those entering Britain, and will not apply to anyone travelling to Northern Ireland, Jersey, Guernsey, or the Isle of Man.

Anyone who attempts to bring in restricted products will have their items confiscated and destroyed by Border Force officers at customs. For more “serious cases”, offenders could face a fine of up to £5,000.

There are no reported cases of FMD at the moment in the UK, yet there have been a number of confirmed cases in Germany, Hungary and Slovakia this year.

FMD is a contagious viral infection that affects cloven-hoofed animals like cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats. It spreads through direct contact with infected animals, contaminated equipment, or even airborne particles.

Symptoms include fever, mouth blisters, and lesions on the feet, leading to lameness and a general loss of productivity in affected animals.

While the disease doesn’t harm humans, it can severely impact the livestock industry.

In March, more than 3,500 cattle were slaughtered in Hungary after reports of FMD emerged. Following this, five farms reported cases of the disease in Slovakia, which triggered a national emergency.

At the beginning of April, Hungary undertook disinfection measures close to border regions. Shortly after, Austria closed 23 crossings into its neighbouring countries.