Wooden food-contact articles must be made from materials that are safe for contact with food under FDA regulations, meaning finishes, glues, and surface treatments must be food-grade. While FDA does not typically require pre-market approval for wooden kitchenware, importers bear responsibility for ensuring compliance, and FDA may detain shipments if there is reason to believe the articles are unsafe.

Bamboo is botanically a grass, not a wood, and US Customs and Border Protection has classified bamboo articles under wood headings in some rulings but under other headings in others, depending on the product's construction and processing. Importers of bamboo kitchenware should obtain a binding ruling or consult a licensed customs broker to confirm the correct HTS classification before importation.