Hákarl aka Rotten Shark - the ultimate souvenir

One of the delicacy of Iceland is the Hákarl

Hákarl or kæstur hákarl is a food from Iceland consisting of a Greenland shark or sleeper shark (Somniosus microcephalus) which has been cured with a particular fermentation process and hung to dry for four to five months. Hákarl is an acquired taste; it has a very particular ammonia-rich smell and fishy taste.

There's also an episode of the F Word with Gordon Ramsey and James May giving it a try.

Gordon Ramsey throws up

I don't actually think I'd have the gut to try it but I think it would really be an awesome souvenir to all my friends. So the question is: is it possible to buy it in a store and bring it back in Italy or it needs to be refrigerated? Are there any law regarding import/export of the Hákarl?

food-and-drink iceland

Best Answer

As I explained in a comment:

I was in Iceland last April and I took some of these back to Spain without any problem. Buy it last day in the Bonus supermarket (the cheapest I found) and check your local rules about dry fish import. Anyway, it's an interesting souvenir, specially to see the face of your friends after taste it.

About the dry fish import, it seems there are no restrictions if you bring less than 20 kg of shark: