Prohibited plants and fungi

All biosecurity requirements must be met before Imported Food Inspection Scheme requirements apply.

Check our Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON) for import conditions.

We classify imported food that presents a potential medium or high risk to public health as risk food. All risk food is listed in the Imported Food Control Order 2019.

Prohibited plants and fungi are classified as risk food

Prohibited plants and fungi are listed in Schedule 23 – Prohibited plants and fungi of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (the Code). This includes any part, derivative or substance derived from a plant or fungus listed in Schedule 23 of the Code.

These plants and fungi are prohibited as food for sale in Australia, except where there are express permissions in the Code. For example, Standard 1.4.4 of the Code permits low THC Cannabis sativa seed and seed products, and coca bush.

Imports of this food will be failed. Importers will be directed to destroy or export the food at their own expense.

Before importing, check that the food intended for sale for human consumption is not, or does not contain as an ingredient, a prohibited plant or fungi listed in Schedule 23 of the Code.

For example:

• Alocasia macrorrhiza (giant taro)
• Manihot esculenta Crantz (cassava other than sweet cassava)
• Areca catechu nut (betel nut).

Community Protection (CP) questions

You will need to answer these CP questions when lodging your full import declaration:

IFIS: Are the goods, or do the goods contain, a prohibited plant or fungus in schedule 23 of The Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code?

IFIS: Are the goods, or do the goods contain, areca catechu nut (betel nut)?

IFIS: Are the goods, or do the goods contain, giant taro (Alocasia macrorrhiza)?

Version history