17 April 2019
We invite you to comment on the draft report by 17 June 2019.
The draft review is available on the department website. You can submit comments at Have Your Say.
We initiated this assessment in response to stakeholder interest in having high pressure processing (HPP) assessed as an equivalent biosecurity risk management measure to the heat treatments specified in the department’s Generic import risk analysis report for chicken meat: final report 2008 (chicken meat IRA). This draft report has considered stakeholder submissions on the assessment received following the earlier invitation for comments (see Biosecurity Advices 2017-08 and 2017-13) and relevant scientific material.
We found that currently available scientific literature on HPP inactivation of pathogens of biosecurity concern is limited and preliminary. Studies suggest that HPP treatment is effective at inactivating a range of microorganisms to varying degrees, but efficacy depends on several factors.
At this stage, the body of evidence for HPP is insufficient to allow the department to develop import conditions that manage the risk for all pathogens of concern to an appropriate level in the variety of chicken meat products that fall under the chicken meat IRA definition. This draft report has concluded that HPP of chicken meat is not a suitable alternative risk management measure to the heat treatments in the chicken meat IRA.
We invite comments on technical aspects of the assessment.
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[signed]
Dr Beth Cookson
Assistant Secretary
Animal Biosecurity
Email: Animal