29 June 2016
This Industry Advice Notice is to update industry on proposed changes to import conditions for animal based retorted goods for human consumption. One of the key changes will be to provide a permit exemption for these goods in the Biosecurity (Prohibited and Conditionally Non-prohibited Goods) Determination 2016. This means the requirement for an import permit will be removed. The goods will still have to meet Australia’s import conditions to manage biosecurity risks associated with the goods to an acceptable level. The import conditions will continue to be housed in BICON, the department’s Biosecurity Import Conditions database.
The import conditions will require the goods be accompanied by a certificate provided by an official government veterinarian of the country of manufacture which states:
- The product has been commercially retorted.
- During the retort process the product was heated to a minimum core temperature of 100°C and obtained an F0 value of at least 2.8.
- The product does not contain any bovine derived material (other than dairy ingredients) or
All bovine material (other than dairy ingredients) were sourced from animals born, raised and slaughtered in countries approved by Australia. - The product does not contain any ovine or caprine derived material (other than dairy ingredients); or
the ovine and caprine material does not include offal (and protein products derived from offal) from animals over 12 months of age which originated from countries or zones not considered free from scrapie. [Offal includes skulls including brains, eyes, spinals cord, tonsils, thymus, spleen, distal ileum, proximal colon, lymph nodes, adrenal glands, pancreas, liver or bone marrow.] - The product is imported in the hermetically sealed container in which it was retorted.
- The hermetically sealed container is stamped or embossed with a permanent mark with:
- the identification number of the manufacturing establishment
- the batch code
The department now invites comments from interested parties on the proposed conditions.
Please provide any feedback or other information for consideration to ABIAB Import Conditions Review by 01 August 2016.
It is expected these changes will take effect later this year.
The import conditions for retorted aquatics, insects, reptiles and snails will not be affected by these changes and the current import conditions remain unchanged until further notice.
This notice applies to the following goods:
- Dairy products – canned/retorted dairy products
- Canned/Retorted egg products
- Bird nest product – moist retort
- Canned meat products
- Retorted food containing more than 5% meat (beef only) from Japan.
Canned meat products – excluding beef - Canned chicken or pork meat from New Zealand
- Canned meat – mixed country origins – exported from New Zealand