- PDF Version ( 46K)

- Print Friendly

- Help

Summary of changes to Imported Food Requirements for Prescribed Foods

Information sheet

In August 2009, the New Zealand Food Safety Authority completed a review of prescribed foods currently monitored at the border and requiring clearance by a Food Act Officer. Changes have been made to the clearance options and procedures (Imported Food Requirements) for the products listed below.

The changes will be rolled-out during August and take full effect from 1 September 2009. Until 1 September, importers and their customs brokers are still required to apply for NZFSA clearance.

Desiccated coconut

• Products imported into New Zealand from Australia are not subject to NZFSA import clearance requirements. Importers do not need to apply for a Single Use Permit for clearance. This applies to food produced in Australia and to food imported into Australia.

• Importers still have a responsibility under the Food (Importer General Requirements) Standard 2008 to ensure imports of desiccated coconut are not contaminated with Salmonella. Good manufacturing practices during processing can greatly reduce the likelihood of Salmonella contamination. Desiccated coconut may not receive a heat treatment prior to consumption, which would inactivate the pathogenic bacteria.

• Importers should confirm appropriate handling of the product and additional assurances to satisfy themselves that the supplier is managing the risks. For example: supplier assurance programme, a written assurance for each consignment from their supplier that the product is free of Salmonella, etc.

Imported food requirements: Desiccated coconut

Fish – species susceptible to production of histamine

• Importers still have a responsibility under the Food (Importer General Requirements) Standard 2008 to ensure that imports of histamine susceptible fish do not have excessive histamine levels. Selected species of fish (e.g. tuna, mackerel, amberjack (yellowtail kingfish), mahi mahi, bluefish, sardine including pilchard and herring) are more susceptible to microbiological spoilage and the production of histamine. Amines, including histamines, are only produced during temperature abuse or spoilage. Histamines are heat stable and are not destroyed during cooking or canning processes. Good manufacturing practices, particularly maintaining products at chilled temperatures, reduce the likelihood of histamine production.

• Products and tariff codes have been reviewed, revised and clarified to ensure that high risk products are appropriately targeted.

Imported Food Requirements: Fish – species susceptible to production of histamine

Fish – susceptible to elevated mercury and spoilage

• The requirement for monitoring for mercury and spoilage to clear the product for sale has been removed. Mercury occurs naturally in the environment and accumulates in fish in the form of methyl-mercury. Some species tend to accumulate higher levels of mercury. Most people are not exposed to levels high enough to harm the nervous system as the body excretes it over time so accumulation is usually not a problem. However, unborn babies are potentially more sensitive to the harmful effects and their exposure to mercury should be limited. NZFSA has completed a survey of imported fin fish at risk of having higher levels of mercury. Providing advice for pregnant women about imported fin fish is a better way of managing the risks associated with exposure to mercury. It is consistent with the approach taken domestically and in Australia.

• Importers still have a responsibility under the Food (Importer General Requirements) Standard 2008 to ensure that imports of mercury and spoilage susceptible fish products do not have excessive mercury levels or spoilage. Fish species that are predators, such as shark, dogfish, swordfish and marlin, are susceptible to accumulating mercury. Shark species have a primitive blood circulation system and therefore are prone to production of ammonia and tri-methylamine. Good manufacturing practices, particularly maintaining products at chilled temperatures, reduce the likelihood of spoilage.

Hijiki seaweed

• Importers still have a responsibility under the Food (Importer General Requirements) Standard 2008 to ensure imports of hijiki seaweeds do not have excessive levels of inorganic arsenic. Inorganic arsenic is toxic to humans.

Imported food requirements: Hijiki seaweed

Peanut butter

• Importers still have a responsibility under the Food (Importer General Requirements) Standard 2008 to ensure imports peanut butter products are of minimal risk for mycotoxin and Salmonella contamination. Mycotoxins are toxic substances produced by moulds that can grow on nuts. Contamination of nuts by mycotoxins, moulds and insects can occur prior to and during harvest, during post-harvest handling and in storage. Good manufacturing practices can greatly reduce the likelihood of the most common mould (Aspergillus flavus) and the level of toxin (aflatoxin) it produces. The processing of nuts into peanut butter increases the likelihood of contamination by Salmonella. Good manufacturing practices during processing can greatly reduce the likelihood of Salmonella contamination. Peanut butter does not normally receive a heat treatment prior to consumption, which would inactivate the pathogenic bacteria.

Imported food requirements: Peanut butter

Peanuts and pistachio nuts

• Importers still have a responsibility under the Food (Importer General Requirements) Standard 2008 to ensure imports of peanut and pistachio nut products are of minimal risk for mycotoxin contamination. Mycotoxins are toxic substances produced by moulds that can grow on nuts. Contamination of nuts by mycotoxins, moulds and insects can occur prior to and during harvest, during post-harvest handling and in storage. Good manufacturing practices can greatly reduce the likelihood of the most common mould (Aspergillus flavus) and the level of toxin (aflatoxin) it produces.

• Importers should confirm appropriate handling of the product and additional assurances as necessary to satisfy themselves that the supplier is managing the risks. For example: supplier assurance programme, a written assurance for each consignment from their supplier that the levels of aflatoxins do not exceed 0.015mg/kg, etc.

• Products and tariff codes have been reviewed and revised to ensure that high risk products are appropriately targeted. The import requirement applies to products with more than 30% peanut and/or pistachio nuts and to satay and peanut sauces. This requirement was set after a review of five years of test results and dietary exposure assessments conducted by FSANZ. It better targets the risk products.

• Importers or their customs brokers should provide an ingredient list indicating the % and type of nuts when applying for a Single Use Permit for clearance of products captured under the targeted tariff codes.

• For products captured under the Sauce tariff codes (2103.09), an ingredient list should be provided for those products when applying for a Single Use Permit. This will assist personnel at Central Clearing House to identify the peanut content and process the application efficiently.

Imported food requirements: Peanuts and pistachio nuts

Soft cheese and grated cheese

• The requirements for monitoring of grated and powdered cheese to clear the product for sale has been removed. Soft cheeses will continue to be monitored for Listeria monocytogenes. Grated cheeses were originally monitored for Listeria because of contamination during processing. An analysis of test data shows monitoring is no longer warranted and that any processing issues have been addressed.

• Importers still have a responsibility under the Food (Importer General Requirements) Standard 2008 to ensure imports of grated, powdered and soft cheeses are of minimal risk for contamination by pathogens. Good manufacturing practices can greatly reduce the likelihood of the contamination by pathogens.

• Importers should confirm appropriate handling of the product and additional assurances as necessary to satisfy themselves that the supplier is managing the risks. For example: supplier assurance programme, a written assurance for each consignment from their supplier that the products are free of pathogenic bacteria, specifically Listeria monocytogenes, etc

• The soft cheeses targeted under this IFR have been clarified as cheeses with greater than or equal to 50% moisture content. Importers or their customs brokers should provide a product specification or manufacturers declaration that describes the % of moisture in the cheese when applying for a Single Use Permit for clearance of products captured under the targeted tariff codes.

Imported food requirement: Soft cheese and grated cheese

Soy sauce

• The requirement for monitoring for chemical contaminants (chloropropanols) to clear the product for sale has been removed. A review of domestic and international testing data shows that there are very few cases of soy sauce with unacceptably high levels of chloropropanols as the manufacturing process has been altered to ensure that this contaminant is not produced in high levels.

• Importers still have a responsibility under the Food (Importer General Requirements) Standard 2008 to ensure imports of soy sauce products are of minimal risk for chemical contamination. Two chemical contaminants are 3-chloro-1, 2-propanediol (3-MCPD) and 1, 3-dichloro-2-propanol (1, 3-DCP), which may cause cancer if consumed over a long period of time. Soy sauces that have been produced with added acid hydrolysed vegetable protein (acid-HVP) are at higher risk of containing these contaminants. The presence of 3-MCPD and 1, 3-DCP in soy sauce is avoidable. They are usually produced by the addition of acid hydrolysed vegetable protein (acid-HVP) to the sauce to accelerate production. Use of HVP removes the need for the long fermentation process traditionally used for soy sauce production.

Spices – nutmeg

• The requirement for monitoring for mycotoxins (moulds) and pathogenic bacteria to clear the product for sale has been removed. A review of test data and an assessment of the exposure of consumers to these pathogens in nutmeg indicate there is no public health risk.

• Importers still have a responsibility under the Food (Importer General Requirements) Standard 2008 to ensure imports of nutmeg products are at minimal risk of insect contamination. Contamination of spices by moulds and insects can occur during post-harvest handling and in storage. Good manufacturing practices can greatly reduce the likelihood of contamination.

• Importers should confirm appropriate handling of the product and additional assurances as necessary to satisfy themselves that the supplier is managing the risks. For example: supplier assurance programme, a written assurance for each consignment from their supplier that the products are not contaminated with mycotoxins or pathogenic bacteria, etc.

Spices - pepper, paprika and cinnamon

• Importers still have a responsibility under the Food (Importer General Requirements) Standard 2008 to ensure imports of pepper, paprika and cinnamon are at minimal risk of Salmonella. Contamination of spices by Salmonella, moulds and insects can occur during post-harvest handling and in storage. Good manufacturing practices can greatly reduce the likelihood of contamination. These spices may not receive a heat treatment prior to consumption, which would inactivate the pathogenic bacteria.

• Products and tariff codes have been reviewed, revised and clarified to ensure that high risk products are appropriately targeted.

Imported food requirements: Spices – pepper, paprika and cinnamon

Tahini or crushed sesame seeds or any products containing these

• Importers still have a responsibility under the Food (Importer General Requirements) Standard 2008 to ensure imports of crushed sesame seed products are not contaminated with Salmonella. Tahini and crushed sesame seed products are at high risk of contamination during processing (crushing and packaging). Good manufacturing practices during processing can greatly reduce the likelihood of Salmonella contamination. Tahini and crushed sesame seed pastes may not receive a heat treatment prior to consumption, which would inactivate the pathogenic bacteria.

• Importers or their customs brokers should provide information from the supplier about the ingredients and manufacture of the product when applying for a Single Use Permit for clearance of products captured under the targeted tariff codes. This will assist personnel at Central Clearing House to identify high risk products and process the application efficiently.

Imported food requirements: Tahini or crushed sesame seeds or any products containing these

Crustaceans – shrimps and prawns

• The requirement for monitoring heavy metals in shrimps and prawns to clear the product for sale has been removed. Raw and cooked prawns will continue to be tested for pathogenic bacteria. A review of five years of test data for cadmium, copper and selenium levels in imported shrimp, prawns and their products shows there have been no results that cause concern. These results and an assessment by FSANZ that the metals in these commodities pose an insignificant contribution to dietary intake and therefore of negligible public health risk, justify the removal of monitoring.

• Importers still have a responsibility under the Food (Importer General Requirements) Standard 2008 to ensure imports are not contaminated with excessive heavy metal contaminants. Shrimps and prawns are sediment feeders so they reflect the conditions of the sea floor. Good growing practices can greatly reduce the likelihood of contamination

Imported food requirements: Crustaceans – shrimps and prawns