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Raw milk products
Priority: Normal
Date: 30 July 2010
Contact for enquires: import.systems@nzfsa.govt.nz
New regulatory standards for unpasteurised (raw) milk products were introduced on 1 October 2009. The Animal Products (Raw Milk Products Specifications) Notice 2009 describes the criteria for the domestic production of raw milk products. The Food (Imported Milk and Milk Products) Standard 2009 provides an opportunity for a greater variety of raw milk products to be imported into New Zealand.
Imported unpasteurised milk cheeses are included in the Food (Prescribed Foods) Standard 2007 as they are considered a high risk food. This standard has been amended to reference to the new Food (Imported Milk and Milk Products) Standard 2009.
Unpasteurised milk cheeses can only be imported from an exporting country that operates a production programme that has been assessed as meeting New Zealand’s animal and public health safety outcomes. A country-to-country arrangement will be agreed where production programmes have been recognised as being equivalent to, or complying with, New Zealand standards.
Imports will be permitted with conditions
To enable a greater variety of unpasteurised milk products to be introduced to the New Zealand domestic market, animal and public health risks need to be managed appropriately.
Imports of unpasteurised milk products will be permitted with conditions, namely a pre-clearance arrangement with NZFSA and risk assessment by MAF Biosecurity New Zealand (MAFBNZ). MAFBNZ is the lead organisation for the assessment of management of animal health risks of the exporting country. NZFSA is the lead organisation for the assessment of risks to public health and food safety outcomes. Interested exporting countries will need to have their animal health and public health standards assessed against New Zealand’s animal and public health outcomes before import can take place.
MAFBNZ develop an Import Health Standard (IHS) which states the animal health requirements that must be met before risk goods can be imported into New Zealand. NZFSA takes this standard into account during the assessment and setting of public health/food safety requirements. NZFSA then develops a pre-clearance arrangement with the competent authority responsible for the regulation of unpasteurised milk production in the exporting country.
Pre-clearance arrangement assessment options
Following the completion of the assessment process, a formal pre-clearance arrangement for import is concluded with the exporting country.
Exporting country programmes may either:
a. Comply with the New Zealand Animal Products (Raw Milk Products Specifications) Notice 2009 and health outcomes.
OR
b. Be judged as applying measures equivalent to the New Zealand Animal Products (Raw Milk Products Specifications) Notice 2009 and health outcomes.
Once the assessment is complete and approval has been granted, the exporting country will need to comply with NZFSA requirements as well as meeting the relevant MAFBNZ IHS requirements. Under a pre-clearance arrangement with the exporting country, each consignment must be accompanied by consignment-specific certification issued by the competent authority of the exporting country, unless otherwise agreed with NZFSA.
• Unpasteurised milk products from countries that have not been assessed and approved are not able to be imported into New Zealand.
Where can unpasteurised milk products be imported from?
The European Union (EU) applied to New Zealand for recognition of their unpasteurised milk production systems. Confirmation of equivalence of production systems has been completed. This allows a wider range of products able to exported from the EU.
NZFSA: Imported Food Requirements Raw Milk Products.
Approved alternative overseas sanitary standards for the manufacture of milk and milk products
Milk and milk products may be imported into New Zealand for sale if they have been processed in accordance with a processing method that has been approved by the Director-General.
Unpasteurised (raw) milk products can only be imported from an exporting country that operates a production programme that has been assessed as meeting New Zealand’s animal and public health safety outcomes. A country-to-country arrangement may be agreed where production programmes have been recognised as being equivalent to, or complying with, New Zealand standards.
The Food (Imported Milk and Milk Products) Standard 2009
Raw milk products are milk products that have not undergone pasteurisation, ultra high temperature (UHT) treatment or ice-cream treatment. These terms are defined in the Food (Imported Milk and Milk Products) Standard 2009.
Food (Imported Milk and Milk Products) Standard 2009
The Director-General may approve a processing method for milk or a milk product if he or she is satisfied that the method will ensure that the processed milk or milk product achieves at least an equivalent level of safety protection for consumers as that achieved under New Zealand law.
The Food (Imported Milk and Milk Products) Standard 2009 requires that a list of all approved alternative processing methods be maintained and published on the New Zealand Food Safety Authority website.
List of approved alternative overseas sanitary standards
A milk or milk product listed in column 1 of Table 1 may be imported into New Zealand for sale if it has been manufactured either-
(a) in accordance with the applicable sanitary standard listed in column 2; and
(b) in the applicable country or geographical region listed in column 3.
Table 1: Recognised equivalent overseas sanitary standards
Column 1 |
Column 2 |
Column 3 |
Milk and milk products |
Sanitary standard |
Country or geographical region in which processing must occur |
Milk and milk products excluding fresh milk and colostrum including 1. Emmental cheese |
Ordinance on Quality Assurance in the Dairy Industry of the Swiss Federal Council of 18 October 1995, and any subsequent ordinance or amendment that replaces or amends that ordinance. |
Switzerland |
Milk and milk products excluding fresh milk and colostrum |
1. European Commission (EC) Regulation No 852/2004, and any subsequent regulation or amendment that replaces or amends that regulation; and. |
In a member state of the European Union. |
Related links
New Zealand Food Safety Authority
68-86 Jervois Quay
PO Box 2835
Wellington
NEW ZEALAND
Phone: +64 4 894 2500
Fax: +64 4 894 2501
Contact
NZFSA about this page