Imported Food Program

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AQIS Imported Food Program
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Imported Food

• Under the Imported Food Control Act 1992
  (Cwealth), all imported food must comply with
  the requirements of the Australia New Zealand
  Food Standards Code (FSC)
• The FSC is administered by FSANZ
• Same standards apply to imported food as that
  produced domestically
• Two-tiered scheme ensures imported food is safe
• Imported Food Inspection Scheme
• State / Territory responsibilities

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Imported Food

• Joint responsibility AQIS and FSANZ
• AQIS is responsible for
• administration of the IFC Act and
• ensuring imported food meets FSC.
• FSANZ is responsible for
• categorising food according to its potential risk
  to human health
• advising AQIS of the tests to apply and
• providing advice to AQIS.

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Food categories

• 1. Risk category
• Risk assessment conducted by FSANZ
• 100 of consignments referred to AQIS from the
  Australian Customs Service selected by country of
  origin, food type, supplier
• Risk food must be HELD pending the results of
  analyses
• Compliance history of Producer (manufacturer/
  packer) determines inspection frequency
• Three tiered performance based inspection 100,
  25 (5 consecutive passes), 5 (20 consecutive
  passes)
• 2. Active surveillance category
• Designated foods determined by FSANZ
• Selected at the rate of 10 by country of origin
• Goods are released if they pass the initial
  inspection
• 3. Random surveillance category
• 5 of all other food shipments not in the above
  categories
• Goods are released if they pass initial
  inspection

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AQIS options food that does not comply

• Goods on Holding Orders
• 100 by country of origin, food type, supplier
• All referred food is inspected or inspected and
  analysed
• Goods must be HELD pending results of any
  analysis

Rate of inspection 100
1 Fail
Rate of inspection 10
1 Fail
Rate of inspection 5
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Importers options - food that does not comply

• Treat
• where practical and re-submit for inspection
• Downgrade
• use other than for human consumption
• Re-export
• usually back to the country of origin
• Destroy

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Imported horticultural produce

• Deemed low risk by FSANZ
• Random surveillance category
• 5 of consignments tested according to Schedule 1
  (legislation)
• AQIS requires NATA or equivalent of labs
• Methods used include Gas Chromatography/Mass
  Spectrometry and Liquid Chromatography/Mass
  Spectrometry
• Minimum 25 pesticides tested
• Results show high compliance

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Role of States/Territories

• 2nd tier in ensuring imported food is safe for
  consumers
• In addition to AQISs role regarding imported
  foods at the border, States / Territories have
  responsibility for ensuring all foods (domestic
  or imported) meet the FSC at the point of sale
• Testing of food determined by individual State /
  Territory jurisdictions

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Role of States/Territories

• State and Territory testing programs usually not
  conducted in same manner as routine, regular
  testing by AQIS
• Role of States / Territories complements roles of
  AQIS and FSANZ
• States, Territories, AQIS and FSANZ work closely
  together

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Testing

• Important that all testing complies with
  international protocols
• AQIS, FSANZ and States / Territories have
  obligations to consumers

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Websites

• FSANZ
• www.foodstandards.gov.au
• AQIS
• www.aqis.gov.au/food

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• Thank you