- Safety review requirements for shrimp products -
Foreword
Editor's note: Shrimp and shrimp products exported to Australia must comply with the relevant requirements of the Imported Food Control Act 1992 and the Australia-New Zealand Food Standards Code (FSC). According to the Imported Food Control Act 1992, in order to verify whether imported shrimp and shrimp products comply with FSC regulations, the Ministry of Agriculture and Water Resources (renamed as the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and the Environment on February 1, 2020) may inspect or inspect and analyze imported shrimp or shrimp products.
On January 6, 2017, due to unacceptable biosecurity risks, the Australian Biosecurity Authority signed the "2017 Biosecurity (Suspension of Goods - Raw Shrimp) Decision", suspending the import of raw shrimp for six months. After the suspension period expired, the Australian Biosecurity Authority successively announced biosecurity requirements, resumed the import of raw shrimp and implemented import conditions.
On June 30, 2017, the Australian Biosecurity Authority issued Biosecurity Advisory No. 2017-12, which lifted the suspension of raw shrimp and the import conditions of shrimp and shrimp products for human consumption, and was implemented on July 7, 2017.
The Australian Biosecurity Authority's "Biosecurity Advisory Notice 2018-15" and "Import Industry Advisory Notice 80/2018" stipulate that from September 28, 2018, new import conditions will be implemented for all imported BBC shrimp.
On July 1, 2020, the Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment announced in Animal Biosecurity Advisory 2020-A03, which modified the import conditions for shrimp and shrimp products.
The following is the Australian import conditions and related requirements for shrimp and shrimp products for human consumption compiled by the editor for reference.
The following content is divided into five parts:
ⅠImport Permit
ⅡImport Conditions
ⅢEntry Inspection
ⅣNonconforming Disposal
ⅤReview of Import Conditions
ⅠImport Permit
cooked prawns
Cooked prawns and their products:
■No import permit required
uncooked prawns
Uncooked prawns and their products:
■Before importing, a valid import permit must be obtained.
■After arrival, goods without an import permit will be returned or destroyed.
1. Licensing department
Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment
2. Application materials (including but not limited to)
Name and address of importer and exporter
Description of imported goods
Questionnaire on Prawns for Human Consumption (download from Australia's Biosecurity Import Conditions Database (BICON))
BBC prawns
Breaded, battered or braised (BBC) prawns (including uncooked BBC prawns and cooked BBC prawns):
In addition to the above application materials, the following materials are required for official evaluation.
- BBC prawns-
——Product name on the package (including brand name).
—— A complete list of ingredients, including the percentage of each ingredient in the weight of the final product.
——Processing flow of BBC prawn products (process flow chart or detailed description of processing steps).
—— Provide 3 color photos of each product (when the product is frozen, when the product is thawed, and when the product is separated from the packaging layer after thawing). The size and resolution of the photos should be sufficient to clearly present the product.
—— Color photos of the packaging of the finished product when it is imported. (Front and back, including details related to the food manufacturing instructions. A PDF version of the sales label is also acceptable.)
Parboiled BBC prawns
Official assessment is required, during which the Australian official
Licensing Department will confirm in detail the following:
- The product is continuously parboiled during processing (such as pre-frying or baking)
- The parboiled treatment is carried out after the prawns are coated with flour, batter or bran
- The time and temperature of the parboiled heat treatment
As part of the import license application process, Australian officials will conduct a comprehensive assessment to confirm that the BBC prawns are fully parboiled. Only fully parboiled BBC prawns can be exempted from testing for White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) and Yellow Head Virus Genotype 1 (YHV1) upon arrival.
The following table can be used as a reference for the "temperature-time" for specific parboiled methods:
For further information on import licenses, please consult the Australian Biosecurity Import Conditions Database (BICON).
https://bicon.agriculture.gov.au/BiconWeb4.0
Ⅱ Import Conditions
Cooked shrimp for human consumption
• 1. Applicable products
Applicable to products in which all proteins in the shrimp meat have been coagulated and no raw shrimp meat remains. (For example: the core temperature of the shrimp is not less than 70°C and maintained for at least 11 seconds.)
• 2. Official health certificate
The competent authority of the exporting country must certify on the official health certificate that the shrimp is cooked:
(1) Produced in a place approved and supervised by the competent authority to ensure that all proteins in the shrimp meat have been coagulated and no raw shrimp meat remains.
(2) Suitable for human consumption.
Raw shrimp for human consumption
• 1. General regulations
All imported raw shrimp and its products must:
(1) Come from a country, region or biosecurity zone recognized by Australia as free of the following biosafety pathogens.
White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV)
Yellow Head Virus Genotype 1 (YHV1)
Taura Syndrome Virus (TSV)
Enterobacterial Hepatitis (EHP)
When the product is not frozen (if the product is refrigerated):
Necrotic Hepatopancreatitis Bacteria (NHPB)
(2) Obtain a valid import license.
(3) Processed, inspected and graded in facilities approved and supervised by the competent authorities of the exporting country.
(4) No visible signs of infectious diseases.
(5) Each product is labeled with the information "For human consumption only - not to be used as bait or feed for aquatic animals".
Headless and shelled raw shrimp (the last segment of the shrimp shell and tail fan are allowed to be retained)
Including: headless and shelled raw shrimp, marinated shrimp, BBC shrimp that has not been half-cooked
(1) The manufacturer self-declares: the product name and processing method have not changed since the application for import license.
(2) The product is sold only in imported style. The product shall not be altered in any way, reprocessed or repackaged without the written approval of the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Environment.
(3) The product is free of White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) and Yellow Head Virus Genotype 1 (YHV1).
(4) The style of the imported shrimp must be the same as the style assessed by the department when applying for import license.
(5) The competent authority of the exporting country must issue an official health certificate to prove that the shrimp is headed and shelled raw:
a. The raw shrimp is frozen, headed and shelled (the last segment of the shrimp shell and fantail are allowed to be retained);
b. Processed, inspected and graded at a site approved and supervised by the competent authority of the exporting country;
c. The sampling and inspection methods approved by the OIE are used for inspection, and each batch of products is tested and found to be free of White Spot Syndrome Virus (WSSV) and Yellow Head Virus Genotype 1 (YHV1);
d. There are no visible signs of infectious diseases;
e. It is suitable for human consumption;
f. Each product is marked with the information "For human consumption only - not for use as bait or feed for aquatic animals".
Headless and shelled deep-processed raw shrimp (shell and tail fan of the last segment are allowed to be retained)
Headless and shelled (shell and tail fan of the last segment are allowed to be retained), and raw shrimp meat is processed into dumplings, spring rolls, curry puffs, rolls, balls or snack products.
The competent authority of the exporting country must issue an official health certificate to prove that the deep-processed raw shrimp or shrimp products are:
(1) Processed, inspected and graded in a place approved and supervised by the competent authority of the exporting country.
(2) There are no visible signs of infectious diseases.
• 4. Half-cooked floured, battered or breaded (BBC) shrimp (shell and tail fan of the last segment are allowed to be retained)
The shrimp is headless and shelled (shell and tail fan of the last segment are allowed to be retained), coated with flour, batter or breadcrumbs, and half-cooked (such as pre-fried, baked).
(1) Self-declaration by the manufacturer: the product name and BBC shrimp processing method have not changed since the application for import license.
(2) The product packaging must be consistent with the packaging evaluated by the Ministry of Agriculture, Water and Environment before issuing the import license.
(3) These goods or any derivatives thereof shall not be distributed, sold or used: in animal feed or as a bioremediation agent or fertilizer or growth promoter or for veterinary treatment purposes.
(4) The competent authority of the exporting country shall issue an official health certificate to certify that the semi-cooked BBC shrimp:
a. Processed, inspected and graded in premises approved and supervised by the competent authority of the exporting country;
b. The shrimp have no visible signs of infectious diseases before packaging;
c. The shrimp are semi-cooked (such as pre-fried or baked) after packaging to allow the coating to solidify and adhere to the shrimp body.
Wild-caught raw shrimp originating from Australia must be processed in a factory approved by the competent authority of the exporting country and an official health certificate shall be issued to certify this information.
Ⅲ Entry Inspection
(I) Shrimp Product Inspection
1. Cooked shrimp
Random inspection to ensure compliance with the biosafety requirements of the official health certificate.
2. Raw shrimp and its products
Raw shrimp and its products will be subject to inspection to ensure that the imported goods and documents meet the conditions of the import license, and will be subject to seal integrity inspection and appropriate level of arrival verification testing. 100% of the raw shrimps without heads and shells and semi-cooked BBC shrimps will be subject to seal integrity inspection upon arrival.
(1) Raw shrimps without heads and shells (the last segment of the shrimp shell and tail fan are allowed to be retained)
After arriving in Australia, each batch of raw shrimps will be subject to seal integrity inspection and WSSV and YHV1 testing in an approved screening laboratory.
(2) Semi-cooked BBC shrimps
The wrapping of semi-cooked products should be slightly brown, solid, and naturally attached to the shrimp body.
During inspection, the wrapping layer and appearance of the shrimp meat should be consistent with those submitted in the original license assessment documents.
The shrimp tail (if any) should be pink due to semi-cooking.
The practice of wrapping raw shrimp meat without further processing after semi-cooking is not accepted.
(II) Product batch management
1. Batch definition
For pathogen testing for biosafety of raw shrimps, batches can be defined according to the following circumstances (defined by the competent authority), but in any case, a batch cannot exceed one container.
Products from the same production line processed in the same shift.
Products from the same shrimp pond (i.e. shrimp harvested from different ponds are considered separate batches for the purpose of defining a batch).
Each batch (container) will be considered a batch unless multiple batches are specified in the container. If a batch is shipped in two containers, each container will be considered an unrelated batch.
2. Batch Identification
Each batch arriving must be labeled and clearly identified.
3. Batch Quantity Statement
Exporters, suppliers, etc. must provide the Department of Agriculture, Water and Environment with a detailed description of the batch quantity and labels of the arriving goods.
Ⅳ Nonconforming Disposal
Bulks of imported raw shrimp, half-cooked BBC shrimp or cooked shrimp that do not meet import conditions must be returned within a reasonable period (usually 28 days); or
- processed in an Australian approved facility; or
- further processed (i.e. cooked) in an Australian approved facility.
The Australian Centre for Disease Control (ACDP) may conduct confirmation retests on raw shrimp samples that fail virus testing. After receiving a positive test result, a re-test application must be submitted to the department within 5 working days.
V Review of Import Conditions
If there are any changes in the relevant policies of the product's source country or its animal disease status, the Director of the Australian Biosecurity Authority will decide to review the import conditions.
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