Improving access to imported food safety requirements
From mid-2025 imported food safety requirements will be incorporated into the Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON).
See more about the Inclusion of food safety requirements in BICON.
All biosecurity requirements must be met before Imported Food Inspection Scheme requirements apply.
Check our Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON) for biosecurity import conditions.
We classify imported food that presents a potential medium or high risk to public health as risk food. All risk food is listed in the Imported Food Control Order 2019.
All beef and beef products are classified as risk food
All beef and beef products are a risk food for the potential presence of Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy (BSE) agent.
Beef means the flesh, bone, offal or any other tissue of an animal in the subfamily bovinae.
Beef products means food prepared from or containing beef, but does not include:
- milk
- dairy products
- gelatine and collagen derived from skins and hides (including sausage casings produced from this type of collagen)
- rendered fats, tallow or di-calcium phosphate included as a minor ingredient (less than 30% of a processed product).
See the additional requirements that apply to raw beef and beef products.
You can only import beef and beef products that originate in a country:
- with a satisfactory BSE risk status from Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ)
- covered by a recognised government certificate.
Declaring certificates
When lodging a Full Import Declaration (FID), use the correct ICS document code and certificate number for the food.
See lodging declarations and documentation for imported food.
Current certification arrangements
Beef and beef products can only be imported from countries listed here. Certificates must meet requirements, including mandatory declarations.
You can only import beef or beef products from countries not listed here if the beef originates from a country that is listed. You will need certification from the exporting country AND the country of origin. See requirements for products where the exporting country is not the country of origin of the beef.
Certificate requirement
| Type of information | To include |
|---|---|
| National competent authority: | Servicio Nacional de Sanidad y Calidad Agroalimentaria (SENASA, the Argentine National Agriculture and Food Health and Quality Service) |
| Mandatory declaration: | The beef and/or beef product is derived from bovine animals that have been born, raised and slaughtered in Argentina and that passed ante-mortem and post-mortem veterinary inspection under official veterinary supervision. The beef or beef product is considered to be fit for human consumption. |
| ICS document code: | BSECERTARG |
You can import beef of Australian origin either unchanged or as part of a product for human consumption, subject to meeting biosecurity and food safety requirements.
You may need an import permit for some cases.
Certificate requirements
| Type of information | To include |
|---|---|
| The certificate must state: |
|
Certificate requirement
| Type of information | To include |
|---|---|
| National competent authority: | Ministerio da Agricultura, Pecuaria e Abastecimento (Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply) |
| Mandatory declaration: | All bovine derived material (other than dairy ingredients, gelatine and/or collagen derived from hides and skins) was sourced from animals born, raised and slaughtered in Brazil. The products are fit for human consumption. |
| ICS document code: | BSECERTBRA |
Certificate requirement
| Type of information | To include |
|---|---|
| National competent authority: | Servicio Agricola y Ganadero, Ministerio de Agricultura (Agricultural and Livestock Service, Ministry of Agriculture) |
| Mandatory declaration: | The beef and/or beef product is derived from bovine animals that have been born, raised and slaughtered in Chile. |
| ICS document code: | BSECERTCHL |
Certificate requirements
| Type of information | To include |
|---|---|
| National competent authority: | Ministry of Agriculture, Veterinary and Food Safety Directorate |
| Mandatory declaration (meat-based flavours): | The animals from which the meat was derived passed ante-mortem and post mortem veterinary inspection under official veterinary supervision and were found to be free of infectious disease. The meat is considered to be fit for human consumption. The beef contained in this product was derived from bovine animals that have been born, raised and slaughtered in Croatia. |
| ICS document code: | BSECERTCRO |
Certificate requirements
| Type of information | To include |
|---|---|
| National competent authority: | Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries |
| Mandatory declaration: | The beef and/or beef product is derived from bovine animals that have been born, raised and slaughtered in Japan and that passed ante-mortem and post-mortem veterinary inspection under official veterinary supervision. The beef or beef product is considered to be fit for human consumption. |
| ICS document code: | BSECERTJPR |
Certificate requirements
| Type of information | To include |
|---|---|
| National competent authority: | Ministry of Agriculture – Food and Veterinary Service |
| Mandatory declaration: | The beef and/or beef product is derived from animals that have been born, raised and slaughtered in Latvia and that have passed ante-mortem and post-mortem veterinary inspection under official veterinary supervision. The beef or beef product is considered to be fit for human consumption. |
| ICS document code: | BSECERTLVT |
Certificate requirements
| Type of information | To include |
|---|---|
| National competent authority: | State Food and Veterinary Service of the Republic of Lithuania |
| Mandatory declaration: | The beef and/or beef product is derived from bovine animals that have been born, raised and slaughtered in Lithuania and that passed ante-mortem and post-mortem veterinary inspection under official veterinary supervision. The beef or beef product is considered to be fit for human consumption. |
| ICS document code: | BSECERTLTH |
Certificate requirements
| Type of information | To include |
|---|---|
| National competent authority: | Secretaria de Agricultura, Ganaderia, Desarrollo Rural, Pesca y Alimentacion (Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock Production, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food) |
| Mandatory declaration: | The beef and/or beef product is derived from bovine animals that have been born, raised and slaughtered in Mexico and that passed ante-mortem and post-mortem veterinary inspection under official veterinary supervision. The beef or beef product is considered to be fit for human consumption. |
| ICS document code: | BSECERTMEX |
Certificate requirements
| Type of information | To include |
|---|---|
| National competent authority: | Nederlandse Voedsel –en Warenautoriteit (Netherlands Food and Consumer Products Safety Authority) |
| Mandatory declaration: |
|
| ICS document code: | BSECERTNTL |
There are 2 certification options for beef or beef products imported from New Zealand.
Option 1: electronic certification (e-cert)
New Zealand Ministry for Primary Industries (NZ MPI) issues electronic government certification that we can access.
Customs brokers can add the listed document codes for the NZ MPI-issued BSE certification. When lodging a FID, add these codes in the 'AQIS Documents Detail' field:
| Food | Code |
|---|---|
| Beef meat | AU100 |
| Beef meat products | AU100 |
| Beef meat based flavours | AU102 |
| Edible animal casings | AU103 |
Option 2: Establishments with NZ MPI-approved Food Control Plan or Risk Management Programme
We have an agreed annual certification arrangement with NZ MPI. This covers products sourced from establishments with an:
- approved Food Control Plan (FCP), or
- Risk Management Programme (RMP).
These establishments only use beef or beef products from bovine animals that have been born, raised and slaughtered in New Zealand or Australia.
See a list of FCP and RMP establishments on the NZ MPI website.
We may request a manufacturer declaration for each consignment. The declaration must specify the:
- establishment name
- address
- unique FCP or RMP identifier.
Certificate requirements
| Type of information | To include |
|---|---|
| National competent authority: | Livsmedelsverket (National Food Agency of Sweden) |
| Mandatory declaration: | The beef and/or beef product is derived from bovine animals that have been born, raised and slaughtered in Sweden and that passed ante-mortem and post-mortem veterinary inspection under official veterinary supervision. The beef or beef product is considered to be fit for human consumption. |
| ICS document code: | BSECERTSWE |
Certificate requirements
| Type of information | To include |
|---|---|
| National competent authority: | United States Department of Agriculture |
| Mandatory declaration: | The beef and/or beef product is derived from bovine animals that have been born and raised in either the United States of America or Mexico, and slaughtered in the United States of America and passed antemortem and postmortem veterinary inspection under official veterinary supervision. The beef or beef product(s) is considered fit for human consumption. |
| ICS document code: | BSECERTUSA |
Certificate requirements
| Type of information | To include |
|---|---|
| National competent authority: | Department of Livestock and Quarantine Service |
| Mandatory declaration: | The beef and/or beef product is derived from bovine animals that have been born, raised and slaughtered in Vanuatu and that passed ante-mortem and post-mortem veterinary inspection under official veterinary supervision. The beef or beef product is considered to be fit for human consumption. |
| ICS document code: | BSECERTVNU |
You can only import beef or beef products from countries not listed here if the beef originates from a country that is listed. You must provide certification from the exporting country AND the country of origin of the beef that meets these requirements.
Country of origin certificate
The certificate(s) issued by the country of origin may be an original or a copy certified by the exporting country’s national competent authority.
Exporting country certificate
The certificate(s) issued by the exporting country must:
- state the country of origin for the beef or beef product
- state the certificate numbers of the country of origin’s export certificates relating to the product in the current consignment
- make the relevant country of origin mandatory declaration statement(s).
In some cases, the country of origin certification does not contain the required statements. However, provided the exporting country certification does, we will accept it. The statement(s) will also be accepted in an accompanying official and certified letterhead that clearly states the certificate number it relates to.
Food safety risk
Refer to the Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) BSE information webpage for information about BSE and the food safety risk assessment process for imported beef.
Glossary
Competent authority
The government authority or official body authorised by the government that is responsible for the setting of regulatory food safety requirements and/or for the organisation of official controls including enforcement.
Version history
| Date | Reference number | Amendment details |
|---|---|---|
| 16/11/2018 | BEF 11/2018 | Consolidates risk food webpages for food that contains beef or beef products as an ingredient |
| 17/08/2018 | BEF 08/2018 | Updated to include requirements for raw (chilled or frozen) beef and beef products |
| 01/05/2014 | BEF 05/2014 | Replaces Imported Food Notice 09/12 Tests applied to risk category foods |