Skip to main content Skip to main navigation Skip to search

Help for those affected by flood

Visit nema.gov.au.

Close
Home

Top navigation main

  • News & media
  • Jobs
  • Minister
  • Contact us
Main menu

AWE Main

  • Agriculture and land
    Agriculture and land Building stronger and more sustainable agriculture, fisheries, forestry and land care.
    • Animal health
    • Climate change and agriculture
    • Farming, food and drought
    • Fisheries
    • Forestry
    • Plant health
    • Drought and rural support
    • Mouse infestation advice
    Xylella

    Protect against unwanted plant pests

    Our biosecurity system helps protects us. Everyone has a role in supporting our biosecurity system.

    Find out more

  • Biosecurity and trade
    Biosecurity and trade Lowering biosecurity risks to Australia, and assisting industry to accelerate growth towards a $100 billion agricultural sector by 2030.
    • Aircraft, vessels and military
    • Biosecurity policy
    • Cats and dogs
    • Exporting
    • Importing
    • Pests, diseases and weeds
    • Public awareness and education
    • Trade and market access
    • Travelling or sending goods to Australia
    Brown marmorated stink bug

    BMSB Seasonal Measures

    Australia has strengthened seasonal measures to manage the risk of BMSB.

    View our seasonal measures

  • Science and research
    Science and research Undertaking research and collecting data to support informed decisions and policies.
    • Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences (ABARES)
    • Office of the Science Convenor
    • Plant Innovation Centre
    Abares

    ABARES Insights

    Get 'snapshots’ of agricultural, forestry and fisheries industries, or analysis of key issues.

    Find out more

  • About us
    About us We enhance our agricultural industries and trade, and manage the threat of biosecurity risks to Australia.
    • Accountability and reporting
    • Assistance, grants and tenders
    • Contact us
    • Fees and charges
    • News and media
    • Our commitment to you
    • Payments
    • People and jobs
    • Publications
    • What we do
    • Who we are
    Read more about our Budget

    Budget October 2022-23

    The 2022–23 October Portfolio Budget Statements were released on 25 October 2022.

    Find out more

  • Online services
    Online services We do business with you using online platforms. This makes it easier for you to meet your legal requirements.
Department of Agriculture

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Biosecurity and trade
  3. Import
  4. Importing goods
  5. Food
  6. Inspecting and testing imported food

Sidebar first - Import

  • Food
    • How to import food
      • Food Import Compliance Agreements
        • FICA audits
    • Import requirements by food type
      • Importing food from New Zealand
      • Pure and highly concentrated caffeine products
      • Cereal grains and cereal products
      • Coconut and coconut meat
      • Coconut milk drinks
      • Cheese
      • Dried milk
      • Raw milk cheese
      • Fruits and vegetables
      • Berries
      • Pomegranate arils
      • Hemp seeds and oil
      • Dried herbs
      • Paprika and pepper
      • Honey
      • Human milk and human milk products
      • Powdered infant formula
      • Kava
      • Beef and beef products
      • Processed meat - cooked
      • Meat and edible offal
      • Cooked poultry meat
      • Cooked poultry pate, paste and liver
      • Raw beef and beef products
      • Processed meat - uncooked
      • Uncooked slow dry cured ham
      • Peanuts and pistachios
      • Sesame seeds and sesame seed products
      • Edible plant oil
      • Cassava chips
      • Tofu, soy bean curd, soy milk curd
      • Mini jelly cups containing konjac
      • Prohibited plants and fungi
      • Bivalve molluscs
      • Cooked crustaceans
      • Fish and crustaceans - aquaculture
      • Histamine susceptible fish
      • Processed finfish
      • Brown seaweed
      • Supplementary sports food
    • Documents and declarations
      • Full Import Declarations
      • Declaring the producer of imported food
      • IFIS importer declarations
      • Food safety management certificates
    • Inspection and testing
      • Imported Food Inspection Scheme
      • Book a laboratory
      • Food sampling
      • Failing food reports
      • Reconsideration and review of decisions
      • Holding orders
      • Surveys and data
    • Appointed analysts
      • Testing imported food samples
      • Conditions for appointment as an analyst
    • Foreign government certification
      • Mandatory government certification
      • Voluntary government certification
      • Applying for a certification arrangement
    • Notices
    • Legislation

Inspecting and testing imported food

All food imported into Australia must comply with Australian food standards and requirements for safety. This includes compliance with:

  • the Australia and New Zealand Food Standards Code
  • country of origin food labelling requirements.

We monitor imported food to check it meets these requirements through a risk-based inspection scheme called the Imported Food Inspection Scheme (IFIS).

The Department of Home Affairs’ Integrated Cargo System (ICS) refers shipments of imported food to us for inspection and testing.

Notification of inspection

We issue a Food Control Certificate (FCC) to let you know your imported food needs to be inspected and if any tests apply. The food to be inspected must remain on hold. You cannot distribute it.

Food Control Certificate

We use FCCs to communicate directions to importers.

The initial FCC sets out:

  • which lines of the import entry will be inspected and must be held
  • which lines of the import entry will not be inspected
  • directions for booking an inspection
  • what tests are required
  • if any food in the consignment is subject to a holding order
  • any additional directions.

We may issue additional FCCs to advise:

  • if we need further information
  • when your laboratory nomination has been accepted.

Nominate a laboratory

If your food needs to be tested, the FCC will instruct you to nominate a laboratory. The laboratory must be an appointed analyst under the IFIS.

You can book an inspection once a laboratory advises you that they have accepted your nomination.

See how to book a laboratory for food testing.

Book an inspection

If your food has been referred for inspection, you will need to book an inspection with us.

If your food has also been referred for testing, you will need to nominate a laboratory before you book an inspection.

Complete and submit the Request for Inspection Form to book your inspection.

Virtual inspections

We can now virtually inspect eligible surveillance food that has been referred for label and visual inspection.

A virtual inspection is conducted in real time using Microsoft Teams.

These surveillance foods are not eligible for virtual inspections:

  • formulated supplementary sport foods
  • food subject to a holding order
  • food subject to analytical testing.

To find out about more, email IFIS-InspectionSupport@agriculture.gov.au and refer to our imported food label and visual virtual inspections fact sheet.

Download

Imported food label and visual virtual inspections (PDF 448 KB)
Imported food label and visual virtual inspections (DOCX 144 KB)

If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.

Imported food inspection

Make sure the food to be inspected is visible and easy to access and the required documentation is ready for the authorised officer.

At inspection, we visually assess your food and check the label to make sure it complies with Australian requirements. If testing is required, we will take samples of your food.

See how we do food sampling.

If you are not prepared for the inspection or you don’t follow our instructions, we may cancel your inspection but still charge you for it. If this occurs, you will need to re-book an inspection.

Imported Food Inspection Report

We issue an electronic Imported Food Inspection Report (eIFIR) at the end of your inspection. The eIFIR sets out:

  • how many samples we took for testing
  • if you can release the food or not.

The eIFIR is also sent to your nominated laboratory to let them know your samples are ready to be collected from us.

Imported Food Inspection Advice

If your inspection is only a label and visual assessment, you will be issued with an Imported Food Inspection Advice (IFIA) at the end of inspection or shortly after.

If samples have been taken for testing, the IFIA will be sent to you once testing results are known.

The IFIA will tell you if your food has:

  • passed assessment and can be released
  • failed inspection.

If your food fails inspection

If your food fails inspection, the IFIA will tell you the reasons it has failed. The food cannot be released.

The IFIA will tell you:

  • what to do with the food, either
    • relabel
    • dispose of or re-export your food under the supervision of an authorised offer
  • how to book another inspection, and when this needs to occur.

Fees

See our charging guidelines for the standard charges for imported food inspections.

Your nominated laboratory sets their charges for testing. They will invoice you directly.

General enquiries

Call 1800 900 090

Contact us online

Report a biosecurity concern

Thanks for your feedback.
Thanks! Your feedback has been submitted.

We aren't able to respond to your individual comments or questions.
To contact us directly phone us or submit an online inquiry

CAPTCHA
This question is for testing whether or not you are a human visitor and to prevent automated spam submissions.

Please verify that you are not a robot.

Skip

Footer

  • Contact us
  • Accessibility
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • FOI
Last updated: 14 November 2022

© Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.