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Department of Agriculture

Breadcrumb

  1. Home
  2. Biosecurity and trade
  3. Import
  4. Importing goods
  5. Food
  6. Food type
  7. Poultry meat that is cooked and ready-to-eat

Sidebar first - Import

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Poultry meat that is cooked and ready-to-eat

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 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.

Poultry meat that is cooked and ready-to-eat is classified as risk food

This includes cooked poultry meat that has undergone minimal processing steps, such as fillets or pieces that have been:

  • sliced
  • diced
  • cut
  • marinated
  • flavoured.

Poultry includes fowls, ducks, geese, turkeys, pigeons, pheasants, quails, guinea fowls, muttonbirds and other avian species ordinarily consumed as food by humans. It does not include ratites (for example emus and ostriches).

Other poultry meat products

  • poultry meat and offal products
  • poultry pâté and poultry livers that are cooked and ready-to-eat.

Exclusions

  • Poultry meat that is retorted and shelf stable
  • Food from New Zealand.

Community Protection (CP) question

You will need to answer this CP question when lodging your full import declaration:

IFIS: Are the goods cooked poultry meat that is chilled or frozen and is ready to eat?

Inspection and testing

We refer consignments of ready-to-eat cooked poultry meat for analytical testing. During inspection, we will also conduct a visual and label assessment.

Table 1 shows the test that will be applied and permitted results.

Table 1, Test applied and permitted result
Test appliedPermitted result

Listeria monocytogenes

Note: An IFIS Importer declaration can be lodged for this food where it does not support the growth of Listeria monocytogenes.

n=5, c=0, m= not detected in 25 g

n = the minimum number of sample units that must be examined from a lot of food.
c = the maximum allowable number of defective sample units.
m = the acceptable microbiological level in a sample unit.

Food safety risks

Food Standards Australia New Zealand has given us advice about the risk of poultry meat that is cooked and ready-to-eat. These products present a medium or high risk to public health for Listeria monocytogenes.

Glossary

Ready-to-eat

Food is ready-to-eat if it is ordinarily consumed in the same state as that in which it is sold.

To avoid doubt, food is not ordinarily consumed in the same state as that in which it is sold if, before it is consumed, it requires further processing (such as cooking) to reduce any pathogenic microorganisms potentially present in the food to safe levels.

Retorted

Animal products are retorted if they are heated in a hermetically sealed container to a minimum core temperature of 100°C, obtaining an F0 value of at least 2.8.

Shelf stable

Goods are shelf stable if the:

  • goods have been commercially manufactured
  • goods have been packaged by the manufacturer
  • goods are in that package
  • package has not been opened or broken
  • goods are able to be stored in the package at room or ambient temperature; and
  • goods do not require refrigeration or freezing before the package is opened.

Version history

DateAmendment details
23/01/2025Added link to new Poultry meat and poultry meat products webpage.
16/08/2023Updated to include note that IFIS importer declaration may be lodged where food does not support the growth of Listeria monocytogenes.
09/05/2023Webpage updated to accommodate access to new markets.
10/11/2020Broadened risk food to include all poultry species following publication of FSANZ risk advice. New reference code applied to reflect this amendment.
29/09/2015

Description of food changed from ‘Cooked chicken meat’ to ‘Ready-to-eat cooked chicken meat’ based on FSANZ risk assessment advice.

Information clarifies that biosecurity requirements restrict imports of this food from any country other than NZ, which is recognised under the TTMRA.

01/5/2014Replaces Imported Food Notice 09/12 Tests applied to risk category foods.

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Page last updated: 28 April 2025

We acknowledge the continuous connection of First Nations Traditional Owners and Custodians to the lands, seas and waters of Australia. We recognise their care for and cultivation of Country. We pay respect to Elders past and present, and recognise their knowledge and contribution to the productivity, innovation and sustainability of Australia’s agriculture, fisheries and forestry industries.

Artwork: Protecting our Country, Growing our Future
© Amy Allerton, contemporary Aboriginal Artist of the Gumbaynggirr, Bundjalung and Gamilaroi nations.

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