Check our Biosecurity Import Conditions system (BICON) for biosecurity import conditions and imported food safety requirements.
All biosecurity import conditions must be met before imported food safety requirements apply.
Food type
Herbs that are:
- fresh
- frozen
- dried
- powdered.
Exclusions
- Garlic flakes or granules.
- Preserved or retorted herbs.
- Food from New Zealand.
Inspection and testing
This food is classified as a surveillance food.
We refer consignments for analytical testing at the rate of 5%. During inspection we will also conduct a visual and label assessment.
Details on inspection and analytical testing can be found in the BICON food safety requirements case for ‘Herbs and spices’.
Table 1 shows the test that will be applied and permitted results.
Table 1, Test applied and permitted result
| Food type | Test applied | Permitted result |
|---|---|---|
| Fresh/chilled or frozen herbs | Fruit and vegetable residue screen | The Food Standards Code lists maximum residue limits in Schedule 20 and extraneous residue limits in Schedule 21. |
| Dried herbs | Salmonella | n=5, c=0, m=not detected in 25g |
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.
Fruit and vegetable residue screen analysis
These are the chemical tests applied to fresh herbs.
- 2-phenylphenol
- azoxystrobin
- benalaxyl
- bitertanol
- boscalid
- captan
- carbendazim
- chlorothalonil
- cyproconazole
- cyprodinil
- dicloran
- difenoconazole
- dimethomorph
- fenarimol
- fenhexamid
- fludioxonil
- flusilazole
- hexaconazole
- imazalil
- iprodione
- kresoxim-methyl
- metalaxyl
- myclobutanil
- paclobutrazol
- penconazole
- procymidone
- propiconazole
- pyraclostrobin
- pyrimethanil
- quintozene
- tebuconazole
- thiabendazole
- triadimefon
- triadimenol
- trifloxystrobin
- vinclozolin
- chlorthal-dimethyl
- diphenylamine
- diuron
- linuron
- oxyfluorfen
- pendimethalin
- acephate
- azinphos-methyl
- bifenthrin
- bioresmethrin
- carbaryl
- chlorfenvinphos
- chlorpyrifos
- chlorpyrifos-methyl
- cyfluthrin
- cyhalothrin
- cypermethrin
- deltamethrin
- diazinon
- dichlorvos
- dicofol
- dimethoate
- disulfoton
- ethoprofos
- fenamiphos
- fenitrothion
- fenoxycarb
- fenpyroximate
- fenthion
- fenvalerate
- fipronil
- hexythiazox
- indoxacarb
- malathion (maldison)
- methamidophos
- methidathion
- methomyl
- mevinphos
- monocrotophos
- parathion-ethyl
- parathion-methyl
- permethrin
- phenothrin
- phorate
- phosmet
- piperonyl-butoxide
- pirimicarb
- pirimiphos-methyl
- profenofos
- propargite
- prothiofos
- pymetrozine
- pyrethrins
- pyriproxyfen
- spinosad
- spirotetramat
- tau-fluvalinate
- tebufenozide
- tebufenpyrad
- terbufos
- tetradifon
- thiacloprid
- thiamethoxam
- trichlorfon
- aldrin and dieldrin
- DDT
- endosulfan
- endrin
- HCB (hexachlorobenzene)
- HCH (BHC)
- heptachlor
- lindane
Version history
| Date | Amendment details |
|---|---|
| 22/05/2026 | Added content for fresh or frozen herbs. |
| 07/02/2024 | Included sample unit size (25g) under Permitted result. |
| 28/01/2022 | First version of the webpage published on website. |