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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. Histamine susceptible fish

Sidebar first - Import

  • Import requirements by food type
    • Importing food from New Zealand
    • Pure and highly concentrated caffeine products
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    • Coconut and coconut meat
    • Coconut milk drinks
    • Cheese
    • Dried milk
    • Raw milk cheese
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    • Beef and beef products
    • Processed meat - cooked
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    • Mini jelly cups containing konjac
    • Prohibited plants and fungi
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    • Fish and crustaceans - aquaculture
    • Histamine susceptible fish
    • Processed finfish
    • Brown seaweed
    • Supplementary sports food

Histamine susceptible fish

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.

Fish and fish products of a particular kind are classified as risk food

Fish of the families listed are considered histamine susceptible fish. This includes all fish in the families:

  • Carangidae (for example, trevallies, jacks and pompanos)
  • Clupeidae (for example, herrings, sardines)
  • Coryphaenidae (for example, mahi-mahi)
  • Engraulidae (for example, anchovy)
  • Pomatomidae (for example, bluefish)
  • Scomberesocidae (for example, king gars and saury)
  • Scombridae (for example, tuna, mackerel and bonito).

Fish products that contain more than 300 g per kg of all or any of the fish in the families listed are also risk foods.

Fish and fish products classified as risk food may be whole, fillets or in portions. This includes fish and fish products that are:

  • raw (fresh, chilled or frozen)
  • processed (cooked, smoked, dried and pickled)
  • retorted and shelf stable.

Exclusions

Food from New Zealand.

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.

Community Protection (CP) question

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

IFIS: Are the goods or do the goods contain more than 300 g/kg (30%) of fish of the family Scombridae, Coryphaenidae, Pomatomidae, Carangidae, Clupeidae, Engraulidae or Scomberesociadae? For more information search ‘histamine susceptible fish’ at www.awe.gov.au.

Inspection and testing

We refer consignments of fish and fish products of the families listed for analytical testing. During inspection, we will also conduct a visual and label assessment. Additional testing may also apply for certain ready-to-eat finfish.

Table 1 shows the test that will be applied and permitted results for each food type.

Table 1, Food type, test applied and permitted result

Food type Test applied Permitted result
Fish in the family:
  • Carangidae
  • Clupeidae
  • Coryphaenidae
  • Engraulidae
  • Pomatomidae
  • Scomberesocidae
  • Scombridae
The Australian fish names standard AS SSA 5300 may be used as a reference.
Histamine Maximum level 200 mg/kg

Food safety risks

Food Standard Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has given us advice about the risk of fish and fish products of the families listed are associated with histamine formation. These products present a potential medium or high risk to public health for histamine poisoning.

Voluntary foreign government certification arrangements

We have a voluntary certification arrangement in place with Canada and Thailand for the fish and fish products listed. Consignments of these foods from Canada and Thailand with a recognised government certificate have a reduced rate of inspection and testing.

Certificate requirements

Type of information To include
National competent authority: Canadian Food Inspection Agency
Recognised certificate title: Certificate of Origin and Hygiene
ICS document code: CI

Certificate requirements

Type of information To include
National competent authority: Ministry of Agriculture and Cooperatives – Department of Fisheries
Recognised certificate title: Health Certificate for fishery and aquaculture products originating in Thailand
Additional requirement: The certificate must identify that the food has been sourced from an establishment approved by the Department of Fisheries, Thailand.
ICS document code: DOFHCTH

Glossary

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

Date Reference number Amendment details
13/02/2023 HIS 12/2016 Amend the webpage to update the link to the list of fish processing establishments approved by the Department of Fisheries, Thailand.
11/10/2019 HIS 12/2016 Update to the webpage to include a link to the Fisheries Research and Development Corporation’s fish names database.
08/08/2017 HIS 12/2016 Update to the webpage to provide additional detail about the sampling of histamine susceptible fish and fish products.
21/12/2016 HIS 12/2016 Updates the webpage to reflect amendments to the Imported Food Control Order 2001 to classify more species of fish and fish products as risk foods.
01/05/2014 SCM 05/2014 Replaces Imported Food Notice 09/12 Tests applied to risk category foods

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Last updated: 14 February 2023

© 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.