Tests applied to surveillance food
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The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources monitors imported food at the border for compliance with Australia's standards.
If you import food, you are legally responsible under the Imported Food Control Act 1992 for meeting the standards that apply to your products to ensure they are safe and suitable for their intended use.
The following tables list the test type and tests that apply to specific food types and the standard against which the test results are assessed.
Where there are no analytical tests the food will still be subject to a visual and label assessment.
[expand all]
Label assessment tests
| Food type | Hazard/tests applied | Standard |
|---|---|---|
| All food | Label and composition | Food Standards Code (FSC) chapters 1 & 2 |
Visual assessment tests
| Food type | Hazard/tests applied | Standard |
|---|---|---|
| All food | Safe and suitable | Imported Food Control Act 1992 section 3(2)(a)(vii) and 3(2)(b) |
Microbiological tests
n = the minimum number of sample units which must be examined from a lot of food
c = the maximum allowable number of defective sample units i.e. that have counts between ‘m’ and ‘M’
m = the acceptable microbiological level in a sample unit
M = the level which when exceeded (i.e. the level is greater than M) in one or more samples would cause the lot to be rejected
| Food type | Hazard/tests applied | Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Berries: ready-to-eat that will not undergo further processing, that includes a heat treatment that is sufficient to inactivate hepatitis A virus, prior to consumption | E.coli | n=5, c=2, m=10, M=100 cfu/g Reference: International Commission for the Microbiological Specifications of Foods (ICMSF)—Microorganisms in foods 8. |
| Cheese in which the growth of Listeria monocytogenes will not occur | Listeria monocytogenes |
FSC Standard 1.6.1 n=5, c=0, m=100 cfu/g |
| Dried dates | E. coli | n=5, c=2, m=100, M=1000 cfu/g Reference: International Commission for the Microbiological Specifications of Foods (ICMSF)—Microorganisms in foods 8. |
| Dried, semi-dried and sundried tomatoes | E. coli | n=5, c=2, m=100, M=1000 cfu/g Reference: International Commission for the Microbiological Specifications of Foods (ICMSF)—Microorganisms in foods 8. |
| Dried herbs (excluding garlic flakes/granules) | Salmonella | n=10, c=0, m=not detected in any 25 g sample Reference: International Commission for the Microbiological Specifications of Foods (ICMSF)—Microorganisms in foods 8. |
| Fresh vegetables : baby corn, sweet/sugar snap peas, chillies | E. coli | n=5, c=1, m=10, M=100 cfu/g Reference: International Commission for the Microbiological Specifications of Foods (ICMSF)—Microorganisms in foods 8. |
| Frozen spinach | E. coli | n=5, c=1, m=10, M=100 cfu/g Reference: International Commission for the Microbiological Specifications of Foods (ICMSF)—Microorganisms in foods 8. |
| Powdered infant formula | Salmonella | n=10, c=0, m=not detected in any 25g sample |
| Dried milk | Salmonella | n=5, c=0, m=not detected in any 25g sample |
| Shredded coconut, fresh, chilled, frozen | Salmonella | n=10, c=0, m=not detected in any 25 g sample Reference: International Commission for the Microbiological Specifications of Foods (ICMSF)—Microorganisms in foods 8. |
| Tofu, soy bean curd, soy milk curd | Bacillus cereus | n=5, c=1, m=1000, M=10,000 cfu/g Reference: International Commission for the Microbiological Specifications of Foods (ICMSF)—Microorganisms in foods 8. |
| Uncooked slow dry cured ready-to-eat ham | Salmonella Listeria monocytogenes | n = 5, c = 0, m = not detected in 25g n = 5, c = 0, m = 100 cfu/g References: Compendium of Microbiological Criteria for Food, and FSC Standard 1.6.1 |
Chemical tests
| Food type | Hazard/tests applied | Standard |
|---|---|---|
| Fruit and vegetable residue screen | FSC Standard 1.4.2 |
|
Meat antimicrobial tests – | FSC Standard 1.4.2 |
| Fish species used in aquaculture production: fresh, chilled or frozen |
Seafood antimicrobial tests - Malachite green | FSC Standard 1.4.2 |
| Tuna and barramundi fillets, cuts, portions: fresh, chilled or frozen, where ‘smoked’ is not included in the product description | Carbon monoxide | FSC Standard 1.3.3 |
| Crustaceans: fresh, chilled or frozen, cooked or raw. From farmed or aquaculture sources only. Test applies to all crustaceans unless a consignment specific government certificate declaring ‘wild caught’, ‘not from farmed or aquaculture sources’ or similar, is provided. |
Seafood antimicrobial tests Nitrofurans Fluoroquinonolones | FSC Standard 1.4.2 |
Hemp seed Hemp seed powder/flour Hemp oil | Total THC | FSC Standard 1.4.4 |
| Honey | Adulteration with C4 sugars
| FSC Standard 2.8.2 |
Cereal grains: whole, kibbled, polished, ground, broken, ready-to-eat, in husk or husked Cereal flours and processed cereals that are ready for consumption | Arsenic (total), Lead | FSC Standard 1.4.1 |
| Edible plant oils | Erucic acid | FSC Standard 1.4.1 |
| Canned and preserved fruit | Lead | FSC Standard 1.4.1 |
| Canned fruit | Tin | FSC Standard 1.4.1 |
Allergen tests
| Food type | Hazard/tests applied | Standard |
|---|---|---|
Coconut milk drinks where dairy content is not declared on the label |
Dairy allergen tests | FSC Standard 1.2.3 |
More information for importers
- For information on how often surveillance food is referred for inspection and testing, see the
Imported Food Inspection Scheme.
- While the tables above identify the tests to be applied to surveillance food, the department may still apply other tests to food based on the most applicable test for the food type.
- Where an authorised officer has reasonable grounds to believe that food may not comply with the requirements of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code (FSC) or may pose a risk to human health, additional tests may be applied as directed.
- While this page details tests to be applied to surveillance food, most risk food will also be subjected to the surveillance food tests. For more information on the application of surveillance tests to risk food refer to Tests applied to risk food.
- Owners/ importers are responsible for nominating a laboratory to perform tests if the food is referred for testing. Information for this process and a list of appointed laboratories can be found under
Food testing – information for food importers.
- The importer is responsible for labelling and the importer is allowed to correct any labelling faults, alter or replace the label prior to booking an imported food inspection. This is not considered illegally dealing with the food.