We inspect and test imported food under the Imported Food Inspection Scheme (IFIS).

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

If you are importing food into Australia for sale, you have legal responsibilities to take steps to assure yourself that the food is safe for human consumption and meets Australia’s biosecurity import conditions, food standards and other import requirements.

This guide explains the steps importers need to follow to export food to Australia that is intended for sale.

It helps importers meet:

Australia and New Zealand have joint food standards and recognise each other’s food safety standards and import control systems. This allows food to be imported between the countries without border inspection.

Under the Imported Food Control Act 1992, food imported from New Zealand is exempted, except for some food classified as risk food. This exemption recognises the Trans-Tasman Mutual Recognition Arrangement (TTMRA). In 1996, the governments of Australia and New Zealand agreed that goods that can be legally sold in one country can be legally sold in the other country.

This page outlines the information that must be included with an application to import various types of animal feed.

Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, May 2023

This page outlines the information that must be included with an application to import the following products: