Australia consults on planned import changes for five foods

Australia is proposing changes to food safety requirements for several imported foods.

The Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry has opened a consultation on the plans that cover dates, melons, enoki mushrooms, pufferfish, and kava.

Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) has published risk advice for these foods. The agency identified hazards that present a possible risk. These foods have the potential to pose a medium to high risk to public health for one or more foodborne pathogens.

The five items will be classified as a risk food, instead of a surveillance food, and Australian regulators are proposing new risk management measures for their import.

The rate of inspection starts at 100 percent and then drops to 25 percent of consignments following five consecutive passes. It is reduced to 5 percent after a further 20 consecutive passes but is increased to 100 percent if a risk food fails an inspection.

Dates and enoki mushrooms
Fresh dates that are ready-to-eat (RTE) would be classed as a risk food. Imports will need a valid recognized food safety management certificate. Dates are referred for inspection and testing at a rate of 5 percent, so samples must comply with maximum residue limits in the Food Standards Code. There is also a visual and labeling assessment.

Fresh dates of the species Phoenix dactylifera (date palm) are currently permitted from Egypt, Iran, Israel, Morocco, and the United States. On average, 12,000 tons of dates were imported per year from 2021 to 2023. The most common varieties are Medjool, Noor Deglet, Hayani, and Bahri.

FSANZ advice states that RTE fresh dates pose a medium to high risk to public health for Hepatitis A virus. Salmonella in imported dates is a low risk.

Requirements for a mandatory food safety management certificate would apply from June 2026. This will allow importers time to source product with the required certification. No verification testing of food for Hepatitis A is planned.

Proposed changes for enoki mushrooms include verifying that labels have appropriate storage and cooking instructions. For example: Must be refrigerated at or below 5 degrees C (41 degrees F) and cook thoroughly at a minimum of 70 degrees C (158 degrees F) for at least 2 minutes.

A new rate of inspection will start at 100 percent and reduce based on compliance. Border testing will check that Listeria monocytogenes is not detected in five 25-gram samples from a lot.

Approximately 2,000 tons per year of fresh enoki mushrooms were imported into Australia from 2021 to 2023. Five percent of samples are analyzed to ensure they comply with maximum residue limits and maximum levels for lead.

FSANZ advice states that imported fresh enoki mushrooms pose a medium to high risk to public health because of Listeria and may require additional management. New food safety requirements are set to take effect in June 2025.

Melons, pufferfish and kava
Imports of melons will need a valid recognized food safety management certificate. This includes watermelon, rockmelon (cantaloupe), honeydew melons, oriental melon, and piel de sapo. The scope is whole or RTE melon that has been pre-cut and is fresh, chilled, or frozen, excluding further processed melons.

Testing for Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella on cut RTE melon will be undertaken at a rate of 5 percent. There will be no verification testing for whole melons. Melons must comply with maximum residue limits in the Food Standards Code. There is also a visual and labeling assessment.

Melons can be imported from the United States, New Zealand, European countries, and the Republic of Korea, subject to conditions. Japan may also soon be added to this list.

FSANZ advice states that imported melons pose a medium to high risk to public health for Listeria monocytogenes and Salmonella. Requirements for a mandatory food safety management certificate would apply as of June 2026.

Pufferfish imports would need a recognized foreign government certificate. Documents on all consignments would be checked. Pufferfish imports are also subject to label and visual checks at a rate of 5 percent.

Data shows only a small quantity of pufferfish (fugu) for human consumption is imported from Japan. FSANZ said whole or portions of pufferfish pose a medium to high risk to public health for Tetrodotoxin. Requirements would apply from June 2027, to allow importers time to source product with the required certification.

All kava from New Zealand would be inspected. Checks would be reduced based on a history of compliance. The change is scheduled to take effect by June 2025.

In 2022, Australia amended the rules around kava but New Zealand kept the previous requirements. Data shows 20,000-kilograms of kava was imported from New Zealand from 2021 to 2023.

People who want to provide feedback on the proposals can do so until December 6.

(To sign up for a free subscription to Food Safety News, click here.)

Source: https://www.foodsafetynews.com/2024/10/australia-consults-on-planned-import-changes-for-five-foods/