I am sure you are aware of media reports about restrictions on Japanese imports. In many instances these reports have been overstated. We are currently working to finalise the details of the new measures but I think it would be useful for you to know where things are at the moment.

Current advice from Foods Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) is that the risk of Australian consumers being exposed to radionuclides in food imported from Japan is negligible. Australia does not import fresh produce from Japan. In fact, Australia imports very little food from Japan. Imports are limited to a small range of speciality products, for example, seafood, seaweed-based products, and sauces.

As a precautionary measure, FSANZ has requested that the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS) tests certain fresh or frozen foods originating from the Japanese prefectures of Fuskushima, Gunma, Ibaraki and Tochigi. The foods are milk and milk products, fresh fruit and vegetables, seaweed and seafood (fresh and frozen).

Testing will be carried out by capable laboratories for levels of radionuclides (Iodine¹³¹ and Caesium ^137,134) against international (Codex) safe levels. Testing will be undertaken in a similar manner to current risk food testing under the imported food inspection scheme. That is, testing will commence at 100% of affected food consignments and samples of food will be collected by an AQIS officer at the importer's warehouse and sent to the laboratory for testing while the consignment remains on hold. In the event of a failed test result goods will not be allowed to be sold within Australia. Consignments that pass testing will be allowed to be imported unimpeded.

As with all imported food testing, the capture of products will be through the ICS and AIMS. We have implemented a new profile question for relevant tariff codes:

Have the Goods been in the Japanese Prefectures of Fukushima, Gunma, Ibaraki or Tochigi at any time since March 2011.

We are aware that brokers are unlikely to know this information so brokers will need to get this information from their importers so that entries are lodged with the correct information.

Once a few more details are worked through we will post an imported food notice with all relevant information. In the meantime if there are any questions please do not hesitate to call me. I would be grateful if you could pass this information on to anybody that may be interested.

Thanks

Stephen Malone
A/g Manager
Imported Food Program
Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS)
Ph: 02 6272 3998
Fax: 02 6272 4023
GPO Box 858, Canberra City, 2601
Email: stephen.malone@aqis.gov.au