1. Food and Beverages Importers Association (FBIA)
Maximum Residue Limits (MRL)
in Food Products
Australia's border monitoring of residues in imported food
Tran Tang
Assistant Director
Imported Food Section
Compliance Division
3 January 2019

2. Presentation Import Controls -– Imported Food Inspection Scheme
Limit (MRL) Monitoring
Maximum Residue Limits (MRL)
Managing failed foods
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources

3. Import controls
Biosecurity and imported food safety controls are administered by the Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
Maximum Residue Limits in food products
3 January 2019 3

4. Legislation at the border
The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources​ is responsible for administering the following requirements for imported food:
Biosecurity Act 2015
Imported Food Control Act 1992
Imported Food Control Regulations 1993
Sets out how the IFIS works
Imported Food Control Order 2001
Lists foods that are risk
Protects Australia against biosecurity risks
Addresses food safety & compliance with food standards
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
Maximum Residue Limits in food products
3 January 2019 4

5. Imported food control in Australia
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources

6. Imported Food Inspection Scheme
Food Standards Australia
New Zealand
Monitor emerging food safety issues worldwide and locally
Provide scientific assessment and advice on imported foods
Department of Agriculture
and Water Resources
Considers and interprets FSANZ advice
Minister makes Orders to classify as ‘risk food’
Implements targeted profiling of food consignments at the border
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources

7. Imported Food Inspection Scheme
IFIS – Risk based inspection
Responsive risk based inspection scheme.
Inspection rates based on risk to public health and safety.
Food classified as either risk food or surveillance food.
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
Maximum Residue Limits in food products
3 January 2019 7

8. Risk classified foods / hazards
Beef – BSE
RTE meats & pate – micro
Soft cheese – micro
Peanuts & pistachios – aflatoxin
Sesame seeds – Salmonella
Pepper, paprika, dried chilli – Salmonella
Cooked RTE prawns – micro
RTE finfish – L. monocytogenes
Histamine susceptible fish
Bivalve molluscs – micro & biotoxins
Brown algae (seaweed) – Iodine
Hijiki seaweed – Inorganic arsenic
Cassava chips – Hydrocyanic acid
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
Maximum Residue Limits in food products
3 January 2019 8

9. Maximum Residue Limit (MRL) Monitoring
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
Maximum Residue Limits in food products
03 January 2019 9

10. Current foods subject to sampling for residue analysis
Foods for MRL monitoring
Current foods subject to sampling for residue analysis
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources

11. Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code
Principle for MRLs
If there is no MRL in the Food Standards Code for a particular food-chemical combination = No detectable residues are permitted
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
Maximum Residue Limits in food products
3 January 2019 11

12. Chemical screen for fruit and vegetables
Foods for MRL monitoring
Chemical screen for fruit and vegetables
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources

13. IFIS’s current practice
The legislation states: “unless a maximum amount of a permitted residue of an agvet chemical is specified for a processed food, the same maximum amount applies to both the processed and the unprocessed food.”
 Recommendation: importers consider making an application to FSANZ for an MRL for the processed product (i.e. juiced and concentrated fruit) where there is a legal use for the chemical in that food in the country from which the food is sourced.
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources

14. IFIS’s current practice
The IFIS only applies Standard to food that is imported for human consumption (including when the food will undergo additional processing before final retail sale).
Food not imported for sale includes food for personal use, trade samples, ship or aircraft stores. These are exempt from Standard
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources

15. Managing failed food
Required to be treated (if possible), exported or destroyed
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
Maximum Residue Limits in food products
03 January 2019 15

16. Summary of reasons for food failing inspection - all countries - 2017
Failing food
Summary of reasons for food failing inspection - all countries
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources

17. Failing Food Treatment
This is an option not currently permitted for MRL violations.
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
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3 January 2019 17

18. Failing Food
Export
This is an option currently permitted for MRL violations.
Exported food is restricted to being exported back to the country from which the food was exported to Australia.
Note: In certain conditions an importer may request to export to a third country
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
Maximum Residue Limits in food products
3 January 2019 18

19. Failing Food Destruction
This is an option currently permitted for MRL violations.
Subject to biosecurity requirements the food may:
Be destroyed by deep burial or incineration.
Seek permission for redirection to animal feed.
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
Maximum Residue Limits in food products
3 January 2019 19

20. Options for future compliance with MRLs
Harmonisation process for MRLs
FSANZ has a harmonisation process for all the other foods MRLs.
This allows an exporting economy to apply for an MRL that has permissions for use of an agricultural chemical on a food, where Australia does not have an MRL for that food.
Importers, exporters and overseas economies may apply for harmonisation of an MRL. The harmonisation process is conducted each year and takes about 12 to 18 months.
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
Maximum Residue Limits in food products
3 January 2019 20

21. Options for future compliance with MRLs
FSANZ has commenced considering an ‘all other foods except animal food commodities’ low level MRL for selected agricultural chemicals where:
Primarily these low level MRLs allow for inadvertent presence e.g. spray drift.
Will not apply to veterinary chemical residues where predominant use is as a veterinary medicine.
There must be a registered use of the agvet chemical in Australia.
Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
Maximum Residue Limits in food products
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Department of Agriculture and Water Resources
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