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Department of Agriculture

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  1. Home
  2. Biosecurity and trade
  3. Export
  4. Exporting from Australia
  5. Recall of exported food

Sidebar first - Export

  • Exporting from Australia
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      • RIS: Export tariff rate quota regulatory streamlining
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Recall of exported food

​​​The Department of Agriculture and Water Resources is responsible for advising importing country authorities of instances where exported Australian food poses a food safety risk and has been subject to a recall, including trade recalls.

Export registered manufacturing establishments and exporters have legal responsibilities to provide advice to the department when these sit​uations occur. A different food recall system is in place for exported meat and meat products but these procedures apply to exports of:

  • Dairy products
  • Eggs and egg products
  • Fish and fish products
  • some non-prescribed goods.

[Expand all]

Why recalls of exported food occur

Australian recalls and withdrawals

Where food available in the Australian marketplace poses a health or safety risk, an Australian food recall is coordinated by Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) in consultation with the manufacturer and relevant state and territory authorities. Australian food recalls are designed to prevent unsafe (or potentially unsafe) food from being sold, distributed or consumed in Australia.

Manufacturers are responsible for food withdrawals due to quality, ethical or suitability issues or unconfirmed food safety risk.

Product that is subject to an Australian food recall or withdrawal may also have been exported. FSANZ collects information related to the recalled exported product and provides it to the department.

Notifications from importing country authorities

Where an importing country authority advises the Australian Government of an Australian product that has potential food safety concerns, the department requires a trace-back and investigation.
Product found to pose a risk needs to be removed from the supply chain overseas, which is the responsibility of the manufacturer and/or exporter. It may also be the subject of a recall in the other country/s, depending on the direction given by the importing country authority.

Managing a recall of exported food

The timeline for managing a recall of exported food outlines the different responsibilities.
Indicative timeline for a recall of exported food

TimingExport registered manufacturerExporter
ImmediatelyManufacturing establishment identifies all affected product.–
Within 2–4 hoursEstablishment determines deposition of all affect product and advises domestic and international customers.Exporter informs export registered manufacturer and the department about deposition of affected product.
Exporter advises customer/s in the importing country about food recall.
Post recallEstablishment records product recall inventory, including the quantity of product recovered, and maintains contact with the department.Exporter records product recall inventory, including the quantity of product recovered, and maintains contact with the department.

Responsibilities of an export registered manufacturer

If a food product manufactured by your establishment is subject to an Australian recall or an international trace-back or investigation, you must immediately:

  • identify all potentially affected product
  • determine whether any of the product has been exported.

If any affected product has been exported or onsold to a company that intends to export it, you must undertake the following steps.

Identify affected product

Identify all implicated product that has been exported or has the potential to be exported.

Email the department all manufacturing details that will help to identify the product, such as:

  • brand and product name/s
  • description of affected product/s
  • date/s of manufacture
  • batch number/s
  • mass, volume or quantity of product/s.
Determine the status of affected product

Locate affected product still in your possession and inform buyers of all affected product that has been distributed.

Buyers of affected product, including those in another country or a domestic buyer that may intend to export the product, must be directed to hold product that has not been placed on the market and remove any product available for sale.

All product still in your possession must be immediately put on hold and segregated from non-affected product. Prepare an inventory of the status of the product and how much has been traced.

For product known to have been exported, email the department with all information about distribution and export. Use the Exported food recall template to assist with this process.

Responsibilities of an exporter

Contact your buyers

If you learn that product you have exported is subject to a food recall you must immediately:

  • contact your buyer/s in the importing country
  • determine if the product has been distributed
  • advise them to remove from the market any product still available for sale.
Inform the manufacturing establishment and the department

Provide product distribution information to the export registered manufacturing establishment and the department. You will not be liaising with FSANZ directly. Use the Exported food recall template to assist with this process.

Responsibilities for notification to importing country authorities

Department of Agriculture and Water Resources

The department will inform authorities in the importing country that have received Australian product that is subject to a recall in Australia. Overseas governments decide what action is to be taken on product in the marketplace. Each government will decide whether a public food recall is required in its country.

Export registered establishments and exporters

Exported product that is ineligible for return to Australia is subject to some management decision, such as treatment, reprocessing or destruction. You must determine this action in consultation with your buyers and the overseas government authorities.

Sanctions

Failure to comply with legal requirements and/or to provide the necessary information in a timely manner in the event of a recall of exported product may result in penalties, which include but are not limited to:

  • suspension or revocation of registration
  • withdrawal of export services
  • additional conditions and restrictions on processing.
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Last updated: 04 November 2019

© Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment

We acknowledge the Traditional Owners of country throughout Australia and recognise their continuing connection to land, waters and culture. We pay our respects to their Elders past, present and emerging.