Australia - Proposed changes to the inspection and analysis of uncooked ready-to-eat meat Australia is preparing science-based risk statements on the risks associated with certain imported foods. As each risk statement is prepared, they are published on the Food Standards Australia New Zealand website (http://www.foodstandards.gov.au/consumer/importedfoods/Pages/FSANZ-advice-on-imported-food.aspx). In response to the risk statement on uncooked ready-to-eat meat, Australia is proposing changes to the inspection and analysis of uncooked ready-to-eat meat. Australia proposes these changes to protect public health and safety and ensure that these ready-to-eat meat products are produced with hygienic controls equivalent to those in Standard 4.2.3 - Production and Processing Standard for Meat of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. Under the proposed changes a recognised government certificate would be required for uncooked ready-to-eat meat and these foods could not be imported into Australia without this certificate. The form and content of the certificate would be agreed between Australia and the exporting country following an assessment of whether the uncooked ready-to-eat meat products in the exporting country are produced with hygienic controls equivalent to those in Standard 4.2.3 of the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code. Specific detail on the proposed changes is available at http://www.agriculture.gov.au/import/goods/food/notices/ifn-18-16. It is expected that the changes would take effect in December 2016. Proposed date of adoption : December 2016 Proposed date of publication : 13 October 2016 Proposed date of entry into force: [ ] Six months from date of publication, and/or : December 2016 Final date for comments: [ ] Sixty days from the date of circulation of the notification and/or : 13 December 2016 (9 a.m. Australia Eastern Daylight Time) | 
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