Joint Food Safety and Standards Group
Guidance Note on Imported Food

Introduction

1. This brief guidance is for importers who want to import food which originates in or is consigned from a third country. It is not a full or authoritative statement of the legal position but gives basic information about the relevant legislation, what it requires and who can be contacted for more information.

2. Importers are responsible for ensuring that the food they import is fit for human consumption and that it meets all other UK labelling and composition standards appropriate to the product. Sometimes other legislation, such as the current restriction on the import of pistachio nuts, will restrict what may be imported.

3. Before importing any food it may be helpful to discuss your proposals with a Port Health Officer (PHO) at the Port where the food will enter the UK. See paragraph 20 of the guide for details of how to find the telephone number of a particular port health authority.

Downloading

To download a copy of the complete Guidance Note on Imported Food in Portable Document Format (PDF) click on the reference. You will need the appropriate version of the Adobe Acrobat Reader program to view the file. The program is freely available if you do not already have it. People with visual difficulties may find it useful to investigate access.adobe.com - services provided to improve the accessibility of Acrobat documents.

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