Guidance Document  
 
A guidance document issued by the Ministry for Primary Industries  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Egg Products  
EGGPRODS.GEN  
[Document Date]  
 Guidance Document : Egg Products  
 Draft for Consultation  [Document Date]  
Ministry for Primary Industrie s Page  1 of 13 
 
 
 Title 
Guidance Document: Egg Products . 
About this document  
This guidance document contains information about acceptable ways of ensuring compliance with the 
requirements in  Import Health Standard: Egg Products . 
Any guidance on how to comply with the applicable requirements may not be the only way to achieve 
compliance. Stakeholders are encouraged to discuss departures from the approaches outlined in this 
guidance document with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) to avoid expending resources on the development of alternative approaches which may later be considered unsuitable.  
The term “mu st” is not typically used in guidance. In this particular document if the term “must” is used, it is 
used in the context of quoting or paraphrasing the requirements set out in the related IHS: Egg Products . 
Related requirements 
Import Health Standard: Egg Products  
Document  history 
Refer to Appendix 1.  
Contact Details  
For further information and questions about this guidance document, please contact:  
 Animal Imports  
Biosecurity New Zealand  
Ministry for Primary Industries  
PO Box 2526  
Wellington 6140  
 Email: animal.imports@mpi.govt.nz
 
Disclaimer 
This guidance does not constitute, and should not be regarded as, legal advice . While every effort has been 
made to ensure the information in this guidance is accurate, the Ministry for Primary Industries does not accept any responsibility or liability whatsoever for any error of fact, omission, interpretation or opinion that may be present, however it may have occurred.  
Copyright  
Crown copyright ©. This copyright work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 New Zealand 
licence. In essence, you are free to copy, distribute and adapt the work, as long as you attribute the work to the Ministry for Primary 
Industries and abide by the other licence terms. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/nz/ . 
Please note that no governmental emblem, logo or Coat of Arms may be used in any way which infringes any provision of the Flags, Emblems, and Names Protection Act 1981 or would infringe such provision if the relevant use occurred within New Zealand. Attribution to the Ministry for Primary Industries should be in written form and not by reproduction of any such emblem, logo or Coat of 
Arms.
 
Guidance Document : Egg Products  
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 Contents  Page 
1 Purpose  3 
2 Background  3 
3 Definitions  3 
4 Importer Responsibilities  3 
5 Guidance  3 
5.1 Equivalence  3 
5.2 Food Act 2014 and Animal Products Act 1999  4 
5.3 Incorporation of material by reference  4 
5.4 Harmonised System (HS) codes  4 
5.5 Exporting country systems and certification  5 
5.6 Inspection and verification  6 
6 Model certificates  7 
6.1 Model official certificate  7 
6.2 Model veterinary certificate  9 
Appendix 1 – Document History  13 
 
  Guidance Document : Egg Products  
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 1 Purpose  
(1) This guidance document has been issued to accompany the Import H ealth S tandard  (IHS):  Egg 
Products . This guidance document should be read in conjunction with that standard.  
(2) This document includes:  
a) A model official certificat e 
b) Countries with exporting systems recognised by MPI to export egg products  to New Zealand 
c) A model veterinary certificate and l inks to agreed country -specific veterinary certificates  
2 Background  
(1) The IHS:  Egg Products , which this guidance document accompanies, contains generic impor t 
requirements. These are the rules to manage the biosecurity risk of importing  egg products  from all 
countries that can meet the requirements of that standard and in doing so meet New Zealand’s 
appropriate level of protection.  
(2) General information about importing animal products can be found here:  
http://www.mpi.govt.nz/importing/food/   
3 Definitions  
(1) See Schedule 2 of the Import Healt h Standard:  Egg Products . 
4 Importer responsibilities  
(1) The costs to MPI in performing functions relating to the importation of  egg products  will be recovered in 
accordance with the Biosecurity Act 1993 (the Act) and any regulations made under that Act. Al l costs 
involved with documentation, transport, storage , and obtaining a biosecurity clearance must be 
covered by the importer or agent.  
(2) Consignments that do not comply with the requirements of th e IHS:  Egg Products  may be reshipped or 
destroyed using an MPI -approved destruction method .  
5 Guidance  
5.1 Equivalence  
(1) MPI may accept an alternative method, system , or process that can be shown to achieve the 
biosecurity requirements of the IHS:  Egg Products  (i.e. equivalence).  
(2) MPI’s preference is that the exporting country’s competent authority makes equivalence requests. 
Equivalence requests can be lodged with animal.imports@mpi.govt.nz . 
(3) An import permit is not required to import egg products  into New Zealand if the requirements of the 
IHS: Egg Products  are met.  
(4) An import  permit may be required where specific equivalence measures are approved by MPI. A n 
import permit serves as evidence of equivalence decisions and will be written as specific notes in the 
special conditions section of the permit.  
(5) Apply online for an import permit at the following weblink: https://animalplantimportpermit.mpi.govt.nz/  Guidance Document : Egg Products  
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 5.2 Food Act 2014 and Animal Products Act 1999 
(1) Consignments of food imported into New Zealand for sale for human consumption must comply with 
relevant requirements of  the Food Act 2014, the Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code, and the 
Animal Products Act 1999. 
(2) Importers of food intended for sale for human consumption must be registered with MPI. These 
requirements are independent of the requirements  in the standard. Importers are advised to consult 
MPI’s website: http://www.mpi.govt.nz/importing . 
(3) Some hig h-risk foods, known as regulatory interest foods , require food safety clearance on arrival. 
These foods include some meat, fish, seafood, and cheese. A full list can be found in the s chedules to 
the food notice  Importing Food . Food safety clearance will include a documentation check and may 
include inspection, sampling , and testing at the importer ’s cost.   
(4) Importers of egg products must ensure that consignments of egg products imported into New Zealand 
comply with the microbiological limit for Salmonella  in processed egg products, specified in  of the 
Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code . 
(5) The importation of the following animal material or product must comply with the requirements issued in Overseas Market Access Requirements (OMAR) 01/172
 under the Animal Products Act 1999:  
a) Imported animal material or product that is of New Zealand origin and is intended for re -export to 
a country where official assurance is required; and  
b) Imported animal material or product of foreign origin intended for export or further processing for export where official assurance is required.  
(6) To arrange for inspection of any animal material or animal product, contact your primary verifier or 
local MPI Verification Services office. 
5.3 Incorporation of material by reference 
(1) Incorporation by reference means that standards, guidelines , or lists are incorporated into the 
standard,  and they form part of the requirements. This is done because technical documents are too 
large or impractical to include in the standard . 
(2) When  the standard states that section 142O(1) of the Act does not apply, this means that importers 
need to refer to the most recent version of any standards, guidelines or lists that are incorporated by reference in the standard. 
5.4 Harmoni zed System (HS) codes 
(1) The Harmoni zed System is an international product numbering classification developed by the World 
Customs Organization (WCO). Harmoni zed System  codes  are here: Harmonized System | WCO Trade 
Tools . 
(2) Animal products imported using the IHS : Egg Products  will be under one of the following HS c odes:  
 
HS code Commodity description  
0407.90.00  Birds’ eggs, in shell, fresh, preserved or cooked ( for the purposes of th at import health 
standard , fresh (table) eggs and embryonated eggs are excluded)  
0408  Birds’ eggs, not in shell, and egg yolks, fresh, dried, cooked by steaming or by boiling 
in water, moulded, frozen or otherwise preserved, whether or not containing added 
sugar or other sweeteni ng matter  Guidance Document : Egg Products  
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 5.5 Exporting country systems and certification 
5.5.1 Official certificate  
(1) An official certificate contains information that MPI needs  to accompany specified shelf- stable egg 
products imported under clause 2.1 of the of the IHS:  Egg Products . A model certificate is provided in 
this guidance document and can be used by the exporting country. An official certificate does not need 
to be negotiated with MPI before trade commences . 
5.5.2 Recognition of  exporting systems  
(1) Countries intending to export egg products  to New Zealand  under clause 2.3 ( “Other products 
containing up to 100% egg ”), clause 2.4 ( “Egg powder and liquid egg ”), or  Part 3  should  have an 
exporting and certification system that meets clause 1.5 of the  standard Egg Products .  
(2) Competent authorities who want  their exporting systems recognised should see MPI’s Guidance 
Document: Export Controls and Certificate Systems for Animals and Animal Products . This document 
can help the competent authority  prepare information for MPI regarding the capabilities and 
preferences of the competent authority .  
(3) MPI prioritises recognition of exporting systems according to MPI resources available at the time the 
exporting countries  apply for recognition . 
(4) The table below lists  exporting countries that meet the requirements in the IHS:  Egg Products . 
 
Countries with 
recognised  exporting 
systems  Egg powder or crystal  Liqui d egg Other products containing 
up to 100% egg  
Australia  ✓ ✓ ✓ 
Canada  ✓   
European Union  ✓   
Denmark  ✓   
France  ✓ ✓ ✓ 
Latvia   ✓  
Lithuania  ✓ ✓ ✓ 
The Netherlands  ✓ ✓ ✓ 
United States of 
America  ✓   
Japan  ✓    
5.5.3 Agreed country -specific veterinary certificates  
(1) Once MPI is satisfied that the exporting country meets the requirements in clause 1.5 of the IHS:  Egg 
Products , MPI and the exporting country’s competent authority can negotiate veterinary certification for 
the export  of egg products  to New Zealand.   
(2) A model veterinary certificate is provided in this guidance document and can be used by the competent 
authority as a reference for country -specific veterinary certificate negotiation.  
(3) Country -specific veterinary certificates with equivalent measures will be recorded with a number 
relevant to a chief technical officer (CTO) direction under section 27(1)d(iii) of the Act to enable border 
staff to clear the goods and record the number in the MPI database.  Guidance Document : Egg Products  
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 (4) When a newly negotiated country -specific veterinary certificate replaces one that is currently in use, 
the application of new import conditions will apply according to the dates listed in the table. At that 
time, previous veterinary certificates for that country can no longer be used . 
(5) All country- specific veterinary certificates agreed on between an exporting country’s competent 
authority and MPI are included in the table below . 
 
Country  Link to certificate  S27 CT O direction 
# Date agreed  Date applicable 
for use  
Australia  Egg Products from 
Australia  2018 044  18 October 
2018  18 October 
2018  
France    Egg Products from 
France  NA 11 June 2021  11 June 2021  
Latvia  Egg Products from 
Latvia  NA 29 April 2022  29 April 2022  
Lithuania
  
  Egg Products Vet Cert 
and Manufacturers 
Declaration Lithuania  2019 038  22 August 2019
  22 August 2019  
The Netherlands  Egg Products from the 
Netherlands  2021 029  11 May 2021  11 May 2021  
Denmark  Shelf -stable spray 
dried egg powders or 
crystals from Denmark  NA 25 May 2022  25 May 2022  
USA  Shelf -stable spray 
dried egg powders or 
crystals from USA     
5.6 Inspection and verification  
(1) On arrival, all documentation accompanying the consignment will be verified by an inspector. The inspector may also inspect the consignment, or a sample of the consignment on arrival.  
(2) Inspectors are able to inspect and verify due to their authorised powers under the Act.  
(3) These requirements are independent of the requirements  in the import health standard . 
  Guidance Document : Egg Products  
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 6 Model certificate s 
6.1 Model official certificate  
(1) Below is a model official certificate for specified shelf -stable egg products in Part 2  of the IHS: Egg 
Products .  
(2) This model official certificate is approved to accompany imports of specified shelf -stable egg products 
in Part 2  of the IHS: Egg Products  when appropriately completed by an official or official veterinarian of 
the exporting country ’s competent authority . 
 
Consignor ( exporter):  
Name:  
Address:  
 Certificate reference number:  
 
Competent authority:  
 
Consignee ( importer):  
Name:  
Address:  
 
 
Country of origin *:  
 
Country of destination: NEW ZEALAND  
 
Place of origin *: 
Name:  
Address:  
Place of shipment *: Date of departure:  
Means of transport *: 
 
    Plane           Ship  
 
Identification:  
 Commodity intended for use:  
 Human consumption  
 
Description of commodity:  
 Temperature of commodities for transport:  
   Ambient           Chilled           Frozen  
Total number of packages:  Type of packaging:  
Net weight (kg):  Identification of container/se al number:  
 
Country:  Certificate reference number:  Guidance Document : Egg Products  
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 I, the undersigned official or official veterinarian, certify that the product described above satisfies the following 
requirements:   
Specified shelf -stable egg products  
(1) The product:  
(a) does not require refrigeration before the package is opened;  
(b) has been commercially manufactured and packaged into retail packaging; and  
(c) has met  the additional requirements set out in the individual product clause below  (Delete clauses not 
applicable to the product for export) : 
(i) Alkalised duck or chicken eggs (also known as ‘pidan’, ‘ century  eggs ’, ‘preserved eggs ’, ‘100- year-
old eggs’, ‘thousand- year eggs ’, or ‘millennium eggs ’) have been transformed in an alkaline salt to a 
pH of 10 or higher in the final preserved egg product . 
(ii) Salted cooked duck or chicken eggs have been heat treated to an F 0 value of 3 or more.  
Note: G overnment official’s signature and stamp to be applied to all pages.  
*Optional  
Official or official veterinarian  
Name:  
Address:  
Email:  
  
Signature:   
Date:  
 
  
Official or official veterinarian 
signature, official stamp , and date  Guidance Document : Egg Products  
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 6.2 Model veterinary certificate  
(1) Below is a model veterinary certificate for  “Other products containing up to 100% egg” , egg powder, or  
liquid egg . 
(2) This model meets the requirements of the IHS:  Egg Products  and can be used by the exporting 
country’s competent authority as a reference for country -specific veterinary certificate negotiation .  
(3) Bilaterally agreed on country -specific veterinary certificates will be recorded in the table under clause 
5.5.3 of this guidance d ocument and  on the MPI website .  
 
1. Consignor (exporter) : 
Name:  
Address:  
 
 2. Certificate reference number:  
 
 
3. Competent authority:  
 
 
4. Consignee (importer) : 
Name:  
Address:  
  5. Country of origin:  
ISO code*:  
 
 
6. Country of destination: NEW ZEALAND  
ISO code*:  
 
7. Zone or country o f origin†:  
 8. Country, zone , or compartment of manufacture†: 
 
9. Place of origin†: 
Name:  
Address:  
 
 10. Means of transport *: 
 
   Plane           Ship  
11. Date of departure *:  12. Place of shipment *: 
 
13. Identification of container/seal number:  
 
 14. Description of commodity:  
15. Total number of packages : 
 16. Type of packaging : 
 
 
17. Net weight (kg) : 
 18. Country of transit/transhipment†: 
19. Commodity intended for use *: 
 
 Human consumption  
 Animal feed  
 Technical use 
 *Optional  
† If referenced in certificate below   
  Guidance Document : Egg Products  
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 Exporting country:  Certificate reference number : 
 
 
I, the undersigned official or official veterinarian, certify that the product described above satisfies the following 
requirements:  
Commodity eligibility  
(1) The commodity for export contains one or more of the following egg products derived from chicken ( Gallus gallus ) 
eggs . (Delete products below as applicable)  
(a) “Other products containing up to 100% egg”  
(b) “Egg powder or liquid egg”  
 
Processing requirements  
(2) The egg powder  or liquid egg: 
(a) Were prepared from intact, clean eggs  visibly free from dirt, blood, f aecal contamination, and other foreign 
matter ; and 
(b) Contain less than 100 mg/kg of eggshell remains, egg membrane, and other particles ; and 
(c) Were processed as described below for the specified commodity ; and  
(d) Meet  the relevant national standards of the exporting country for hygienic processing of egg products.  
Packaging and t ransport requirements  
(3) The egg products for export to New Zealand were  packaged and sealed in tamper -proof  and leak -proof 
packaging at the time of manufacture and has remained separated from non- processed product that is not of 
equivalent health status . 
(4) The egg produc ts have been stored and subsequently transported in a hygienic manner.  
(5) Packaging containing the egg products is  clean, secure, and free of any organic contaminants . 
(6) Consignments of egg products are clearly identified, and the identifier is  stated on the veterinary certificate.  
Third country processing  
(Delete this section if not applicable)  
(7) This consignment contains egg products  that originates from <insert name of country of origin>  different from the 
country of export, and the consignment : 
(a) is eligible for export directly from the country of origin to New Zealand, and has been processed to meet 
New Zealand’s import requi rements  for the specified egg product ; and  
(b) was processed and stored separately from all other products not eligible for export to New Zealand . 
“Other products containing up to 100%  egg” 
(8) Other product s containing up to 100% egg has been heat treated to a core temperature of at least:  
(a) 60°C for at least 3.5 minutes; or  
(b) 64°C for at least 2. 7 minutes; or  
(c) 70°C for at least 2 minutes . 
“Egg powder or liquid egg” 
(9) The product is a shelf -stable spray dried whole egg powder, and the product has been heat treated to a core 
temperature of at least : 
(a) 60°C for no less than 9.1 minutes; or  
(b) 61°C for no less than 6.7 minutes; or  
(c) 62°C for no less than 5 minutes; or  
(d) 63°C for no less than 3.7 minutes; or  
(e) 64°C for no less than 2.7 minutes.  Guidance Document : Egg Products  
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 Exporting country:  Certificate reference number : 
 
(10) The product is a shelf -stable spray dried egg yolk powder, and the product has been heated to a core 
temperature of at least 60°C for no less than 4.8 minutes .  
(11) T he product is a shelf -stable spray dried egg albumen powder, and the product has been heat treated to a core 
temperature of at least 54.4°C for no less than 7 days .  
(12) T he product is liquid egg (with and without additives)  that has treated to one of the following parameters in the 
table below . 
 
Liquid egg product  Retention temperature to be 
no less than (ºC)  Minimum holding time 
requirements in minutes  
Albumen  55 
56 
57 37.9 
19.2 
16.4 
Whole egg  60 
61 62 63 
64 9.1 
6.7 
5 
3.7 
2.7 
Whole egg blends (less than 2% added 
non-egg ingredients)  60 
61.1 6.2 
3.5 
Fortified whole egg blends (24 –38% 
solids, 2 -12% added non -egg ingredients)  61.1 
62.2 6.2 
3.5 
Salted whole egg ( 2% or more salt added)  62.2 
63.3 6.2 
3.5 
Sugared whole egg (2 –12% sugar  added)  60 61.1 6.2 
3.5 
Plain or pure egg yolk  60 
61.1 6.02 
3.5 
Salted yolk (2– 12% salt  added)  
 62.2 
63.3 7 6.09 
Sugared yolk with 2% or more sugar  62.2 
63.3 7.7 
7 
 
For import conditions, different to the above, for egg powder or liquid egg originating from an exporting country 
where the disease status for high pathogenicity avian influenza (HPAI)  virus and Newcastle disease (ND)  has 
been assessed by MPI,  please see Part 3 of the import health standard  Egg Products .    
Note: Each page of the certificate must be signed, stamped, dated, and identified with a unique reference number.  
  
 
 
 Guidance Document : Egg Products  
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 Exporting country:  Certificate reference number : 
 
Official or official veterinarian  
Name:  
Address:  
Email:  
  
Signature:  
Date:  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Official  or official  veterinarian 
signature, official stamp , and date  Guidance Document : Egg Products  
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Ministry for Primary Industrie s Page  13 of 13 
 
 
 Appendix 1 – Document history  
Date first issued  Title Shortcode  
23 January 2018  Guidance Document:  Egg Products  EGGPRODS.GEN  
Date of issued amendments  Title Shortcode  
24 October 2018  Guidance Document: Egg Products  EGGPRODS.GEN  
16 August 2019  Guidance Document: Egg Products  EGGPRODS.GEN  
27 August 2019  Guidance Document: Egg Products  EGGPRODS.GEN  
10 November 2020  Guidance Document: Egg Products  EGGPRODS.GEN  
TBD Guidance Document: Egg Products  EGGPRODS.GEN