WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/SPS/N/NZL/390 
5 December 2007  
 (07-5365) 
Committee on Sanitary a nd Phytosanitary Measures Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  NEW ZEALAND
  
If applicable, name of local government involved:     
2. Agency responsible:  Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry 
3. Products covered (provide tariff item numb er(s) as specified in national schedules 
deposited with the WTO; ICS numbers should be provided in addition, where 
applicable):  Processed poultry meat 
4. Regions or countries likely to be affected, to the extent relevant or practicable :  
Australia 
5. Title, language and number of pages of the notified document:  Import health standard for 
the importation of specified pr ocessed poultry meat products from human consumption into 
New Zealand from Australia (avail able in English, 16 pages) 
6. Description of content:  Prior to 2001, poultry products from Australia and the United States 
of America were eligible for import into New Zealand.  These product s consisted of chicken 
meat which had been cooked to specifications stated in the MAF document, Importation into 
New Zealand of Meat and Meat Products:  A Review of the Risks to Animal Health (1991).  
New scientific information s uggested that the previous c ooking requirements for chicken 
meat products may have been inad equate to inactivate infectious  bursal disease (IBD) virus.  
In 1999 and 2000, MAF published two additional risk analyses:   Import Risk Analysis: 
Chicken Meat and Chicken Meat  Products; Bernard Matthew s Foods Ltd Turkey Meat 
Preparations from the United Kingdom , Revised Quantitative Risk Assessments On Chicken 
Meat From The United States, and Reassessment Of Heat Treatment For Inactivation Of 
Newcastle Disease Virus In Chicken Meat . 
These risk analyses confirmed that there was a residual risk of IBD virus in chicken meat 
products after they have been  subjected to normal cooking pr ocesses.  The import health 
standards for poultry products from Australia and the United States of  America were revoked 
and the only poultry meat products that have been  eligible for import into New Zealand since 
this time have been those that have been subjected to a process that renders meat products 
commercially sterile (such as ca nning, retorting or rendering). G/SPS/N/NZL/390 
Page 2  
 
   In 2006, MAF published an Import Risk Analysis:  Cooked  Duck Meat from Australia .  This 
risk analysis for duck meat from Australia was limited to products cooked to a minimum core 
temperature of 60 degree s Celsius for 30 minutes and 80 de grees Celsius for 10 minutes.  The 
only potential hazard identified in this risk analysis was IBD virus which is present in 
Australia, which can infect ducks and is unlikel y to be inactivated by the cooking processes 
used in the preparation of the commodities considered.  These measures cover farm 
management, testing of the birds for IBD prio r to slaughter, the slaughtering system, and 
processing of the final product. 
As Australia has requested market access for ch icken meat since the import health standard 
for cooked chicken meat was revoked in 2001, a draft import health standard was developed 
from the duck meat risk analysis and the previous chicken meat risk analyses which would 
include all processed poultry meat products.  Th e poultry meat products must be certified as 
having met specific time-temperatur e parameters that mitigate the risk of heat sensitive avian 
pathogens.  In addition, the products must either have originated from New Zealand origin birds and have been processed in Australia, or or iginated from Australian origin birds that are 
free from infectious bursal disease.  
7. Objective and rationale:  [   ] food safety, [ X ] animal health,  [   ] plant protection, 
[ X ] protect humans from animal/plant pest or disease,  [ X ] protect territory from 
other damage from pests    
8. International standard, guideline or recommendation:  
[   ] Codex Alimentarius Commission, [ X ] World Organization for Animal Health 
(OIE), [   ] International Plant Protection Convention, [   ] None  
If an international standard, guideline or recommendation exists, give the appropriate 
reference and briefly identify deviations:    
9. Relevant documents and language(s ) in which these are available:   The Draft Import 
Health Standard (IHS) for Processed Poultry Meat for Human Consumption from Australia is 
available in English at http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/strategy-and-
consultation/consultation/pr ocessed-poultry-australia  
The draft import health standard based on th e following four import risk analyses and 
chapter 1.3.5 of the Terrestrial Code (2007) on zoning and compartmen talisation, which are 
available online at: 
• The Importation into New Zealand of Meat  and Meat Products:  A Review of the 
Risks to Animal Health (1991) - http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files/pests-
diseases/animals/risk/meat-meat-products-ra.pdf  
• Import Risk Analysis:  Chicken Meat an d Chicken Meat Products; Bernard Matthews 
Foods Ltd Turkey Meat Preparations from the United Kingdom (1999) and its 
Review of Submissions document (1999) –  
 http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/ files/pests-diseases/animals /risk/chicken-meat-ra.pdf ; 
and http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files/pest s-diseases/animals/r isk/chicken-meat-
subs.pdf   G/SPS/N/NZL/390 
 Page 3 
 
 
   • Revised Quantitative Risk Assessments On Chicken Meat From The United States, 
And Reassessment Of Heat Treatment For Inactivation Of Newcastle Disease Virus In Chicken Meat (2000) and its Revi ew of Submissions document (2000) - 
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files/pest s-diseases/animals/risk/chicken-meat-
revised-ra.pdf  and http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files/pests-
diseases/animals/risk/chicken-meat-revised-subs.pdf  
• Import Risk Analysis:  Cooked Duck Meat  from Australia (2006) and its Review of 
Submissions document (2007) - http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files/pests-
diseases/animals/risk/risk-analysis-cooked-duck-meat-aus.pdf  and 
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/files/pests- diseases/animals/risk/duck-meat-ros.pdf  
• Chapter 1.3.5 of the Terrestrial Code (2007) on zoning and co mpartmentalisation - 
http://www.biosecurity.govt.nz/ files/pests-diseases/anima ls/risk/duck-meat-ros.pdf  
10. Proposed date of adoption:  To be determined after consultation has closed. 
11. Proposed date of entry into force:  To be determined after consultation has closed. 
12. Final date for comments:  28 January 2008 
Agency or authority designated to handle comments:  [   ] National notification 
authority, [   ] National enquiry point, or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: 
13. Texts available from:  [ X ] National notificati on authority, [   ] Na tional enquiry point, 
or address, fax number and E-mail address (if available) of other body: 
Ms Sally Griffin, Coordinator, SPS New Zeal and, PO Box 2526, Wellington, New Zealand.  
Tel:  +(64 4) 89 40431;  Fax:  +(64 4) 89 40731;  E-mail:  sps@maf.govt.nz 
Website:  www.maf.govt.nz/biosecurity/sps/tran sparency/notifications/index.htm