Guidance

Import of meat preparations for human consumption - Import Information Note (IIN) MP/04

Updated 20 January 2025

1. General information 

This Import Information Note (IIN) must be read in conjunction with the IIN for general information for imports of products of animal origin (POAO), which provides information on pre-notifications, veterinary checks, risk categories etc. 

References to European Union (EU) legislation within this document are references to direct EU legislation which has been assimilated in Great Britain (assimilated direct legislation), as defined in the Retained EU Law (Revocation and Reform) Act 2023 and can be viewed on the UK legislation website. 

2. Scope 

Import conditions for meat preparations for human consumption.

Meat preparations are defined in Annex I point 1.15 of Regulation (EC) 853/2004 as “fresh meat, including meat that has been reduced to fragments, which has had foodstuffs, seasonings or additives added to it or which has undergone processes insufficient to modify the internal muscle fibre structure of the meat and thus to eliminate the characteristics of fresh meat”.  

Meat preparations can be derived from domestic bovine, porcine, ovine, caprine, poultry, lagomorph, wild game and farmed game that has passed ante and post-mortem inspections and been declared fit for human consumption. 

For wild game, a trained person must have carried out an examination, as appropriate, to identify whether there are any characteristics to indicate that the meat presents a risk to public health.

Meat preparations originating from the EU must have been chilled to an internal temperature of not more than +4°C or frozen at an internal temperature of not more than -18°C at the production plant(s) of origin.

Meat preparations originating from other trading partners must be frozen at an internal temperature of not more than -18°C at the production plant(s) of origin. 

3. Country of origin 

Imports are permitted from trading partners listed in a document published by the Secretary of State, with the consent of the Scottish and Welsh Ministers for:

• non-EU countries
• EU and European Free Trade Association (EFTA) countries

Meat preparations are only permitted from trading partners authorised for import into Great Britain (GB) of fresh meat of that species in accordance with the following documents:

• Fresh meat of ungulates - meat of bovines, ovines, caprines, porcines, wild cloven-hoofed game, farmed cloven hoofed game, farmed wild swine and wild swine
  
• Poultry and poultry products - poultry meat, ratite meat and farmed and wild feathered game
  
• meat of wild leporidae, of certain wild land mammals and of farmed rabbits - Other farmed game and rabbits

In addition, the country of origin must be listed for the appropriate species in a document published by the Secretary of State, with the consent of the Scottish and Welsh Ministers, in accordance with Decision (EU) 2011/163 on the approval of residue monitoring plans submitted by third countries. The relevant documents are accessible using the links above. 

4. Approved establishments 

Meat preparations must be produced in an establishment approved to export to GB. Importers should check prior to importation that the premises are listed on the correct list. 

Find consolidated lists of approved plants (excluding the EU) 

Find approved EU food establishments

If the establishment or plant is not listed, importers are urged to contact the company concerned, who should contact their competent authority immediately. If the plant is not included on the appropriate list when veterinary checks are carried out the consignment is likely to be held and could be rejected and re-exported or destroyed.

5. Health certification  

Imports to GB must be accompanied by the appropriate health certificate based on the GB model health certificate. 

Find model health certificates for meat preparations for human consumption.

This requirement applies to products in the high and medium risk categories. 

Check import risk categories, inspection rates and related rules for animals and animal products imported from:

• the EU to GB
• non-EU countries to GB

6. Health and identification marks 

Meat products referred to above must bear an identification mark in accordance with the requirements of Regulation (EC) 853/2004. The mark must be applied before the product leaves the establishment.  

7. Contact for further information

For more information about import requirements, contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) imports team:

Centre for International Trade - Carlisle
Eden Bridge House
Lowther Street
Carlisle
CA3 8DX

Email: imports@apha.gov.uk 

Telephone: 03000 200 301