Guidance

Import of milk or milk-based products and blood products (not exceeding 10% concentration) for use as a stabiliser or carrier for certain materials (commercial use) - Import Information Note (IIN) ABP/47

Published 2 December 2024

1. General information 

This IIN must be read in conjunction with the IIN for general information for imports of animal by-products (ABPs), which provides information on pre-notifications, veterinary checks, risk categories and more.

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

This IIN covers the importation of treated milk or milk-based products and treated blood products (at a concentration either not exceeding 3% or not exceeding 10%) for use as a stabiliser or carrier for any of the following materials: 

• monoclonal and polyclonal antibodies, proteins, enzymes, peptides and polypeptides separated from plasma or serum and purified to the extent that they do not contain any viable pathogenic microorganisms
• cells which do not contain a pathogen
• cell cultures more than one generation removed from tissue harvested from an animal
• stem cells derived from animals born and reared exclusively in a laboratory environment
• material other than animal by-products or derived products

The product can be sold and used for laboratory, research or pharmaceutical use (commercial use):

a) at a concentration not exceeding 3% (the animal by-product used as the stabiliser or carrier is at a concentration of 3% or less of the entire product, with no limit on the individual unit size)

b) at a concentration not exceeding 10% (the animal by-product used as the stabiliser or carrier is at a concentration of 10% or less of the entire product, with a maximum individual unit size of 100ml)

3. Production Standards

Treated milk and milk-based products 

The milk, milk-based products and milk derived products must comply with Section 4, Chapter I of Annex XIV to Regulation (EU) 142/2011. 

Treated blood products (excluding from equidae) 

The blood products must have been produced and stored in accordance with the requirements of Section 2, Chapter II of Annex XIV to Regulation (EU) 142/2011. 

Treated blood products from equidae 

The blood and blood products from Equidae must have been collected, produced and stored in accordance with the requirements of Section 3, Chapter II of Annex XIV and Point 1(a) and point 2 of Chapter IV of Annex XIII to Regulation (EU) 142/2011. 

The blood products must have been submitted to the appropriate treatment method as set out in Point 2(b)(ii) of Chapter IV of Annex XIII to Regulation (EU) 142/2011. 

Please see the relevant IIN for more information on the import requirements for treated milk or milk-based products and treated blood products.

4. 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 

Treated milk and milk-based products 

Must come from countries listed in the documents for milk and milk products.  

The country of origin must have been free from foot and mouth disease (FMD) and rinderpest virus for 12 months immediately prior to export, and have not practised vaccination against rinderpest during that period. 

Treated blood products (excluding from equidae) 

Must come from countries listed in either the documents for fresh meat of ungulates, poultry and poultry products, meat of wild Leporidae, of certain wild land mammals and of farmed rabbits, or Japan. 

Treated blood products from equidae 

Must come from countries listed in the document for fresh meat of ungulates, from which imports of fresh meat of domestic Equidae is authorised. 

5. Approved establishments 

Products must be produced in an establishment approved to export to Great Britain (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 ABP 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. 

6. Import documentation 

The following general import authorisations lay down the import conditions for the products listed in Section 2 above. Each consignment must be accompanied by the documentation as required by the conditions of the general import authorisation. 

a) IMP/GEN/2024/02 (PDF, 379 KB, 4 pages) for treated milk and milk-based products and treated blood products, for use as a stabiliser or carrier (not exceeding 3% concentration) 

b) IMP/GEN/2024/04 (PDF, 381 KB, 4 pages) for treated milk and milk-based products and treated blood products, for use as a stabiliser or carrier (not exceeding 10% concentration) 

7. Approval or registration of destination premises 

Any operator, establishment or plant that generates, transports, handles, processes, stores, places on the market, distributes, uses or disposes of ABPs including research and diagnostic samples, trade samples or display items must be registered or approved by APHA under Animal By-Products Enforcement Regulations before commencing operations. 

This requirement is provided for in Article 23 or Article 24 of Regulation (EC) 1069/2009. 

Find more information about the registration form for animal by-product categories, site approval, hygiene and disposal.

8. Packaging and labelling requirements 

The material must be packed in leak-proof sealed containers.  

The outer packaging must be clearly labelled “NOT FOR FEED OR FOOD USE – FOR TECHNICAL USE ONLY”. 

9. Export to third countries 

If the product is to be re-exported, you should ensure that the importing country will permit entry prior to export and that you have the correct paperwork to accompany the product before the export takes place. 

10. 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