highly processed wet and dry marinated prawn products fact sheet

The purpose of this fact sheet is to provide definitions and descriptions of highly processed wet and dry marinated prawn products relevant to the importation of these products under import permits issued by the Australian Quarantine and Inspection Service (AQIS).

Highly processed prawn products for human consumption can be imported into Australia provided the head and shell have been removed (last shell segment and tail fans are permitted) and the product falls into one of the following categories:

• breaded (crumbed) or battered
  
• marinated in a wet marinade
  
• marinated in a dry marinade
  
• marinated and placed on skewers
  
• dumpling, spring roll, samosa, roll, ball or dim sum-type product.

Importers seeking an import permit for highly processed prawn products must, as part of their AQIS import permit application, provide photographs, details of manufacturing steps and a complete ingredients list (totalling 100 per cent of product weight).

The requirements and the general criteria currently used by AQIS to assess import permit applications for marinated and skewered products are set out below.

Wet marinated prawn products

The prawn meat must be coated for human consumption by being marinated in a wet marinade (the marinade must be no less than 12 per cent of the total weight of the product).

• colourless flavourings are not visible and are not considered to contribute to the 12 per cent marinade requirement.

Dry marinated prawn products

The prawn meat must be coated with a dry marinade that is clearly seen to coat the product.

Marinated and skewered prawn products

The prawn meat must be coated for human consumption by being marinated and placed on skewers.

• the flavour component of the marinade must be clearly seen to coat the product for both wet and dry marinades.

For all marinated prawn products

Unflavoured components of marinades such as water, maltodextrin, oil, starch, rice flour, tapioca, wheat flour, thickeners and the like, are not considered a flavour component when assessing these products and do not contribute to the 12 per cent marinade requirement.

• in most cases, powdered and/or dehydrated garlic alone is not considered to be part of the flavour component and such products are not considered to be highly processed.

Photographs of frozen and thawed product accompanying import permit applications must be:

• clear and of high resolution (i.e. not blurred or glared due to flash photography)
  
• labelled
  
• genuinely represent the product to be imported and presented for sale.

Photographs of some products that are considered highly processed are shown overleaf.

NOTE: As of October 2009 AQIS will introduce a program of inspections to ensure consignments comply with permit conditions.

For further information regarding import requirements for prawn products please refer to the AQIS import conditions database, ICON: www.aqis.gov.au/icon

^{Wet marinated products. Prawns coated in a 12 per cent sweet chilli marinade (above left), a 12 per cent garlic, herb marinade (above) and 12 per cent wet garlic marinade (left).}

^{Skewered/dry marinated products. Prawns coated with sweet chilli (above left) and a herb and garlic marinade (above right).}

Further information on the Import Risk Analysis Report for Prawns and Prawn Products is available from the Biosecurity Australia website: www.biosecurityaustralia.gov.au