Milk and milk products that are prescribed under Australia's export rules
- are milk or milk products derived from a bovine animal; and
- are intended to be exported as food.
Milk and milk products that are not prescribed under Australia's export rules
Milk and milk products which do not meet the criteria under the Export Control (Milk and Milk Products) Rules 2021 are classified by Australia as non-prescribed goods. It is the responsibility of the exporter to confirm with the importing country if there are any specific requirements for the import of these products. Typically, non-prescribed goods include ice-cream, non-bovine milk products, colostrum and products with a minor component of dairy.
Further information on
exporting non-prescribed goods from Australia is available on the department’s website.
In some cases, an importing country requires specific health certification and government oversight for what would typically be non-prescribed milk and milk products. When required, these products become prescribed under export legislation and must meet all export and importing country requirements. This includes the products being manufactured and stored at an export registered establishment and having a valid export permit and health certificate for each consignment. Guidance on export registration can be found at
Dairy export registered establishments.
For further information on export registration and exporting non-bovine milk and milk products for human consumption to Hong Kong please contact the Dairy Eggs and Fish Program at
DairyEggsFish@agriculture.gov.au.
5.1.1 Health certification for milk and milk products
For milk and milk products for human consumption (including milk and milk products classified as a prescribed good by an importing Country), use Health Certificate template ZD035.
The ZD035 Certificate contains the following attestations:
I hereby certify that to the best of my knowledge the conditions or restrictions applicable under the particular inspection system prescribed under the Export Control Act have been complied with in respect of the prescribed good described above, being goods that are:
- In sound condition
- Fit for human consumption
- Of Australian Origin
Endorsements for cream, milk and non frozen yoghurt
Endorsement 380 - DAIRY - HONG KONG MIL, CRE and YOG - 72 degrees Celsius for not less than 15 seconds & disease
Australia was free from Foot and Mouth disease and Rinderpest for twelve months prior to the export of the above product.
The milk has been handled, processed and packed under hygienic conditions and heat treated at a temperature of not less than 72 degrees Celsius for not less than 15 seconds.
Optional Endorsement 384 – DAIRY - HONG KONG MIL, CRE and YOG - 72 degrees Celsius for not less than 15 seconds, radioactivity & disease
Australia was free from Foot and Mouth disease and Rinderpest for twelve months prior to the export of the above product.
The milk has been handled, processed and packed under hygienic conditions and heat treated at a temperature of not less than 72 degrees Celsius for not less than 15 seconds.
The goods described in this certificate have not been contaminated by radioactive elements from nuclear fallout. Analysis of representative samples of similar products has shown that the radioactivity level does not exceed 50 Bq/kg.
Endorsements for UHT milk products
Endorsement 378 – DAIRY - HONG KONG UHT milk heat treatment - not less than 132 degrees Celsius for not less than 1 second & disease statement.
Australia was free from Foot and Mouth disease and Rinderpest for twelve months prior to the export of the above product.
The milk has been handled, processed and packed under hygienic conditions and heat treated at a temperature of not less than 132 degrees Celsius for not less than 1 second.
Optional Endorsement 382 - DAIRY - HONG KONG UHT milk - 132 degrees Celsius for not less than 1 second, radioactivity & disease statement.
Australia was free from Foot and Mouth disease and Rinderpest for twelve months prior to the export of the above product.
The milk has been handled, processed and packed under hygienic conditions and heat treated at a temperature of not less than 132 degrees Celsius for not less than 1 second.
The goods described in this certificate have not been contaminated by radioactive elements from nuclear fallout. Analysis of representative samples of similar products has shown that the radioactivity level does not exceed 50 Bq/kg.
Endorsements for UHT cream products
Endorsement 379 – DAIRY - HONG KONG UHT cream heat treatment - not less than 133 degrees Celsius for not less than 1 second & disease statement
Australia was free from Foot and Mouth disease and Rinderpest for twelve months prior to the export of the above product.
The milk has been handled, processed and packed under hygienic conditions and heat treated at a temperature of not less than 133 degrees Celsius for not less than 1 second.
Optional Endorsement 383 - DAIRY - HONG KONG UHT cream - 133 degrees Celsius for not less than 1 second, radioactivity & disease statement
Australia was free from Foot and Mouth disease and Rinderpest for twelve months prior to the export of the above product.
The milk has been handled, processed and packed under hygienic conditions and heat treated at a temperature of not less than 133 degrees Celsius for not less than 1 second.
The goods described in this certificate have not been contaminated by radioactive elements from nuclear fallout. Analysis of representative samples of similar products has shown that the radioactivity level does not exceed 50 Bq/kg.
Endorsements for yoghurt (frozen)
Endorsement 1952 – DAIRY HONG KONG - Frozen Yoghurt, heat, handling, hygiene and acidity.
Frozen yoghurt has been subjected to proper heat treatment and afterwards fermented by an approved starter culture. Frozen yoghurt was handled, processed, and packed under hygienic conditions in accordance with relevant legislation of Australia. The titratable acidity of frozen yoghurt and the bacterial activity of it conform to relevant legislation in Australia.
Optional Endorsement 1953 - Hong Kong - Frozen Yoghurt heat, handling, hygiene, acidity and radioactivity
Frozen yoghurt has been subjected to proper heat treatment and afterwards fermented by an approved starter culture. Frozen yoghurt was handled, processed, and packed under hygienic conditions in accordance with relevant legislation of Australia. The titratable acidity of frozen yoghurt and the bacterial activity of it conform to relevant legislation in Australia. The goods described in this certificate have not been contaminated by radioactive elements from nuclear fallout. Analysis of representative samples of similar products has shown that the radioactivity level does not exceed 50 Bq/kg.
Endorsements for milk and milk products (except cream, milk, yoghurt, UHT and UHC)
Endorsement 453 – DAIRY - Foot and Mouth and Rinderpest statement
Australia was free from Foot and Mouth disease and Rinderpest for twelve months prior to the export of the above product.
Optional Endorsement 360 - DAIRY - Radioactivity, Foot and Mouth & Rinderpest statement.
The goods described in this certificate have not been contaminated by radioactive elements from nuclear fallout. Analysis of representative samples of similar products has shown that the radioactivity level does not exceed 50 Bq/kg.
Australia was free from Foot and Mouth disease and Rinderpest for twelve months prior to the export of the above product.
Exporter declarations
The following exporter declaration is needed for MIL, CRE, CML, UHT, UHC:
'Milk products in this shipment meet Hong Kong product testing requirements. Results are supported by NATA certification, or covered in the manufacturers approved arrangement'
If a declaration is made on a health certificate that 'The milk has been handled, processed and packed under hygienic conditions and heat treated at a temperature of not less than 72°C for not less than 15 seconds’ for ice cream products, the manufacturer must be able to verify this claim at audit.
If a declaration is made on a health certificate that ‘The titratable acidity of frozen yoghurt and the bacterial activity of it conform to relevant legislation in Australia’, the manufacturer must be able to verify this claim at audit. The pH must comply with the requirements of the Food Standards Code.
Transit Certification Requirements
Milk and milk products transiting the European Union or the United States may require transit documentation. These certificates are available as additional certificates through the NEXDOC system. If the product is transiting the United States, standard certification is required and the exporter should
contact the Department for advice on how this certification may be issued. If the product is transiting a European Union member state, see the particular European Union member state regarding the certificate template to select.
Frozen dairy-based confections
Ice cream and dairy based sorbet
The ZD001 Certificate as to Condition may be issued for ice cream and dairy based sorbet.
The ZD001 Certificate contains the following attestations:
I certify to the best of my knowledge that the information on this form is true and correct in every particular details and that the product described above is of Australian origin and is acceptable for sale in Australia.
Optional Endorsement 3091 - DAIRY - HONG KONG ice cream processing, standards and disease status
The Australian Government is responsible for inspection and certification of food products, including dairy products, exported from Australia. The Australian Government can confirm the following:
1. To the best of the Australian Government's knowledge the information on this form is true and correct in every particular detail and the product described above is of Australian origin and is acceptable for sale in Australia.
2. Australia was free from Foot and Mouth Disease and Rinderpest for twelve months prior to the export of the above product.
3. Based on the audit of the establishment preparing the above product for export to Hong Kong the establishment complies with requirements for hygiene and the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point system specified in the Australian export legislation, ie the Export Control Act and associated Rules.
4. The above product has been handled, processed and packed under hygienic conditions and heat treated in accordance with relevant heat treatment requirements of Australian food regulation.
5. The Australian Government acknowledges test results of chemical and microbiological analyses conducted by an independent laboratory that confirm the following:
(a) the product / frozen confection contains no more than 50,000
bacteria per gram and no more than 100 coliforms per gram; and
(b) The product/frozen dairy based confection that is described as ice cream contains no less than 5% fat, 10% sugar and 7.5% milk solids non fat.
Optional Endorsement 3092 - DAIRY - HONG KONG ice cream processing, standards, disease status and radioactivity
The Australian Government is responsible for inspection and certification of food products, including dairy products, exported from Australia. The Australian Government can confirm the following:
1. To the best of the Australian Government's knowledge the information on this form is true and correct in every particular detail and the product described above is of Australian origin and is acceptable for sale in Australia.
2. Australia was free from Foot and Mouth Disease and Rinderpest for twelve months prior to the export of the above product.
3. Based on the audit of the establishment preparing the above product for export to Hong Kong the establishment complies with requirements for hygiene and the Hazard Analysis Critical Control Point system specified in the Australian export legislation, ie the Export Control Act and associated Rules.
4. The above product has been handled, processed and packed under hygienic conditions and heat treated in accordance with relevant heat treatment requirements of Australian food regulation.
5. The Australian Government acknowledges test results of chemical and microbiological analyses conducted by an independent laboratory that confirm the following:
(a) the product / frozen confection contains no more than 50,000
bacteria per gram and no more than 100 coliforms per gram; and
(b) The product/frozen dairy based confection that is described as ice cream contains no less than 5% fat, 10% sugar and 7.5% milk solids non fat.
The goods described in this certificate have not been contaminated by radioactive elements from nuclear fallout. Analysis of representative samples of similar products has shown that the radioactivity level does not exceed 50 Bq/kg.
Endorsement for sorbet
Optional Endorsement 3400 - Dairy - NPG - Hong Kong frozen confection
The frozen confection was handled, processed and packed under hygienic conditions and has been heat treated in accordance with the frozen confection heat treatment regulations of the country of origin.
The frozen confection contains not more than 50,000 bacteria per gram and not more than 100 coliform organisms per gram.