Composite products are defined in Article 2(a) of retained EU Decision 2007/275 as "a foodstuff intended for human consumption that contains both processed products of animal origin and products of plant origin and includes those where the processing of primary product is an integral part of the production of the final product".
Composite products containing meat products must come from a country and where applicable, the region, approved to export that type of meat product to Great Britain.
Composite products containing half or more of their substance of any one processed product of animal origin (POAO) other than meat products must come from a country approved to export that POAO to Great Britain.
However, any milk product included in any composite product shall only be derived from a country listed in Annex 1 to the Milk and Dairy Regulation as approved to export milk to Great Britain and the milk must have been treated/processed as indicated in that Annex.
Meat products and dairy products used in composite products referred to above must have originated from:
- The same country as the composite product; or
- Great Britain; or
- Another third country that has a similar health status i.e.
- meat products can only come from an 'A treatment' country (Retained EU Decision 2007/777) and go to another 'A treatment' country;
- dairy products can only come from one 'column A' or 'column B' country (Retained EU Regulation 605/2010) where the third country in which the composite product is produced is also authorised under the same conditions.
If the composite product is manufactured in a separate establishment to that of the POAO, the composite product does not have to come from an approved establishment (however, the POAO must come from an approved establishment). If the POAO and the final composite product are produced in the same establishment, then that establishment would have to be approved.
If a composite product is made using raw animal product which is processed during manufacture of the composite product, the establishment manufacturing the composite product must be approved.
The following POAOs must come from an approved establishment:
- Any meat product.
- Any other processed product of animal origin, where the POAO makes up half or more of the substance of the composite product; and
- Dairy products if the composite product is not shelf stable at ambient temperature and/or does not meet the requirements of Article 6 of Commission Decision 2007/275/EC, regardless of the amount of the dairy content in the product.
Composite products manufactured using previously processed animal products do not have to bear an identification mark, and they only require the establishment of origin of the final composite product to be registered.
However, if the POAO and the final composite product are produced in the same establishment it must have an identification mark in accordance with Retained EU Regulation 853/2004 and 2017/625. The identification mark shows the approval number of the approved premises together with an abbreviation for the country of origin. The mark must be applied directly to the product or to the wrapping or packaging before the product leaves the establishment.
For the export of composite products to Great Britain, Channel Islands and Isle of Man, use certificate template NGBB titled "Health certificate for the import of composite products intended for human consumption to Great Britain (01/23)". This is a manual only certificate.
Please note, Australia does not currently maintain a UK approved residue plan for porcine or poultry and therefore is not permitted to export those commodities or products containing these ingredients to the EU nor Great Britain. Australia does maintain UK approved residue plans for meat, dairy and fish products and can export these products, and products containing these ingredients, to the EU and Great Britain.
For further information refer to: Import of Composite Products for Human Consumption (PDF 340KB)
