China Lifts Quarantine Requirements for Frozen Fruit Imports

The Bureau of Import and Export Food Safety of China’s General Administration of Customs has made a major change to its requirements for frozen fruit imports in its “National Food Catalogues of Traditional Trade & Meet the Requirements of Export to China” system. According to the recent update, quarantine access management will no longer be required for frozen fruit products.

Produce Report has confirmed with industry insiders that the importation of frozen fruits has been completely opened up, and frozen fruits from any country can now enter the Chinese market without the need for the usual quarantine entry procedures.

The latest list of plant-based foods in China’s import catalog no longer includes the category of frozen fruits. For example, a search for “frozen durian” on the online query system reveals no relevant data. This indicates that frozen durians from any country or region can now be imported into the Chinese market, and the same applies to all other frozen fruits.

China’s General Administration of Customs defines frozen fruits as fruits that have had their inedible peels and seeds removed, been flash frozen at minus 18 degrees Celsius or below for at least 30 minutes, and maintained temperatures below minus 18 degrees Celsius throughout storage and transportation, in compliance with the “Code of Practice for the Processing and Handling of Quick Frozen Foods” (CAC/RCP 8-1976).

Although frozen fruits no longer require quarantine approval or entry permits for import into China, processing plants and quick-freezing facilities in the exporting country must still be registered with the relevant authorities. This registration must be submitted to the General Administration of Customs for review and approval from both parties, and quick freezing and refrigerated transportation procedures must be carried out under the supervision of the official authorities in the exporting country.

Image: Pixabay

This article was translated from Chinese. Read the original article.