Composite foods are those that contain both processed products of animal origin and products of plant origin, for example, a ham sandwich, pepperoni pizza, spinach and ham quiche.Some of these products will require veterinary checks on entry into Ireland. For these products you must:
- Register with TRACES (Trade Control and Expert System). Details on how to register for access to TRACES are available on DAFM’s website
- Pre-notify 24 hours in advance of arrival of the consignment by submitting Part 1 of the Common Entry Veterinary Document (CVED-P) through the online TRACES system
- Submit copies of other supporting documentation associated with the consignment with the CVED-P (such as the Health Certificate, Invoice, Packing list etc.)
The following composite products must always be subject to veterinary checks without exception.
- Composite products containing processed meat product
- Composite products containing ≥ 50% of their substance of any one processed product of animal origin other than a processed meat product
- Composite products containing no processed meat product and < 50% of their substance of processed milk product where the final products do not meet the requirements for derogation (see below)
Consignments of composite products must be accompanied by the relevant health certificate and fulfill all other import conditions associated with importation for animal products.
The following composite products do not require veterinary checks:
- Products containing less than half of their substance of any other processed product of animal origin provided the composite product is:
- shelf-stable at ambient temperature (or has undergone during its manufacturing a complete cooking or denaturing process throughout its substance so that any raw product is denatured)
- clearly identified as intended for human consumption
- securely packaged or sealed in clean containers
- accompanied by a commercial document and labelled so that the commercial document and labelling together give information on the nature, quantity and number of packages of the composite products, the country of origin, the manufacturer, and the ingredient.
- Products listed in Annex II of Commission Decision 2007/275/EC.
The Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM) website provides detailed information on the requirements for importing composite food products.