Importing sauces containing products of animal origin

General information

There are strict rules for importing from third countries sauces which contain products of animal origin. and these cover sauces that contain any:

• meat
• poultry
• fish
• eggs and egg products
• honey

These types of sauces must meet the same food hygiene and procedural requirements for GB.

They must also be accompanied by a health certificate issued by the competent authority in the country of origin.

Examples of such products include:

• carbonara sauce
• cheese sauce
• mayonnaise
• béchamel sauce
• hollandaise sauce
• parsley sauce
• certain meat gravies or stocks

The rules for importing sauces containing meat or dairy (including milk powder), gelatine, poultry, eggs or ratites (emu, ostrich and rhea) products are dealt with by the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA). This also includes sauces that contain wild game, insects, grubs, unusual meat (reptiles, alligators) or honey.

Information on importing sauces containing shellfish or fish, or their products.

Food hygiene

For general enquiries on food hygiene please contact the Food Hygiene Policy team.

Contaminants

The Contaminants in Food (England) Regulations 2013 make provision for enactment and enforcement of retained UK law which set out regulatory limits for contaminants in food, such as nitrate, mycotoxins, metals, 3-MCPD, dioxins and PAHs. 

Read our business guidance on chemical safety.