Share your feedback on the import of natural sausage casings.

We are undertaking a Biosecurity Import Risk Analysis (BIRA) of natural casings for human consumption. A BIRA is a regulated risk assessment process under the Biosecurity Act 2015 and the Biosecurity Regulation 2016.

As part of this process, we have released an issues paper for your consideration. This issues paper is a required step under the Biosecurity Regulation 2016 and is the first major technical consultation in the formal BIRA process. It considers submissions received in response to the previous consultation and contains the following sections:

  • an overview of Australia’s biosecurity policy framework

  • background information on the proposal to assess the effectiveness of salting treatment to manage biosecurity risks associated with natural casings

  • an outline of the methods used for identifying and retaining hazards as well as the results of the preliminary hazard identification

  • an in-depth review of the scientific evidence available for the retained hazards

  • an assessment of whether the manufacturing process for natural casings manages the biosecurity risks to an appropriate level of protection.

We invite interested stakeholders to share feedback on the issues paper. Your input will help to inform the draft report.

Previous consultation

We previously consulted on this topic as part of an import risk review. We released an issues paper on 26 November 2024, for a 105-day public consultation period, which closed on 14 March 2025. A consultation webinar was then held on 12 February 2025. Interested stakeholders attended the virtual event and submitted their questions for response.Import risk review for natural casings:

November 2024 Issues paper [Word 787 KB] [PDF 383 KB ]

Response to submissions received from the first issues paper [PDF 338 KB] [Word 232 KB]

Key documents

Notice of Intention [PDF 570 KB]

Biosecurity import risk review for natural casings:

July 2026 Issues paper [PDF 2 MB] [Word 1 MB]

If you have difficulty accessing these files, visit web accessibility for assistance.

Timeline

  • First issues paper released for feedback
    closed

    26 November 2024

  • Consultation on issues paper closed
    closed

    14 March 2025

  • BIRA issues paper released for feedback
    current

    9 July 2026

  • Consultation on BIRA issues paper closes
    pending

    10 August 2026

Contact
Animal Biosecurity Branch