UK Updates Import Guidelines for Edible Frog Legs, Snail Meat, and Certain Highly Processed Animal Products

The UK's Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has recently updated its import guidelines covering frog legs, snail meat, and certain highly refined animal products intended for human consumption. The key updates are as follows:

First, for highly processed products meant for human consumption, the guidance includes specific provisions for products originating from China. Products or raw materials from China must comply with EU Decision (EC) 2002/994. Raw materials must be listed in the annex of the decision. For materials listed in Part II of the annex, each annual shipment must be accompanied by certification from the relevant Chinese authority confirming chemical residue testing, including checks for chloramphenicol, nitrofurans, and their metabolites. For aquatic products, additional testing is now required for malachite green, crystal violet, and their metabolites. All test results must be included in the certification. The updated guidance also clarifies that products cannot be manufactured at facilities that are only approved to handle inedible animal by-products, strengthening food safety controls.

Second, regarding snail meat for human consumption, the updated guidance expands the eligible species definition to include the Achatinidae family (African giant snails). Importers are now required to actively verify the approval status of processing establishments. If the facility is not listed on the official register, immediate action must be taken to avoid the risk of shipment detention or destruction. The guidance also introduces a standardised health certificate template for medium- and high-risk snail meat products and provides links to the latest risk classification guidelines, streamlining the documentation process.

Third, for edible frog legs, the guidelines introduce a clear anatomical definition: limbs must be cut transversely behind the forelimbs, eviscerated, and skinned. Only species within the Ranidae family are permitted, with all others excluded. Importers must confirm that the processing establishment is listed on the official register, and a new process has been established for handling products from unlisted sites, involving detention, re-export, or destruction. A standardised health certificate is also now required for medium- and high-risk frog leg imports, with links to both EU and non-EU risk classification guidelines to facilitate compliance.