Brazil – Export requirements for milk and dairy products

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1. Eligible/ineligible product

1.1 Eligible

Refer to the list of dairy product categories in the table in Section 2. This list is provided for reference only. It is the exporter's responsibility to ensure that the exported product is covered by the negotiated certificate.

Example of dairy products that have already been exported to Brazil (BR):

  • milk
  • skim milk powder
  • whey products
  • whole milk powder
  • Products Consisting of Natural Milk Constituents
  • Others (for example: lactose and lactose syrup, milk albumin, and buttermilk products)

1.2 Ineligible

No information is known regarding ineligible products. However, Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) was informed that the Brazilian legislation does not allow the production of colostrum for human consumption.

2. Pre-export approvals by the competent authority of the importing country

2.1 Country

Canada is authorized to export dairy products.

2.2 Establishments

Dairy establishments must be under the official oversight of the CFIA and be licensed under the Safe Food for Canadian Regulations (SFCR).

All establishments including warehouses wishing to export dairy products to Brazil must be approved and registered on the official Brazilian list. An inspection of the establishment by the Brazilian authorities may be required.

Processing establishments must appear on the list of Canadian establishments approved for export to Brazil (Consultar estabelecimento estrangeiro (Portuguese, English and Spanish only)). The list is administered by the Brazilian Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Food Supply (MAPA).

Note that the timeframe to request an addition or amendment to the Brazilian listing could be up to six (6) months.

The CFIA must recommend the approval of the establishment for listing by MAPA. Contact your local CFIA office to initiate the request and include the following information:

  • establishment identification number
  • company name of the establishment or the name of the company managing the factory
  • full address of the establishment
  • establishment operation type
    • processing: PC
    • storage: ES
  • animal species
    • Bovine: Bov
    • Buffalo: Bub
    • Caprine: Cap
    • Ovine: Ovi
  • product categories:
Code Categories Definitions
1 Caseins Products resulting from the spontaneous precipitation of skim milk, or caused by curd or by mineral and organic acids.
2 Caseinates Products obtained from the reaction of food casein or from the curd of fresh food casein with hydroxide solutions or alkaline salts or alkaline-earth or of food quality ammonia, and afterwards washed and dried, by way of technologically adequate processes.
3 Milk flours Products resulting from desiccation in proper conditions, of the mixture of milk with grains and legumes, whose starch has become soluble through the appropriate technique.
4 Anhydrous milk fat (butter oil) The fat product obtained from cream or butter through the almost complete elimination of water and non-fat solids, by way of technologically appropriate processes.
5 Lactose The product obtained by the separation and crystallization of milk sugar.
6 Buttermilk The liquid resulting from the churning of the cream for the manufacturing of butter, with or without added skim milk and biologically acidified by selected leaven, with partial lactose breakdown, and rich in lactic acid, protein and mineral salts.
7 Butters The fat products obtained from the cream of milk by way of technologically appropriate processes.
8 Milk mixture Covers dairy products obtained by mixing dairy ingredients with or without non-dairy ingredients.
9 Milk sauce Dairy products subjected to technological processing, added to other dairy ingredients, spices and other approved food substances, intended for use in culinary preparations.
10 Permeates Liquid products obtained by the withdrawal of milk protein and milk fat from milk (whole, skim or semi-skim) or the whey through a membrane filtration process.
11 Cheese snack Covers the fractionated cheeses presented in the form of charcuterie of cold cuts, dried cheeses and breaded cheeses.
12 Raw milk products The raw materials which still need to undergo thermal treatment before being used in the preparation of products for consumption.
13 Milk powder products

This category covers, in addition to the products obtained by drying, those formulated from the mixture of other, already dried, dairy products.

Considering its diversity of formulations, manufacturing processes and presentations, milk powder mixtures are not part of this category, since they will be included in the milk mixture category.
14 Sterilized dairy products Dairy products previously packed and subjected to a moist heat sterilization process, followed by immediate cooling, respecting the particularity of each product.
15 Fermented milk products Dairy products obtained through coagulation and decrease of pH by lactic fermentation through the cultivation of specific micro-organisms.
16 Rendered dairy products Dairy products obtained through mixture, fusion and emulsion, with heat treatment and emulsifying agents.
17 Partly dehydrated milk products Dairy products obtained through partial dehydration of milk or milk by-products.
18 Pasteurized dairy products Dairy products subjected to the pasteurization process.
19 Protein dairy products Dairy products obtained by the physical separation of caseins and whey proteins by membrane technology or other technological process whose equivalency is recognized by the Department for the Inspection of Products of Animal Origin (DIPOA) of MAPA.
20 Ultra-high temperature (uht) milk products Dairy products subjected to the process of ultra-high temperature.
21 Aged cheeses Cheeses that have undergone the necessary and characteristic physical and biochemical exchanges of the variety.
22 Cheese made with mold Cheeses aged by mold.
23 Non-matured cheeses Cheeses ready for consumption shortly after having been manufactured.
24 Grated cheeses The products obtained by crumbling or grating of the mass of one or up to four varieties of cheese of low and/or average humidity.
25 Ultra-filtered cheeses Cheeses obtained by processes of membrane technology.
26 Ricotta The product obtained from cheese serum albumin, with milk added up to 20% of its volume.
27 Milk dessert

Milk product ready for consumption, usually served after meals.

This does not cover milk candies and condensed milk since they are included in the category of partly dehydrated milk products.

2.3 Products

Brazil requires the registration of products and their labels.

MAPA has implemented a new electronic system (Portuguese only) for the product and label registration for animal origin food products. The new system should expedite the process for those products that already have identity and quality standards published.

In order for a company to be able to start the process via MAPA's site, the establishment must be approved and listed by MAPA (see establishment requirements above)

After the establishment is approved by MAPA, the company must sign a declaration letter, in English and Portuguese, indicating their legal representative. Contact your local CFIA office to obtain a template of the declaration letter.

Once the letter is prepared on the company's letterhead, it will be sent to the CFIA for a signature and stamp and returned to the company to upload it into MAPA's electronic system.

2.4 Import permit

An import permit may be required. Exporter should work with the importer to verify this condition.

3. Product specifications

No information is known regarding product specifications. Microbiological requirements and maximum residue limits in Brazil may differ from those in Canada. Failure to comply with these standards could result in a shipment being rejected at the border control port.

4. Production controls and inspection requirements

The manufacturer must be aware of the standards and requirements of the importing country. An export control plan (ECP) must be in place to demonstrate that your products meet the requirements of the importing country.

Manufacturer's declaration

Note: Inspectors will verify that the Manufacturer's declaration is completed appropriately and reserve the right to request any other information that they think is necessary for the final certification of the product.

Certification requirements

The health certificate CFIA/ACIA 5821 contains animal health and public health requirements.

Animal health attestations

Statements 1 and 2: are met based on Canadian regulations. In Canada, foot and mouth disease and lumpy skin disease are reportable disease under the Health of Animals Act. It should be noted that statements 1 and 2 may also be covered by Public Health Statements 4 and 10.

Statement 3: is met based on current Canadian regulations, the applicable Canadian codes of practice, and/or the applicable heat treatments listed on the certificate.

Public health attestations

Dairy products manufactured in Canada are also subject to pasteurization or any combination of control measures with equivalent level of performance, in accordance with the recommendations of World Organization for Animal Health and/or as indicated in the Codex Alimentarius code of hygienic practice for milk and milk products.

Statement 4 and 10: are met based on the presentation, by the exporter, of evidence of the heat treatment applied to the product.

Statement 5: is met based on current Canadian regulations and the applicable Canadian codes of practice.

Statement 6: is met when the establishment is on the list approved by Brazil.

Statements 7, 8, 12, 13, 15, 16 and 17: are met by a Safe Food for Canadians (SFC) licence holder which has written preventive controls and a traceability system in place.

Statement 9: is met through the Canadian Food Inspection Agency's National Chemical Residue Monitoring Program (NCRMP).

Statement 11: this statement is specific to cheese not subjected to heat treatment that is stored. It is met in accordance with the Food and Drug Regulations (FDR), Division 8, [B.08.030(1)].

Statement 14: is met when the manufacturer has registered the product and its label with the competent authority in Brazil.

Imported dairy ingredients

The use of imported dairy ingredients may limit the possibilities for exporting to Brazil. The manufacturer must demonstrate through official documentation that the imported ingredients meet statements 1 or 4, 2 or 10, 3, and 5 of the export certificate negotiated with Brazil.

5. Labelling, packaging and marking requirements

It is the exporter's responsibility to meet all labelling, packaging and marking requirements of the importing country. Brazil requires label approval/registration.

6. Required documents

Canada has a negotiated certificate with Brazil. Requests for any additional statements must be confirmed by CFIA's Food Import Export Division (FIED).

Certificate

Health certificate to export of milk and milk products of cattle and buffalo for human consumption from Canada to Brazil (CFIA/ACIA 5821)

Note

  • The health certificate is signed by the CFIA official veterinarian
  • The health certificate is written in 3 languages: Portuguese, English and French
  • The health certificate covers the following animal species: Bos taurus and Bubalus bubalis
  • Export certificates cannot be issued for products that have left Canada

7. Other information

Samples (personal or commercial) of dairy products may be subject to the same requirements as a regular shipment. Exporters are advised to verify these requirements with their importer.

Exported products transiting through a country may require transit documentation. It is the exporter's responsibility to ensure their shipment will be accompanied by all the necessary certificates. Work closely with your importer.

Relevant links

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