Export Requirements for Egypt

 

Eligible/Ineligible Products

  1. Eligible Products

    1. Non-ruminant fresh/frozen red meat and non-ruminant red meat products.*

    2. Poultry and poultry products (see state restrictions below under "Ineligible Products").*

    3. Horse Intestines.

  2. Ineligible Products

    1. All ruminant meat and ruminant meat products (currently suspended).*

    2. Poultry and poultry products originating from North Carolina, Virginia, Connecticut, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Texas.*

Labeling Requirements

  1. All Products - Storage temperature must be placed with the refrigeration statement on the boxes to fully clarify the type of product being handled. (Examples: "KEEP FROZEN - STORE AT OR BELOW ____degrees C.; KEEP CHILLED (OR REFRIGERATE) - STORE BETWEEN ____degrees C. and ____degrees C.")

  2. Fresh/Frozen and Canned Meat and Poultry - In addition to the labeling features mandatory in the United States, precut and packaged meat and poultry must bear the following features (in print):

    1. Production (slaughtering or freezing) and expiration dates - Spell out or abbreviate name of month (Example: JAN or JANUARY 1985). The expiration date is calculated from the date the product was first frozen. Calendar strips preprinted on label allowing the designation of calendar dates with literal translation are in frequent use.

    2. Metric Net Weight - Lettering and numbers for unit metric weight must be in Arabic.

    3. Bilingual Labels. All labels must be in Arabic and English.

  3. Additional Requirements - Product information and the name and address of the importer must be printed in Arabic (with English optional) on a label inside the bag or wrapping (Cryovac) for fresh/frozen products, and for all products (additionally for fresh/frozen) this information must be on the immediate container and on boxes.

Certification Requirements

  1. Obtain FSIS Form 9060-5. All FSIS Form 9060-5 certificates must be dated and have the signature and title of an FSIS veterinarian.

  2. Special Characteristics of Product Certification. Exporters wishing to certify special characteristics of a product (such as types of pack or cut, weight range of product, quality, etc.), to satisfy supplier-purchaser agreements or specifications, may obtain such certification on a reimbursable basis from the grading services of the Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

  3. Additional Certification

    1.  Beef Products (including edible offals) - The following statements must be typed in the "Remarks" section of FSIS Form 9060-5:

      "Beef products, including edible offals, exported from the United States are derived from cattle that proved clinically or laboratory free of Bovine Immuno-Deficiency Virus (BIV) and Enzootic Bovine Leukosis (EBL)."

      "The United States is free of BSE. The meat is derived from cattle free of BSE and does not contain meat or animal protein originating from the United Kingdom."

    2. Horse Intestines - Obtain FSIS Form 9060-10. The following statements are required in the "Remarks Section" of the 9060-10:

      "The intestines are from animals free of contagious and infectious diseases."

      "The United States is free of BSE"

Handling/Storage Requirements

Egypt requires that instructions for consumers concerning storage, preparation and other special handling requirements accompany all shipments.

 

Other Requirements

  1. Ship Stores - Port Said is a free port. All U.S. product would be eligible for ship stores for any flagship.

  2. Egypt Import Inspection - Random laboratory samples for Salmonella are collected on meat and poultry product entering Egypt. Results of product testing by the country of origin, prior to shipment, will not be honored by Egypt.

    1. Beef (including beef livers) is accepted when 10 percent or less of the samples are positive.

    2. Poultry is accepted when 20 percent or less of the samples are positive.

    3. Exception to permissible levels of Salmonella. If the type of Salmonella identified is S. typhi, S. paratyphi A, B, and C, or S.cholera suis, the shipment will be held pending a decision by the Ministry of Health.

  3. Expiration Period.

    1. Frozen meat (including beef and sheep livers with lymph nodes attached) must be shipped from the United States within 2 months of production date. The bill of lading will be used to confirm the date of shipping. The expiration period for frozen red meat for direct consumption is 7 months from the date of freezing. All meat must arrive in Egypt with at least 50% of shelf life remaining.

    2. Frozen poultry (including giblets) must be shipped from the United States within 2 months of production date and arrive in Egypt within 3 months of production date. Product must have expiration date within 9 months of the production date.

  4. When a frozen poultry sample is thawed, the amount of water collected must not exceed 5 percent.

  5. Fat content of red meat

    Fat content of products for direct consumption must be no more than 7 percent. Fat content of red meat for processing must be no more than 20 percent.

Plants Eligible to Export

  1. Beef liver - Egypt requires establishments exporting beef liver to be approved prior to shipment.  The list of plants eligible to export beef liver to Egypt is found in the PLANT LISTS section of the FSIS Export Library.  Consult FSIS Technical Service Center for further information on new plant applications for approval to export beef liver to Egypt at (402) 221-7400.

  2. All other products -all federally inspected establishments are eligible to export to Egypt.

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Information Regarding Halal Certification

The following is presented as information for the exporter. FSIS is not responsible for certifying that products intended for export to Muslim countries meet appropriate requirements for religious slaughter. Procedures for export certification do not include agency oversight of the Halal process or review of the authenticity of the Halal certificate.

 

Ritual Slaughter--Islamic Slaughter Certification.

The exporter must obtain a Certificate of Islamic Slaughter from a member of an Islamic Center or Islamic organization. A Certificate of Islamic Slaughter is a certificate issued by a member of a Moslem organization recognized by the importing country to provide this service; the certificate states that animals were slaughtered according to Moslem religious requirements. This certificate must accompany products labeled "Halal." The certificate must be endorsed by the Arabian-American Chamber of Commerce or by an Egyptian Consulate and must accompany all shipments. The telephone numbers of the Arabian-American Chambers of Commerce are attached.

 

Halal Labeling

Halal certified product must be labeled with statement that product has been slaughtered according to Islamic principles (Halal labeling is an exporter and Halal organization responsibility.

 

  1. On fresh/frozen unprocessed product - Product bearing "Halal" label claims must be accompanied by an appropriate Halal certificate.

  2. On processed products with "Halal" label claims - Raw materials used in processed products with "Halal" label claims must be accompanied by an appropriate Halal certificate.

Arabian-American Chambers of Commerce

 

  1. NATIONAL U.S.-ARAB CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
    1100 New York Ave NW, E. Tower, Suite 550
    Washington, D.C. 20005
    (202) 289-5920
    FAX (202) 289-5938

     

  2. MIDAMERICA-ARAB CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
    208 S.Lasalle St., Suite 706
    Chicago, Illinois 60604
    (312) 782-0320
    FAX (312) 782-7379

     

  3. NEW YORK -ARAB CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
    420 Lexington Ave., Suite 2739
    New York, NY 10170
    (212) 986-8024
    (212) 986-0216

     

  4. HOUSTON - ARAB CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
    1330 Post Oak Blvd., Suite 1600
    Houston, TX 77056
    (713) 963-4620
    (713) 963-4609

     

  5. The Embassy of the Arab Republic of Egypt
    2310 Decatur Place, NW
    Washington, DC 20008
    (202) 895-5400
    Economic and Commercial Sector (202) 265-9111