Announcement of the General Administration of Customs on Quarantine and Sanitary Requirements for Imported Cow‑bezoar from Brazil

In accordance with relevant Chinese laws and regulations, as well as the provisions reached between the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China (hereinafter referred to as the Chinese Side) and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply of the Federative Republic of Brazil (hereinafter referred to as the Brazilian Side) on quarantine and sanitary requirements for cow‑bezoar exported from Brazil to China, cow‑bezoar from Brazil that meets the following requirements is permitted to be imported.

Ⅰ. Inspection and Quarantine Basis

1. Biosafety Law of the People’s Republic of China
2. Law of the People’s Republic of China on the Entry‑Exit Animal and Plant Quarantine and its Implementing Regulations
3. Measures for the Supervision and Administration of Quarantine of Imported and Exported Chinese Medicinal Materials
4. Protocol between the General Administration of Customs of the People’s Republic of China and the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply of the Federative Republic of Brazil on Quarantine and Sanitary Requirements for Cow‑bezoar Exported from Brazil to China (hereinafter referred to as the Protocol)

Ⅱ. Scope of Permitted Imported Products

The cow‑bezoar specified in this Announcement refers to dried gallstones taken from the gallbladder or bile duct of farm‑raised cattle in Brazil.

Ⅲ. Requirements for Source Animals of the Products

1. The cattle shall be born, raised and slaughtered on farms and in slaughterhouses under the effective supervision of the Brazilian official authority, and traceable back to the source farm via an effective traceability system.
2. No anthrax or foot‑and‑mouth disease has occurred on the source farm within 12 months prior to slaughter.
3. Within 6 months before slaughter, the source premises have not been subject to quarantine restrictions or monitoring due to other notifiable diseases defined by the World Organisation for Animal Health.
4. No live anthrax vaccine has been administered to the cattle for at least 14 days before slaughter.
5. No clinical signs or pathological changes of tuberculosis and brucellosis have been detected during ante‑mortem and post‑mortem inspection. If such diseases are detected in a batch of cattle during inspection, cow‑bezoar originating from the same batch and farm shall not be exported to China.
6. The cattle have never been fed ruminant‑derived feed (except milk, dairy products, gelatin and collagen from hide, and dicalcium phosphate free from egg‑white and fat residues). No veterinary drugs or feed additives banned by China and Brazil have been used.
7. The cattle are covered by Brazil’s national residue‑monitoring programme; residues of veterinary drugs, pesticides, heavy‑metal pollutants and other harmful substances shall not exceed the maximum limits set by both countries.

Ⅳ. Requirements for Production‑and‑Processing Enterprises

1. Approved and law‑fully operated by the competent Brazilian authority, subject to supervision and inspection, and continuously complying with Chinese and Brazilian safety‑and‑sanitation regulations.
2. Approved by the Chinese authority as an export enterprise eligible to ship beef products to China.
3. Recommended by the Brazilian authority to the Chinese Side and successfully registered.
4. Equipped with low‑temperature drying facilities and temperature‑control equipment for cow‑bezoar processing.
5. Provided with light‑shielded, dry and hygienic storage facilities for finished cow‑bezoar products.

Tips Pursuant to Announcement No. 219 of 2025 issued by the General Administration of Customs (Announcement on Requirements for the Declaration‑and‑Administration of Overseas Enterprises for Imported Agricultural Products), importers shall ensure that agricultural products listed in the import catalogue are sourced from overseas enterprises with valid customs‑registration status. Registered overseas enterprises can be checked via the registration‑list for imported‑animal‑and‑plant‑products overseas enterprises.

Ⅴ. Production‑and‑Processing Requirements

1. Ante‑mortem and post‑mortem inspection shall satisfy the laws and regulations of China and Brazil.
2. The donor cattle shall be healthy, free from any clinical signs of infectious diseases; their carcasses and organs shall show no pathological lesions caused by infectious diseases.
3. No air‑stunning via intra‑thoracic gas injection or spinal‑cord piercing shall be applied during slaughter.
4. Cow‑bezoar shall be collected in a safe, hygienic way; effective measures shall be taken to avoid contamination from the brain, head, tonsils, caecum‑terminal‑ileum and other tissues.
5. After collection, the cow‑bezoar shall be wiped clean of surface bile, blood and other impurities using sterile gauze or absorbent paper. Direct water‑rinsing or chemical decontamination is forbidden. Cleaning must be completed in a separate, on‑site area.
6. The processing shall effectively remove moisture from cow‑bezoar and avoid high‑temperature damage.
7. The drying environment shall be kept clean; drying equipment shall be disinfected on a regular basis.

Ⅵ. Packaging, Labelling, Storage and Transport Requirements

1. Packed in brand‑new, clean, hygienic materials. Cow‑bezoar produced on the same date shall be individually packed and marked.
2. Outer‑packaging labels shall indicate product name, weight, batch number, production date, storage requirements, as well as the name, address and registration number of the slaughterhouse and processor.
3. Storage and transport shall comply with veterinary‑hygiene standards and prevent contamination by toxic or hazardous substances. Packages must not be opened or replaced in transit.

Ⅶ. Pre‑export Inspection and Certificate Requirements

The Brazilian Side shall conduct inspection and quarantine for cow‑bezoar bound for China, and issue a veterinary health certificate confirming compliance with the Protocol.

Ⅷ. Entry‑Inspection‑and‑Quarantine Requirements

(1) Document Verification

1. Check for valid Import Permit for Entry‑Exit Animal‑and‑Plant Quarantine.
2. Verify that products are sourced from registered‑and‑approved Brazilian enterprises.
3. Confirm the authenticity and validity of health certificates.

(2) Goods Inspection

Chinese Customs authorities shall conduct inspection on Brazilian cow‑bezoar shipments in accordance with relevant laws, regulations and this Announcement. Shipments passing inspection shall be granted entry.

(3) Disposal of Non‑compliant Shipments

If non‑compliance is detected upon arrival, Chinese Customs will take action in accordance with applicable laws, administrative regulations, rules and the Protocol.

Special Reminder

In accordance with GAC Announcement No. 219 of 2025, when importers declare catalogue‑listed agricultural goods, they must fill in the 30‑digit Chinese registration number of the overseas producer under the field of “Product Qualification”. Where multiple items are covered in a single customs declaration form, the corresponding registration number must be entered item‑by‑item.