Origin processing plant, exporter/Seller's process
a) Origin processing plant
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Approach USDA to request authorization.
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If a processing, handling or storage plant located in the USA is interested in exporting to Mexico, it is necessary for that plant to be approved and authorized by the sanitary authority in the USA.
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Seek the authorization/granting of the plant stamp issued by USDA.
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To be current with its tax registration, return and payment before the US Government –having a TAX ID or Tax ID Number.
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To be located in a State free from diseases of quarantine interest for Mexico, reviewing the notifications to the OIE and the Agreement by which the diseases and pests of animals, exotic and endemic of mandatory notification in Mexican states are listed at the following link: https://www.gob.mx/senasica/acciones-y-programas/plagas-y-enfermedades-en-vigilancia
b) Plant Inspection Stamps
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Once USDA inspects the facilities and processes of plants which wish to be authorized for processing, handling and/or storing eggs, they will be provided an authorization number and a rubber stamp which shall be stamped on boxes and/or packages of products exported to Mexico.
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Packages and cases of goods shall be marked/labeled with USDA’s inspected stamp and with the establishment number (for example: PLANT-42), which is allocated to the plant where the product is produced/processed and it is the number identifying the plant.
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The establishment number may appear on the package inside USDA’s inspected stamp as shown in the picture. It may also appear anywhere outside the package or on the package label, as long as it is present in a prominent manner, on all goods and/or cases in a legible manner and of the appropriate size ensuring good visibility and easy recognition.
Processed Egg Products Stamp
Questions related to export certification for egg products regulated by FSIS can be submitted to the importation/exportation and policy development coordination staff at: importexport@fsis.usda.gov or call: 202-720-0082 or 1-855-444-9904.
c) Exporter/Seller’s Process
i. Look for a Plant Approved by USDA
Look for a processing, handling or storage plant authorized by the USDA and which is near your farm, and reach an agreement for the shipping and receiving the goods that are to be exported.
ii. Contract a Freight Forwarder
The Freight Forwarder will manage the logistics between the client contracting him and the services involved in the transportation of goods to the destination Country.
When looking for a Freight Forwarder, it is important to evaluate the following –since on this depends, to a great extent, the speed and agility with which goods will cross to the destination Country:
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Does he have the capacity to handle my product?
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Does he know how to handle my product?
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How large is his suppliers and collaborators network?
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How is the level of communication?
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What is his experience handling my product?
To find a Freight Forwarder in the US, you may look for one on your own, or click on the following link of the National Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association of America, Inc:
iii. Contract a Customs Broker
A Customs Broker is an individual, association or private company with a valid and regulated license by the Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
It helps importers and exporters to meet federal requirements that rule importations and exportations of goods. It provides advice to the client, keeps him informed about all the load details and is constantly in communication.
It is in charge of sending information and necessary payments to the CBP on behalf of its clients in exchange for a fee for this service.
When looking for a Customs Broker or Freight Forwarder, it is important to evaluate the following –since on this depends, to a great extent, the speed and agility with which goods will cross to the destination Country:
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Does he have the capacity to handle my product?
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Does he know how to handle my product?
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How large is his suppliers and collaborators network?
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How is the level of communication?
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What is his experience handling my product?
There are more than 14,000 Customs Brokers in the US with an active license. To find one, you may search on your own, or you may click on the following CBP office link: https://www.cbp.gov/contact/find-broker-by-port
iv. Make Sure the Importer/Buyer Meets the Necessary Requirements
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To be current with its tax obligations before the CUSTOMS AUTHORITY (Tax Administrations Service).
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To be registered on the SAT’s importers registry; or if using a trader.
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To have a Customs Broker in Mexico to carry out the importation of goods.
v. Necessary documentation for buying, selling, shipping and arrival of goods in the destination country
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It is important to create an international agreement for the sale of goods between the supplier in the US and the buyer in Mexico (preferably in one single language for both parties) in order to set forth rights, obligations, price, INCOTERMS® (international terms of trade) and taking care of transaction legal aspects.
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Creating a file containing documents that have been exchanged between buyer and seller, emails, notes, faxed letters, etc. in order to have a backup on the negotiations carried out.
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Packing list.
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Commercial invoice.
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Origin health certificate for exportation.
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Shipper Export Declaration Form.
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Certificate of origin, it is a “Self-Certification” shceme, it is no longer carried out by an authority. IMPORTANT: The NAFTA certificate will no longer be used as of July 1st 2020, the certification is free as long as it contains the minimum data and can be presented in the invoice.
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9060-6 form.
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9060-5EP form.
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FSIS Letterhead form.
vi. Sanitary provisions and specifications
a) Mexican official standard NOM-051-SCFI/SSA 1-2010, General Labeling Specifications for Pre-Packaged Food and Non- Alcoholic Beverages- Commercial and Food Safety Information. Most relevant points.
4.2.1.1. Designation of the prepackaged product shall appear in bold type inside the principal display panel of the label, on a parallel line to the base, as the product is designed and complying with the designation provisions contained in the Mexican Official Standard of prepackaged product.
4.2.2.1. On the label of a prepackaged product sold individually, shall have the list of ingredients, except for one-single ingredient products and with no additives.
4.2.4.1. For prepackaged products, the name, company name and fiscal address of the individual responsible for the product shall be indicated on the label including, but not limited to: street name, number, zip code and State where it is located.
4.5.2.3. The following products will be exempted from including the Nutrition Declaration, as long as they do not include any Nutrition Claim or Health Claim.
4.7.1.1. Labels on prepackaged products shall be affixed in such a way that they remain available up to the moment they are consumed under normal conditions, and they shall be applied per each unit, multiple or collective pack.
4.7.1.2. When the mandatory commercial information of prepackaged products intended for the end consumer are in a multiple or collective pack, it shall not be necessary for said information to appear on the panel of the individual package. However, the indication of the lot and expiration date or best-by-date shall appear on the individual prepackage product. Also, on the prepackaged product, the following legend, shall always be individually indicated: “Not Labeled for Individual Sale”, when they do not have all the mandatory information or an equivalent phrase.
4.7.1.3. Data which are to appear on the label shall be indicated with clear, visible, indelible characters and in contrasting colors, easy to read by the consumer under normal circumstances of purchase and use. The piece of information regarding the lot, expiration date or best-by-date may be placed on any part of the package.
4.7.1.4. When the package is covered by a wrapping, all the applicable information shall appear on it, unless the package label can easily be read through the external wrapping.
4.7.1.5. At least, the brand name, declaration of amount, designation of prepackaged product, front-of-pack label, and that whose location had been specified, shall appear on the principal display panel of the product. The rest of the information referred to in this Mexican Official Standard, may be included on any other part of the package.
4.8.1. Prepackaged products shall bear the mandatory information set forth in this Mexican Official Standard in Spanish language, regardless of the fact it may be expressed in other languages. When mandatory information is expressed in other languages, it shall also appear in Spanish in accordance to this Mexican Official Standard.
4.8.2. The presentation of additional information or graphic representation on the label additional to that set forth in this Mexican Official Standard, which may be present in another language, is optional and, in such a case, it shall not substitute, but be additional to, the labeling requirements of this Standard, as long as such information is necessary to avoid errors or deceit for the consumer.
If you need to know more about the details regarding NOM-051-SCFI/SSA1-2010 Mexican Standard and the correct labeling of products for sale to end consumers or wholesale, please follow this link:
http://www.economia-noms.gob.mx/normas/noms/2010/051scfissa1mod.pdf
b) NOM-159-SSA1-2016 Mexican Official Standard: Goods and Services. Eggs, Egg Products and Derivatives. Sanitary Provisions and Specifications. Test Methods.
It is necessary that the labels attached to the products or ready-to-eat packaging contain the information that the health authority in Mexico determines.
This Mexican official standard is mandatory for natural or legal persons who are engage in the processing, importation and commercialization in Mexican Territory.
For the purposes of this standard, it is understood that:
6.1.4 In the establishment where egg products are manufactured, the working zones for raw and treated products shall be separated from one another by means of physical barriers avoiding cross-contamination.
6.1.6 Documents and records shall be in place to allow for the traceability of the products, where the different process steps are documented in accordance to what is set forth in the Mexican Official Standard quoted in item 2.8 of the Standard Reference Chapter of this Standard. Importuners shall comply with the corresponding documentation for the steps of the process they are involved in.
6.1.11 Eggs intended for obtaining liquid and/or dehydrated products shall be subjected to pasteurization or any other treatment to guarantee product safety, that is to say to reach an approximate reduction of 5 logs 10 of Salmonella. Thermal studies endorsing the efficacy of treatment, shall be available when requested by the sanitary authority.
6.1.12 Tanks and containers where eggs or yolk or egg white are received, shall be clean and shall be sanitized before and after every batch received.
6.1.13 In processes requiring mixing of products and adding of ingredients, containers shall be kept open. Once product storage is going to take place, containers and tanks shall be kept closed. At all times, the product shall be guaranteed to be fit for human consumption.
6.1.14 If product is stored before pasteurization, storage shall be made in jacketed tanks with constant agitation and at refrigerated temperature, for no more than 48 hours to ensure product safety.
6.1.15 Pasteurization treatment for liquid eggs shall be done at 60 °C (140 °F) during 3.5 min. or using another time-temperature ratio which is equivalent for the destruction of pathogenic organisms.
6.1.16 Pasteurization treatment of liquid egg whites shall be done at 57 °C (135 °F) during 3.5 min. or using another time-temperature ratio which is equivalent for the destruction of pathogenic microorganisms.
6.1.17 Pasteurization treatment of liquid egg yolk shall be done at 61 °C (142 °F) during 3.5 min. or using another time-temperature ratio which is equivalent for the destruction of pathogenic microorganisms.
6.1.18 When using another time-temperature ratio during the pasteurization process, there shall also be studies in place endorsing the effectiveness of the thermal process.
6.1.19 In the manufacturing of egg products, addition of other ingredients, such as: salt, sugar, fructose, corn syrup or honey, among others, shall be made before the pasteurization process; or if technology allows, and controls are in place endorsing safety of the product, they may be added after the thermal process. Such controls shall be available when the authority so requires. In these cases, item 6.1.11 herein shall be met. For these instances, item 6.1.17 of this Standard shall be complied with.
6.1.20 Once the pasteurization temperature is reached, all liquid products shall be cooled at a maximum temperature not to surpass 4 °C (39 °F), and be packaged immediately.
6.1.21 All processed products shall comply with the operation controls and records in accordance with the Mexican Official Standard quoted in item 2.8 of the Standard Reference Chapter herein.
6.1.22 In those cases where deviations are detected in scheduled treatments for one lot or its parts, the appropriate thermal treatment shall be applied again to ensure the safety of the product, or to separate the items of the product to carry out the corresponding microbiological analysis. The lot in question shall be sent to normal distribution once the new treatment is finished, and the food safety is attained, or after it has been determined that there is no potential health hazard.
6.1.23 In establishments processing egg products, a HACCP program shall be in place, in accordance to what is set forth in Regulatory Appendix A of the Mexican Official Standard quoted in item 2.8 of the Standard References Chapter herein.
6.2.2 Refrigerated egg products.
6.2.2.1 Products included in this section shall be kept under refrigeration during all parts of the process.
6.2.3 Frozen egg products.
6.2.3.1 Freezing of these products shall take place at temperatures below -18 °C (0 °F) and their storage at a temperature below -5 ºC (23 °F).
6.2.3.2 Thawed-out products shall not be refrozen.
6.2.4 Dehydrated egg products.
6.2.4.1 Product shall be withdrawn from the drying chamber, and be packaged immediately.
7.2.1 Physical and Chemical.
7.2.2 Products subject matter of this Standard shall be free from foreign matter,
7.2.3 The α-amylase test shall be negative for egg products;
7.3 Food Additives.
Additives allowed for products, subject matter of this Standard, are those set forth in the Agreement, and its modifications, whereby additives and co-adjuvants in foods, beverages and food supplements, their use and sanitary provisions are determined.
10.1 The denomination of the product shall include the treatment it was subjected to.
10.2 If the identification of the lot corresponds to the Expiration or Best By Date, the legend “Lot” and “Expiration Date or Best By Date” shall be indicated before it, as the case may be.
10.4 In the case of egg products, the expiration date shall be indicated, except for frozen ones, which shall bear the best by date.
10.5.2 The information referred to in this Standard shall be in Spanish language, regardless of the fact it may appear in other languages. When the information is in other languages, it shall also be included in Spanish, at least with the same font size and in a similar visible manner.
10.5.3 Ingredients shall be listed in decreasing quantitative order (m/m).
10.5.4 Domestic products or from abroad shall include the legend indicating the country of origin of the products, for example: "Made in..."; "Product of..."; "Manufactured in...", and other similar ones, followed by the name of the Country of origin of the product.
10.5.5 They shall indicate the corresponding date in accordance to what is set forth in items 10.3 and 10.4 of this Standard, which shall comply with the following:
10.5.5.1 The manufacturer shall declare it on the package or label, and it shall consist at least of:
10.5.5.1.1 The day and month for products that last maximum three months; or
10.5.5.1.2 The month and year for products which last more than three months.
10.5.5.2 The date shall appear after a legend indicating if said date refers to the expiration date or the best by date.
10.5.5.2.1 In the case of expiration date, it shall be indicated including before it one of the following legends, their abbreviations or similar legends: “Expiration Date ___”, “Expiration ____”, “Exp. Dat.____”.
10.5.5.2.2 In the case of best by date, it shall be indicated writing before it one of the following legends, their abbreviation or similar legends: “Preferably Consume Before ____”, “Pref. Cons. Before ___”.
10.5.5.3 Words indicated in numbers 10.5.5.2.1 and 10.5.5.2.2 shall be accompanied by the date itself.
10.5.6 Every container shall have indicated or marked in any way the lot identification to which it belongs, with a coded indication allowing for its traceability.
10.5.7 The lot identification including the product manufacturer shall be marked in an indelible and permanent manner.
10.5.8 The lot code shall include before it any of the following indications: “LOT”, “Lot”, “L”, “Lote”, “lote”, “lot”.
10.5.9 If the lot identification corresponds to the expiration date, or the best by date, the legends “Lot” and “Expiration Date or Best By Date” shall be included before it as the case may be.
10.6 Legends.
Products subject matter of this Standard shall, as the case may be, include the following legends or an equivalent legend:
10.6.2 For products requiring refrigeration or freezing, the legends shall be included, as the case may be: “Keep or Maintain under Refrigeration or Frozen”.
10.6.3 For frozen products, include: “Once Thawed-out, it Shall not Be Re-Frozen and Be Used Immediately”.
10.6.4 For dehydrated products: “Keep in a Fresh and Dry Place”, “Once Rehydrated, Consume it Entirely”.
10.6.5 For pasteurized and hygienically packaged products: “Once the Package is Open, it shall be Store at Refrigeration Temperature, for no more than 48 hours” or “Once the Package is Open, it shall be Kept under Refrigeration, for no more than 48 hours”.
10.6.6 Legends above shall be indicated clearly and with highlighted characters, so that they are visible for the consumer.
11.1 Products subject matter of this Standard shall be packaged in containers made with safe materials resistant to different steps of the process, so that they do not react with the product or do not alter its physical, chemical, sensory or microbiological characteristics.
11.2 For its packaging, resistant materials shall be used which offer the appropriate protection for the containers to prevent their external deterioration, as well as facilitating their manipulation, storage and distribution.
If you wish to read the original publication of 2018 NOM-159-SSA1-2016 Standard, you may click on the following link: http://dof.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=5510622&fecha=16/01/2018
If you wish to read the amended version of 2019 NOM-159-SSA1-2016 Standard, you may click on the following link: https://dof.gob.mx/nota_detalle.php?codigo=5568043&fecha=15/08/2019
c) Mexico’s Animal Health Requirements to Allow Importation of Egg Products from the USA according to SENASICA (HRZ)
According to the product to be imported (eeg products), the importer must review and comply with the combination of current requirements (at the time of its introduction into the national territory) established in the MCRZ WARNING: The exporter and importer must check the last version/ updated Zoosanitay requirements sheet (HRZ) before sending the shipment to the border in the following link: https://sistemasssl.senasica.gob.mx/mcrz/muestraComb2.jsf
For eggs products requirements use the combination 004-13-53-USA-USA
Example of the requirements to be met by the importer
Submission of the original official health certificate issued by the corresponding authority of the country of origin:
1. Exporter and importer’s name and address.
2.- That the product originates from the country indicated in this document as origin.
3.- That the product was processed in an establishment under official sanitary control.
4.- That the egg products were subjected to a cooking process not below 60 °C (140 °F) during not less than 10 minutes, or commercial pasteurization or sterilization indicating times and temperatures.
Other requirements to be met by the Office of Agricultural Health Inspection (OISA) upon presentation of the shipment:
5.- In the Animal Agriculture, Aquaculture and Fisheries Safety Official (OSAAP) shall review the documents and physically inspect the shipment at the first point of entry into the Country.
6.- Compliance with the Animal Health Requirements Sheet’s (HRZ) provisions does not relieve the importer of the submission of documents and/or paperwork required by other authorities.
7.- The shipment and the documentation of imported products shall comply with the provisions set forth in Articles 24, 32 and 89 Sections I, II, III, IV and V of the Federal Animal Health Law (Refer to the Standards Section).
8.- Expenses incurred in by the compliance with the measures provided for in the HRZ shall be paid by the interested party (importer, legal proxy or the owner of the regulated goods).
vii. Checklist of Items and Documents
Most Commonly Used SENASICA’s Sanitary Combinations with the Applicable Tariff Classifications
Senasica's sanitary combination as well as the corresponding tariff number must be determined by your customs agent. This is an example and is added for illustrative purposes.
