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Glossary Item

Canned : canned

Effective 1 July 2022

Preferred Term: canned

Other Terms:

Definition:

Definition of Canned:

"Canned" includes any product that is contained in a sealed container which is:

  1. made of metal, glass or other material
  2. hermetically sealed
  3. heat treated in that container so that no refrigeration is required
  4. of a kind approved by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Note: Retortable pouches are currently approved by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and are subject to the same entry requirements as canned commodities. These pouches are distinct from vacuum packs which must be treated as un-canned product. The distinguishing differences between these packaging methods is given in TABLE 1. below.

TABLE 1: Differentiation between a retortable pouch and a vacuum pack

RETORTABLE POUCH

VACUUM PACK

Constructed from laminated plastic and aluminium foil

Constructed of nylon/plastic laminates

Metallic to the touch

Not metallic to the touch

Refrigeration not required until opened

Usually requires refrigeration prior to opening