Following a major food safety breach by Queensland food import company B&E Packaging, it has been announced that the fine for any breaches of the Imported Food Control Act 1992 will rise from $7,000 to $20,000.

The hope is that this boosted fine will serve as an effective deterrent to food importers who may consider ignoring Australia’s strict food safety regulations. B&E Packaging has already been slapped with the increased fine, after they admitted to selling 1,500kg of cooked prawns obtained from Vietnam, without performing the required food safety tests.