UK's Restriction on Importing French and Italian Cheeses Explained
The United Kingdom has imposed a ban on unpasteurized cheese imports from France and Italy following outbreaks of Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) in cattle in these countries. LSD is a viral disease that affects cattle, causing skin nodules, fever, reduced milk yield, and potentially large-scale culling of infected herds.
The ban specifically targets unpasteurized dairy products made from raw cow's milk produced after May 23, 2025, as the virus can survive in raw milk but is inactivated by pasteurization. Cheeses aged or matured before this date and those fully pasteurized are exempt, as they do not pose a risk of carrying the virus.
The disease was first confirmed in Sardinia, Italy, in June 2025, and then in France near Chambéry later that month, which led to the UK revoking Italy’s LSD-free status and suspending raw milk and live cattle imports from both countries.
The ban aims to prevent the virus entering the UK, as an outbreak would severely damage the UK’s dairy industry economically by making meat, hides, and milk less valuable or unsellable. However, it is important to note that LSD poses no risk to human health or food safety.
The UK is not the only country to impose a ban on unpasteurized cheese imports - Canada has also banned imports from France, Italy, and Switzerland. The move is part of precautionary veterinary measures to block the introduction of LSD into the country’s cattle population, protecting the UK dairy sector from serious economic harm.
It is worth mentioning that factory-produced brie can be made with pasteurized milk and is not affected by the ban. The UK's import ban is due to an outbreak of Lumpy Skin Disease and not related to the ban on taking ham sandwiches on journeys from Paris to London, which is due to an outbreak of Foot and Mouth Disease in continental Europe.
[1] BBC News, "UK bans unpasteurised cheese imports from France and Italy over lumpy skin disease", 2025. [2] Food Standards Agency, "Lumpy Skin Disease in Cattle: Advice for Consumers", 2025. [3] Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, "Lumpy Skin Disease: Advice for Businesses", 2025. [4] European Commission, "Lumpy Skin Disease: Latest Situation in Europe", 2025. [5] National Farmers' Union, "Impact of Lumpy Skin Disease on the UK Dairy Industry", 2025.
- Despite the ban on unpasteurized cheese imports from France and Italy due to Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD), factory-produced brie can still be made with pasteurized milk and is not affected by the restriction.
- The government's decision to impose a ban on unpasteurized dairy products from certain countries is part of a broader effort to protect the UK's dairy sector from economic harm caused by LSD.
- Beyond the dairy industry, LSD poses no risk to human health or food safety, making it an issue primarily focused on cattle health and the economic impact on related industries.
- In addition to the UK, other countries such as Canada have taken similar precautionary measures to prevent the introduction of LSD into their cattle population through import bans on unpasteurized cheese from France, Italy, and Switzerland.
