The environment secretary has praised an "essential" border control post food team at the Port of Felixstowe carrying out vital checks on food and animal imports.
The Suffolk team - which protects UK consumers from sub-standard food and animal imports - plays an "essential role", said Thérèse Coffey, who is also the port's local MP.
During the visit - which took place on January 25 - Ms Coffey was shown how public health checks are carried out at Britain’s busiest container port on imported food and animal products.
The team at the Suffolk Coastal Port Health Authority (SCPHA) is part of East Suffolk Council.
Its job is to ensure the safety of food and animal products imported to the ports of Felixstowe, Harwich and Ipswich.
SCPHA port health boss Richard Jacobs said they were "pleased" with the visit.
"This has been a good opportunity to provide insight into the essential role port health plays in protecting public health and animal welfare from the threats encountered at our borders," he said.
Ms Coffey said: "It was great to meet representatives from Suffolk Coastal Port Health Authority, including chairman, Councillor Steve Gallant, at the Port of Felixstowe recently.
"They play a hugely important role in protecting public health by ensuring food and animal products are imported safely.
"As the constituency MP as well as environment secretary, I’m conscious of the need to ensure they have the resources to ensure the smooth flow of import/exports."
She pointed out that her department - the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) - has provided funding for preventative screening checks for African Swine Fever, and cited a recent case at the port stopping a consignment of smuggled meats from getting into the country.
"I will continue to work with the authority to help protect public health," she said.
The team recently prevented the import of seabream infected with parasites – which severed and took the place of the fish’s tongues.
In November, a joint operation was launched between SCPHA and Border Force to fight the spread of African Swine Fever, resulting in the seizure of over 300kg of smuggled meats.
"Cases such as these are clear reminders of why we work hard to investigate imports and ensure they are safe for human consumption," said Mr Jacobs.
“The majority goods pass our import checks without presenting risks, but we have to remain vigilant as we never know when an unacceptable consignment will arrive.”
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