Monthly digest
FDA import refusals and import alerts: January 2019
January 1, 2019 to January 31, 2019
In January 2019, FDA refused 500 imported shipment lines (down 4% vs December 2018), added 22 firm listings to import alerts and removed 0; Mexico had the most refusals and FILTHY (filthy, putrid or decomposed substance) was the most common charge (as of October 26, 2026).
Data from FDA public records, last checked .
- 500
- shipment lines refused in January 2019
- −4%
- vs December 2018
- 22
- firm listings added to import alerts
- 0
- firm listings removed
December 2018
Counts can rise after publication because FDA's refusal data includes only final actions and is updated weekly. We recompute every month on each run.
February 2019Countries with the most FDA refusals in January 2019
Shipment lines refused, by country of origin. Each country links to its full refusal history.
| Country | Lines | Share of month |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 96 | 19% |
| Brazil | 74 | 15% |
| India | 73 | 15% |
| China | 46 | 9% |
| Indonesia | 35 | 7% |
| Vietnam | 16 | 3% |
| Peru | 15 | 3% |
| Taiwan | 14 | 3% |
| Philippines | 10 | 2% |
| Bangladesh | 9 | 2% |
Most common refusal charges in January 2019
FDA records one or more charge codes on every refused line, so counts can exceed the number of lines.
| Charge code | Meaning | Lines |
|---|---|---|
| FILTHY | Filthy, putrid or decomposed substance | 134 |
| PESTICIDE | Pesticide chemical residue | 68 |
| UNSAFE COL | Color additive unsafe under section 721 | 62 |
| SALMONELLA | Salmonella | 41 |
| UNSFDIETSP | Dietary ingredient without safety assurance | 38 |
| NUTRIT LBL | Nutrition information missing from label | 36 |
| LIST INGRE | Ingredients not listed | 33 |
| COLOR LBLG | Artificial coloring not declared | 27 |
| NITROFURAN | Nitrofurans | 25 |
| VETDRUGRES | Animal drug residue | 19 |
Product categories refused in January 2019
| Category | Lines | Share of month |
|---|---|---|
| Fishery/Seafood Products | 172 | 34% |
| Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Unconventional Dietary Specialties | 60 | 12% |
| Fruit and Fruit Products (berries, citrus and core fruits) | 44 | 9% |
| Fruit and Fruit Products (pit, subtropical and tropical fruits) | 28 | 6% |
| Multiple Food Dinners, Gravies, Sauces, and Specialties | 27 | 5% |
| Vegetables and Vegetable Products (legumes, leaf and stem, fruit vegetables) | 20 | 4% |
| Bakery Products, Doughs, Bakery Mixes, and Icings | 18 | 4% |
| Vegetables and Vegetable Products (root and tuber vegetables, fungi) | 15 | 3% |
| Spices, Flavors, and Salts | 14 | 3% |
| Candy without Chocolate, Candy Specialties, and Chewing Gum | 12 | 2% |
Import alert changes in January 2019
22 firm listings added and 0 removed. Alerts with changes, most changes first.
| Alert | Covers | Added | Removed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 99-05 | Raw agricultural products for pesticides | 5 | |
| 16-74 | Uneviscerated fish or partially eviscerated fish | 3 | |
| 16-137 | Seafood due to viral contamination | 2 | |
| 99-08 | Processed human and animal foods for pesticides | 2 | |
| 99-39 | Imported food products that appear to be misbranded | 2 | |
| 12-03 | Imported soft cheese and soft ripened cheese from France | 1 | |
| 16-35 | Raw and cooked shrimp from India | 1 | |
| 16-81 | Seafood products due to the presence of Salmonella | 1 | |
| 21-07 | Tamarind and tamarind products (fresh, frozen, dried, and/or | 1 | |
| 24-11 | Dried peppers from Mexico | 1 | |
| 54-16 | Products that are marketed as foods, including products | 1 | |
| 99-19 | Food products due to the presence of Salmonella | 1 | |
| 99-32 | Human and animal food products from foreign establishments | 1 |
Firms with the most FDA records in January 2019
Counts are FDA records dated in the month (refusals, import alert listings and other events), not a ranking of quality.
| Firm | Country | Records in month |
|---|---|---|
| Costa Norte Comercio de Pescados LtdaBelem | Brazil | 39 |
| Amc Line ExpressBekasi | Indonesia | 27 |
| Royale Marine Impex Pvt. Ltd.Prakasam District | India | 24 |
| Bueno Alimentos, S.A. de C.V.Santa Catarina | Mexico | 21 |
| C Norte Pescados LtdaBelem | Brazil | 21 |
| IQF del Peru S.A. (Ica Factory)Ica | Peru | 9 |
| Gilvan de P Silva EireliBraganca | Brazil | 9 |
| Saidowla (Pvt.)Enterprise LimitedChoukide Khi | Bangladesh | 9 |
| Limones Citros de Tecoman SA de CVTecoman | Mexico | 9 |
| Healthy People Labs S de RL de CVIrapuato | Mexico | 8 |
Questions about January 2019
- How many shipments did FDA refuse in January 2019?
- FDA refused 500 imported food shipment lines in January 2019, compared with 522 in December 2018. Counts can rise after publication because FDA's refusal data includes only final actions and is updated weekly.
- Which countries had the most FDA refusals in January 2019?
- In January 2019, the countries with the most refused shipment lines were Mexico (96), Brazil (74) and India (73).
- Which firms were added to FDA import alerts in January 2019?
- 22 firm listings were added to FDA import alerts in January 2019, most of them on Import Alert 99-05 (5), Import Alert 16-74 (3) and Import Alert 16-137 (2). Firms with the most FDA records among those active in the month include Costa Norte Comercio de Pescados Ltda, Amc Line Express and Royale Marine Impex Pvt. Ltd.. The alert changes are in the table on this page.
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