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FDA import refusals and import alerts: September 2020

September 1, 2020 to September 30, 2020

In September 2020, FDA refused 318 imported shipment lines (up 7% vs August 2020), added 18 firm listings to import alerts and removed 0; China had the most refusals and SALMONELLA (Salmonella) was the most common charge (as of October 25, 2026).

Data from FDA public records, last checked .

318
shipment lines refused in September 2020
+7%
vs August 2020
18
firm listings added to import alerts
0
firm listings removed
August 2020

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.

October 2020

Countries with the most FDA refusals in September 2020

Shipment lines refused, by country of origin. Each country links to its full refusal history.
Countries with the most FDA refusals in September 2020
CountryLinesShare of month
China5216%
Mexico4514%
Indonesia3611%
India3310%
Colombia278%
South Korea175%
Cyprus124%
Jamaica83%
Italy72%
Bulgaria62%

Most common refusal charges in September 2020

FDA records one or more charge codes on every refused line, so counts can exceed the number of lines.
Most common FDA refusal charges in September 2020
Charge codeMeaningLines
SALMONELLASalmonella51
FILTHYFilthy, putrid or decomposed substance47
NUTRIT LBLNutrition information missing from label44
PESTICIDEPesticide chemical residue37
FALSEFalse or misleading labeling30
POISONOUSPoisonous or deleterious substance28
UNSFDIETSPDietary ingredient without safety assurance28
LIST INGREIngredients not listed27
MELAMINEMelamine21
UNAPPROVEDUnapproved new drug19

Product categories refused in September 2020

Product categories refused in September 2020
CategoryLinesShare of month
Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Unconventional Dietary Specialties6320%
Fishery/Seafood Products3411%
Fruit and Fruit Products (pit, subtropical and tropical fruits)258%
Snack Food Items227%
Bakery Products, Doughs, Bakery Mixes, and Icings217%
Fruit and Fruit Products (berries, citrus and core fruits)217%
Vegetables and Vegetable Products (legumes, leaf and stem, fruit vegetables)206%
Macaroni and Noodle Products165%
Pet and Laboratory Animal Foods144%
Spices, Flavors, and Salts113%

Import alert changes in September 2020

18 firm listings added and 0 removed. Alerts with changes, most changes first.
Import alerts with listings added or removed in September 2020
AlertCoversAddedRemoved
99-42Foods due to heavy metal (toxic element) contamination5
99-19Food products due to the presence of Salmonella3
16-35Raw and cooked shrimp from India2
99-29All vegetable protein products from China for animal2
16-120Fish and fishery products from foreign processors (mfrs.)1
16-81Seafood products due to the presence of Salmonella1
21-17Papaya from Mexico1
99-08Processed human and animal foods for pesticides1
99-23Produce due to contamination with human pathogens1
99-35Fresh produce that appears to have been prepared, packed1

Firms with the most FDA records in September 2020

Counts are FDA records dated in the month (refusals, import alert listings and other events), not a ranking of quality.
Firms with the most FDA records dated in September 2020
FirmCountryRecords in month
Samyang Foods Co LtdSeoulSouth Korea16
Custom Pet SASBogotaColombia13
Kean Soft DrinksLimassolCyprus12
Corporativo Serysi, S. De R.L. De C.V.ZapopanMexico8
Productora Nacional de Alimentos Pronal S.A.SDosquebradasColombia8
Perishables Jamaica LimitedKingstonJamaica7
Cooperativa Agricola IL FortetoVicchioItaly7
Philicon-97 S.A.PlovdivBulgaria6
Maricultura Pescados Com. Imp. e Exp. Ltda.AcarauBrazil6
Beijing Daoxiangsifang Food Limited CompanyTongzhouChina6

Questions about September 2020

How many shipments did FDA refuse in September 2020?
FDA refused 318 imported food shipment lines in September 2020, compared with 298 in August 2020. 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 September 2020?
In September 2020, the countries with the most refused shipment lines were China (52), Mexico (45) and Indonesia (36).
Which firms were added to FDA import alerts in September 2020?
18 firm listings were added to FDA import alerts in September 2020, most of them on Import Alert 99-42 (5), Import Alert 99-19 (3) and Import Alert 16-35 (2). Firms with the most FDA records among those active in the month include Samyang Foods Co Ltd, Custom Pet SAS and Kean Soft Drinks. The alert changes are in the table on this page.

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SupplierRadar is not affiliated with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Data comes from public FDA records and may contain errors. This is not legal advice; importers remain responsible for their supplier evaluations.