Monthly digest
FDA import refusals and import alerts: October 2020
October 1, 2020 to October 31, 2020
In October 2020, FDA refused 375 imported shipment lines (up 18% vs September 2020), added 22 firm listings to import alerts and removed 0; Mexico had the most refusals and NUTRIT LBL (nutrition information missing from label) was the most common charge (as of October 26, 2026).
Data from FDA public records, last checked .
- 375
- shipment lines refused in October 2020
- +18%
- vs September 2020
- 22
- firm listings added to import alerts
- 0
- firm listings removed
September 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.
November 2020Countries with the most FDA refusals in October 2020
Shipment lines refused, by country of origin. Each country links to its full refusal history.
| Country | Lines | Share of month |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 61 | 16% |
| China | 48 | 13% |
| India | 48 | 13% |
| United Kingdom | 22 | 6% |
| Indonesia | 22 | 6% |
| Bulgaria | 16 | 4% |
| Poland | 14 | 4% |
| South Korea | 13 | 3% |
| Mozambique | 10 | 3% |
| Thailand | 10 | 3% |
Most common refusal charges in October 2020
FDA records one or more charge codes on every refused line, so counts can exceed the number of lines.
| Charge code | Meaning | Lines |
|---|---|---|
| NUTRIT LBL | Nutrition information missing from label | 78 |
| FILTHY | Filthy, putrid or decomposed substance | 57 |
| SALMONELLA | Salmonella | 44 |
| UNSAFE COL | Color additive unsafe under section 721 | 44 |
| LIST INGRE | Ingredients not listed | 42 |
| COLOR LBLG | Artificial coloring not declared | 40 |
| NO ENGLISH | Required label information not in English | 38 |
| UNAPPROVED | Unapproved new drug | 38 |
| FALSE | False or misleading labeling | 27 |
| LABELING | Fair Packaging and Labeling Act | 25 |
Product categories refused in October 2020
| Category | Lines | Share of month |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Unconventional Dietary Specialties | 77 | 21% |
| Fishery/Seafood Products | 43 | 11% |
| Fruit and Fruit Products (pit, subtropical and tropical fruits) | 40 | 11% |
| Spices, Flavors, and Salts | 28 | 7% |
| Snack Food Items | 26 | 7% |
| Bakery Products, Doughs, Bakery Mixes, and Icings | 25 | 7% |
| Nuts and Edible Seeds | 16 | 4% |
| Dietary Conventional Foods and Meal Replacements | 14 | 4% |
| Vegetables and Vegetable Products (legumes, leaf and stem, fruit vegetables) | 13 | 3% |
| Multiple Food Dinners, Gravies, Sauces, and Specialties | 13 | 3% |
Import alert changes in October 2020
22 firm listings added and 0 removed. Alerts with changes, most changes first.
| Alert | Covers | Added | Removed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 99-19 | Food products due to the presence of Salmonella | 3 | |
| 99-35 | Fresh produce that appears to have been prepared, packed | 3 | |
| 99-39 | Imported food products that appear to be misbranded | 3 | |
| 16-125 | Refrigerated (not frozen with proper labeling) raw fish | 2 | |
| 99-29 | All vegetable protein products from China for animal | 2 | |
| 16-18 | Raw shrimp | 1 | |
| 16-81 | Seafood products due to the presence of Salmonella | 1 | |
| 21-17 | Papaya from Mexico | 1 | |
| 22-01 | Cantaloupes from Mexico | 1 | |
| 25-05 | Dried fungus (mushrooms) from Hong Kong and PROC for filth | 1 | |
| 54-16 | Products that are marketed as foods, including products | 1 | |
| 99-08 | Processed human and animal foods for pesticides | 1 | |
| 99-22 | Foods containing undeclared major food allergens or foods | 1 | |
| 99-37 | Low-acid canned foods and acidified foods without filed | 1 |
Firms with the most FDA records in October 2020
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Nutrition Group PLC.Blackpool | United Kingdom | 19 |
| Philicon-97 S.A.Plovdiv | Bulgaria | 15 |
| Comercializadora PepsicoCiudad De Mexico | Mexico | 14 |
| Nestle Portugal SaAvanca | Portugal | 8 |
| Wirontono Baru BalarajaTangerang | Indonesia | 8 |
| Pescamoz LdaBeira | Mozambique | 7 |
| Gajanand Food Pvt., LtdGandhinagar | India | 7 |
| Ramdev Food Products Pvt LtdChangodar | India | 6 |
| Wickbold e Nosso Po Industria de Alimentos LtdaDiadema | Brazil | 6 |
| S.A.M srlMartina Franca | Italy | 5 |
Questions about October 2020
- How many shipments did FDA refuse in October 2020?
- FDA refused 375 imported food shipment lines in October 2020, compared with 318 in September 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 October 2020?
- In October 2020, the countries with the most refused shipment lines were Mexico (61), China (48) and India (48).
- Which firms were added to FDA import alerts in October 2020?
- 22 firm listings were added to FDA import alerts in October 2020, most of them on Import Alert 99-19 (3), Import Alert 99-35 (3) and Import Alert 99-39 (3). Firms with the most FDA records among those active in the month include Nutrition Group PLC., Philicon-97 S.A. and COMERCIALIZADORA PEPSICO. The alert changes are in the table on this page.
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