Monthly digest
FDA import refusals and import alerts: January 2021
January 1, 2021 to January 31, 2021
In January 2021, FDA refused 457 imported shipment lines (up 10% vs December 2020), added 17 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 .
- 457
- shipment lines refused in January 2021
- +10%
- vs December 2020
- 17
- firm listings added to import alerts
- 0
- firm listings removed
December 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.
February 2021Countries with the most FDA refusals in January 2021
Shipment lines refused, by country of origin. Each country links to its full refusal history.
| Country | Lines | Share of month |
|---|---|---|
| Mexico | 97 | 21% |
| India | 78 | 17% |
| China | 42 | 9% |
| Indonesia | 40 | 9% |
| South Korea | 38 | 8% |
| Vietnam | 18 | 4% |
| Bangladesh | 14 | 3% |
| Singapore | 12 | 3% |
| Thailand | 12 | 3% |
| Israel | 10 | 2% |
Most common refusal charges in January 2021
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 | 122 |
| SALMONELLA | Salmonella | 80 |
| NUTRIT LBL | Nutrition information missing from label | 60 |
| NO ENGLISH | Required label information not in English | 58 |
| UNSFDIETSP | Dietary ingredient without safety assurance | 49 |
| LIST INGRE | Ingredients not listed | 41 |
| UNAPPROVED | Unapproved new drug | 29 |
| UNSAFE COL | Color additive unsafe under section 721 | 27 |
| NO PROCESS | No scheduled process filed | 23 |
| FALSE | False or misleading labeling | 20 |
Product categories refused in January 2021
| Category | Lines | Share of month |
|---|---|---|
| Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Unconventional Dietary Specialties | 89 | 19% |
| Fruit and Fruit Products (pit, subtropical and tropical fruits) | 73 | 16% |
| Fishery/Seafood Products | 63 | 14% |
| Macaroni and Noodle Products | 32 | 7% |
| Spices, Flavors, and Salts | 28 | 6% |
| Vegetables and Vegetable Products (legumes, leaf and stem, fruit vegetables) | 25 | 5% |
| Pet and Laboratory Animal Foods | 19 | 4% |
| Bakery Products, Doughs, Bakery Mixes, and Icings | 17 | 4% |
| Vegetables and Vegetable Products (root and tuber vegetables, fungi) | 17 | 4% |
| Snack Food Items | 15 | 3% |
Import alert changes in January 2021
17 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 | 6 | |
| 16-81 | Seafood products due to the presence of Salmonella | 3 | |
| 99-05 | Raw agricultural products for pesticides | 2 | |
| 16-35 | Raw and cooked shrimp from India | 1 | |
| 22-01 | Cantaloupes from Mexico | 1 | |
| 99-08 | Processed human and animal foods for pesticides | 1 | |
| 99-29 | All vegetable protein products from China for animal | 1 | |
| 99-39 | Imported food products that appear to be misbranded | 1 | |
| 99-42 | Foods due to heavy metal (toxic element) contamination | 1 |
Firms with the most FDA records in January 2021
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 |
|---|---|---|
| Chupaletas S.A de C.VSan Pedro Tlaquepaque | Mexico | 31 |
| adi dharma putraPontianak | Indonesia | 28 |
| Samyang Foods Co LtdSeoul | South Korea | 27 |
| Kader Exports Private Limited, Unit IBhimavaram | India | 12 |
| Hvn Global Services Pte LtdSingapore | Singapore | 12 |
| Vietnam Happy Chews Pet Food Co., LTDTay Ninh | Vietnam | 11 |
| Omega NutritionHidalgo Del Parral | Mexico | 11 |
| Comercializadora PepsicoCiudad De Mexico | Mexico | 10 |
| Veerprabhu Export HouseMumbai | India | 9 |
| Hamoui Bro.LtdGivaat Shaul | Israel | 7 |
Questions about January 2021
- How many shipments did FDA refuse in January 2021?
- FDA refused 457 imported food shipment lines in January 2021, compared with 417 in December 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 January 2021?
- In January 2021, the countries with the most refused shipment lines were Mexico (97), India (78) and China (42).
- Which firms were added to FDA import alerts in January 2021?
- 17 firm listings were added to FDA import alerts in January 2021, most of them on Import Alert 99-19 (6), Import Alert 16-81 (3) and Import Alert 99-05 (2). Firms with the most FDA records among those active in the month include CHUPALETAS S.A DE C.V, adi dharma putra and Samyang Foods Co Ltd. The alert changes are in the table on this page.
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