Guide
How to check if a supplier is on an FDA import alert
Updated 6 min read6 primary sources
To check whether a supplier is on an FDA import alert, search the supplier's name in FDA's Import Alerts search, then browse the alerts for the supplier's country and product, because some alerts cover a whole country or product and exempt only the firms on their green list. FDA recommends searching by manufacturer name, product name and country of origin; SupplierRadar's free bulk check runs the name search across import alerts and other FDA records in one step.
Key facts
- Official search
- FDA Import Alerts (accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia)
- Search by
- Manufacturer name, product, and country of origin
- Update speed
- FDA says the import alert databases are updated in real time
- Easy to miss
- Country-wide alerts where the supplier is not on the green list
- FSVP note
- Record the result and date as part of your 1.505 evaluation
How do you check a supplier against FDA import alerts?
- 01
Search the firm name
Use the search box on FDA's Import Alerts page. FDA's search matches each word separately, so put the exact name in double quotes, for example "ABC Company", to avoid loose matches.
- 02
Try the name variants
Search without legal suffixes (Co., Ltd., S.A.), with and without punctuation, and any trade names the supplier uses. The name on an alert comes from FDA's records, such as entry documents or inspections.
- 03
Browse by country
Open FDA's list of alerts by country or area and read every alert that names the supplier's country, including alerts that apply to the whole country.
- 04
Check the product alerts
Browse by industry for the product you buy. A product or country alert with a green list applies to every firm not on that green list.
- 05
Read the entry
If you find the supplier, note the alert number, which list it is on, the product codes listed and the Date Published for each.
- 06
Read the Guidance section
It says how shipments under that alert can be released and whether release is possible at all.
- 07
Record and repeat
Write down what you found and the date for your FSVP file, and repeat the check regularly: FDA revises alerts whenever it adds or removes firms.
Why can a name search miss a supplier's listing?
- Spelling: the name on the alert comes from FDA's records, such as entry documents or inspections, and may differ from your purchase orders.
- Scope: a country-wide or product-wide alert may not name the supplier at all; it applies unless the supplier is on the green list.
- Location: FDA treats each plant as a separate firm, so the listing may be for a different address of the same company.
- Identifiers: the import alert pages we checked do not show an FEI for each firm, so you cannot search them by FEI.
FDA's Data Dashboard supplier evaluation page makes the same point: it is important to search not only for the firm but also for import alerts that affect entire countries. See Red list vs green list vs yellow list for how the lists work.
What else should you check while you look up a supplier?
An import alert search covers one of the record types FSVP asks you to consider. FDA's 2023 FSVP guidance also points importers to warning letters, import refusals, recall notices and inspections, which live in different FDA systems:
| Record | FDA source | Search by |
|---|---|---|
| Import alerts | Import Alerts pages (accessdata.fda.gov) | Keyword, country or area, industry, alert number, publish date |
| Import refusals | FDA Data Dashboard, since 10/01/2016 | Firm name, FEI, country, product |
| Inspection classifications | FDA Data Dashboard | Firm name or FEI |
| Warning letters | FDA Warning Letters page | Company, subject, issuing office, date |
| Recalls | FDA Enforcement Report | Recalling firm, product, classification |
SupplierRadar puts these five record types on one page per supplier with a dated timeline, and every event links to its FDA record. The free bulk check does this for up to five suppliers at once. If you need the supplier's FEI first, see How to find a supplier's FEI number.
How should you record an import alert check for FSVP?
21 CFR 1.505(a)(1)(iii)(B) requires you to consider whether the foreign supplier is the subject of an FDA warning letter, import alert or other FDA compliance action related to food safety, and 1.505(a)(2) requires you to document the evaluation. A simple, defensible record lists each source, the date searched, the search terms used and the result, including none found.
A check is a snapshot. FDA's FSVP guidance says importers should maintain an awareness of new information by frequently checking what FDA posts, and a new listing calls for a prompt reevaluation. See When to reevaluate a foreign supplier under FSVP.
Frequently asked questions
- How do I search FDA import alerts by company name?
- Enter the company name in the search box on FDA's Import Alerts page, in double quotes for an exact match, and try spelling variants. Then browse the alerts for the company's country and product, since some alerts apply country-wide.
- Does FDA send email alerts when a supplier is added to an import alert?
- FDA offers an Import Alerts Weekly Summary email subscription, which summarizes alert changes in general rather than watching the suppliers you name. FDA's FAQ says publication on the alert usually serves as notification to the listed firm.
- How often are FDA import alerts updated?
- FDA states that the import alert databases are updated in real time, and each firm and product line shows the date it was published.
- My supplier's name appears on an alert at a different address. Is it the same firm?
- Not necessarily. FDA treats each location as a separate firm with its own profile, so compare the full address and, where available, the FEI before concluding the listing applies to your supplier.
- If my supplier is not on any red list, can its shipments still be detained?
- Yes. Shipments can be detained after an examination or sample regardless of any alert, and country-wide or product-wide alerts apply to firms that are not on their green list.
Sources
Every legal and FDA-process claim above is cited to a primary source. Access dates show when each page was read.
- 01FDA: Import Alerts (search and browse)FDA · accessed
- 02FDA: Industry FAQs for Import AlertsFDA · accessed
- 03FDA Import Alerts by country/areaFDA · accessed
- 04FDA Data Dashboard: Firm/Supplier Evaluation ResourcesFDA · accessed
- 05FDA FSVP Guidance for Industry (January 2023), Questions E.4 and E.9FDA · accessed
- 0621 CFR 1.505 (eCFR)eCFR · accessed
Related
Put it into practice
Check five suppliers in one step
Paste up to five supplier names and see their FDA import alert listings, refusals, warning letters, inspections and recalls, each linked to the FDA record. No account needed.
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.