FDA refusal charge
FDA refusal charge UNSAFE SUB
UNSAFE SUB is the FDA import refusal charge for the article appears to bear or contain a substance which is unsafe within the meaning of Section 406.; it cites sections 402(a)(2)(A) and 801(a)(3) of the FD&C Act (adulteration). FDA recorded it on 6 refused shipment lines from 5 countries between October 2016 and April 14, 2026, most often for nuts and seeds from Taiwan.
Data from FDA public records, last checked .
- 6
- refused shipment lines carry this charge
- 5
- countries of origin
- 0
- import alerts name this charge
What UNSAFE SUB means
SupplierRadar has not written a plain-English version of UNSAFE SUB yet. FDA's own statement is quoted below.
- FD&C Act section
- 402(a)(2)(A)801(a)(3)
- Classification
- adulteration
FDA's official statement
The article appears to bear or contain a substance which is unsafe within the meaning of Section 406.
Countries with the most UNSAFE SUB refusals
| Country | Lines | Share of UNSAFE SUB |
|---|---|---|
| Taiwan | 2 | 33% |
| China | 1 | 17% |
| Philippines | 1 | 17% |
| Thailand | 1 | 17% |
| Vietnam | 1 | 17% |
Product categories with the most UNSAFE SUB refusals
| Category | Lines | Share of UNSAFE SUB |
|---|---|---|
| Nuts and Edible Seeds | 2 | 33% |
| Fishery/Seafood Products | 1 | 17% |
| Fruit and Fruit Products (pit, subtropical and tropical fruits) | 1 | 17% |
| Spices, Flavors, and Salts | 1 | 17% |
| Multiple Food Dinners, Gravies, Sauces, and Specialties | 1 | 17% |
Latest UNSAFE SUB refusals
| Date | Firm | Product | Charges | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Co Fu Business Company, Ltd.New Taipei City, Taiwan | Spices and seasoning, ground, cracked, with salt, n.e.c | UNSAFE SUBLACKS N/CNO ENGLISH+1 | Source | |
| Nutri-AsiaBulacan, Philippines | Sauces, n.e.c | UNSAFE SUB | Source | |
| Northshop ChingmaiChiang Mai, Thailand | Betel nut, shelled | UNSAFE SUB | Source | |
| Hai MinhCu Chi District, Vietnam | Betel nut, shelled | UNSAFE ADDUNSAFE SUB | Source | |
| Taishan Lvsheng FoodTaishan, China | Eel, aquaculture harvested fishery/seafood products | UNSAFE SUBVETDRUGRES | Source | |
| Fu-Kang Food Co., Ltd.New Taipei, Taiwan | Plum, dried or paste | UNSAFE COLUNSAFE SUB | Source |
Questions about UNSAFE SUB
- What does UNSAFE SUB mean on an FDA refusal?
- UNSAFE SUB is the refusal charge “The article appears to bear or contain a substance which is unsafe within the meaning of Section 406.”. FDA's official statement for the charge reads: “The article appears to bear or contain a substance which is unsafe within the meaning of Section 406.”
- What law does UNSAFE SUB cite?
- FDA's refusal charge table cites sections 402(a)(2)(A) and 801(a)(3) of the FD&C Act (adulteration) for UNSAFE SUB, and classifies the charge as adulteration. The table is the Refusal Charges reference file that FDA publishes with its Data Dashboard.
- Which countries have the most UNSAFE SUB refusals?
- As of October 26, 2026, the countries with the most UNSAFE SUB refusal lines are Taiwan (2), China (1) and Philippines (1). The full list with links is in the table on this page.
- Is there an FDA import alert for UNSAFE SUB?
- SupplierRadar found no food import alert whose charge section names UNSAFE SUB. An import alert is a list of firms; a charge code is the reason recorded on one refused shipment line.
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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.