What does USUAL NAME mean on an FDA refusal?

USUAL NAME is the refusal charge “Common or usual name missing”. The label appeared not to show the common or usual name of the food.

What law does USUAL NAME cite?

FDA's refusal charge table cites sections 403(i)(1) and 801(a)(3) of the FD&C Act (misbranding) for USUAL NAME, and classifies the charge as misbranding. The table is the Refusal Charges reference file that FDA publishes with its Data Dashboard.

Which countries have the most USUAL NAME refusals?

As of October 26, 2026, the countries with the most USUAL NAME refusal lines are Mexico (433), India (315) and China (250). The full list with links is in the table on this page.

Is there an FDA import alert for USUAL NAME?

Yes. 3 FDA import alerts name USUAL NAME as a charge code, including Import Alert 99-39 (Imported foods that appear to be misbranded), Import Alert 16-04 (Seafood products that appear to be misbranded) and Import Alert 40-05 (Adulterated and misbranded infant formula). An import alert is a list of firms; a charge code is the reason recorded on one refused shipment line.

FDA refusal charge

FDA refusal charge USUAL NAME

Common or usual name missing

USUAL NAME is the FDA import refusal charge for common or usual name missing; it cites sections 403(i)(1) and 801(a)(3) of the FD&C Act (misbranding). FDA recorded it on 2,547 refused shipment lines between October 2016 and October 14, 2026, most often for snack foods from Mexico.

Data from FDA public records, last checked October 26, 2026.

2,547
refused shipment lines carry this charge: 99
countries of origin: 3
import alerts name this charge

What USUAL NAME means

The label appeared not to show the common or usual name of the food.

This restates FDA's statement. It says what the charge means, never why a particular shipment was refused.

FD&C Act section: 403(i)(1)801(a)(3)
Classification: misbranding

FDA's official statement

Copied unchanged from FDA's Refusal Charges reference table.

The article is subject to refusal of admission pursuant to Section 801(a)(3) of the FD&C Act in that it appears to be misbranded within the meaning of Section 403(i)(1) of the FD&C Act in that the label fails to bear the common or usual name of the food, if any there be.

USUAL NAME · 403(i)(1), 801(a)(3); MISBRANDINGFDA reference table (CSV)

Import alerts that name USUAL NAME

The charge section of each alert names this code. An alert lists firms; a charge is the reason recorded on one refused line.

Import alerts naming USUAL NAME as a charge
Alert	Covers	Red
99-39	Imported foods that appear to be misbranded	677
16-04	Seafood products that appear to be misbranded	52
40-05	Adulterated and misbranded infant formula	17

Countries with the most USUAL NAME refusals

Shipment lines carrying USUAL NAME, by country of origin.

USUAL NAME refusal lines by country
Country	Lines	Share of USUAL NAME
Mexico	433	17%
India	315	12%
China	250	10%
Nigeria	83	3%
Sweden	82	3%
Egypt	55	2%
Honduras	54	2%
South Korea	54	2%
Brazil	53	2%
Colombia	53	2%

Product categories with the most USUAL NAME refusals

USUAL NAME refusal lines by product category
Category	Lines	Share of USUAL NAME
Snack Food Items	302	12%
Fishery/Seafood Products	242	10%
Candy without Chocolate, Candy Specialties, and Chewing Gum	242	10%
Bakery Products, Doughs, Bakery Mixes, and Icings	239	9%
Soft Drinks and Waters	160	6%
Chocolate and Cocoa Products	138	5%
Spices, Flavors, and Salts	102	4%
Fruit and Fruit Products (pit, subtropical and tropical fruits)	101	4%
Macaroni and Noodle Products	89	3%
Vegetables and Vegetable Products (legumes, leaf and stem, fruit vegetables)	89	3%

Latest USUAL NAME refusals

The 20 most recent refused lines, through October 14, 2026, each with its FDA source.

Latest FDA refusals carrying USUAL NAME
Date	Firm	Product	Charges
Oct 14, 2026	Issamira FarmsAccra, Ghana	EEL	MFR INSAN LACKS FIRM LACKS N/C+2	Source
Oct 14, 2026	Issamira FarmsAccra, Ghana	EEL	MFR INSAN LACKS FIRM LACKS N/C+2	Source
Oct 14, 2026	Issamira FarmsAccra, Ghana	EEL	MFR INSAN LACKS FIRM LACKS N/C+2	Source
Oct 14, 2026	T.F.S FoodsLagos, Nigeria	Tilapia, aquaculture harvested fishery/seafood products	LIST INGRE FILTHY USUAL NAME+1	Source
Oct 9, 2026	Abby'S International Fish Exp. LtdRukwa-Sumbawanga, Tanzania	Fish, n.e.c	STD IDENT MFR INSAN LACKS FIRM+3	Source
Oct 9, 2026	Sosyo Hajoori Beverages Private LimitedChorasi, India	Carbonated soft drink, n.e.c	LIST INGRE LACKS N/C NO ENGLISH+2	Source
Oct 8, 2026	Dreamo Gida Teks San Ve Tic LtdGaziantep, Turkey	Sweet goods without custard or cream filling, n.e.c	INCONSPICU LACKS N/C USUAL NAME+1	Source
Oct 8, 2026	Dreamo Gida Teks San Ve Tic LtdGaziantep, Turkey	Sweet goods without custard or cream filling, n.e.c	INCONSPICU LACKS N/C USUAL NAME+1	Source
Oct 8, 2026	Dreamo Gida Teks San Ve Tic LtdGaziantep, Turkey	Sweet goods without custard or cream filling, n.e.c	INCONSPICU LACKS N/C USUAL NAME+1	Source
Oct 8, 2026	Dreamo Gida Teks San Ve Tic LtdGaziantep, Turkey	Filled/iced cookies,biscuits and wafers, n.e.c	INCONSPICU LACKS FIRM LACKS N/C+2	Source
Oct 8, 2026	StemPhase BiomedicalMono, Canada	Animal feeds, n.e.c	LIST INGRE INCONSPICU LACKS FIRM+2	Source
Oct 8, 2026	StemPhase BiomedicalMono, Canada	Animal feeds, n.e.c	LIST INGRE INCONSPICU LACKS FIRM+2	Source
Oct 8, 2026	Dreamo Gida Teks San Ve Tic LtdGaziantep, Turkey	Sweet goods without custard or cream filling, n.e.c	INCONSPICU LACKS N/C USUAL NAME+1	Source
Oct 8, 2026	StemPhase BiomedicalMono, Canada	Animal feeds, n.e.c	LIST INGRE INCONSPICU LACKS FIRM+2	Source
Sep 30, 2026	Goldilocks BakeshopMetro Manila, Philippines	Biscuits	LIST INGRE INCONSPICU FALSE+2	Source
Sep 25, 2026	Mae Kham Co LtdTak, Thailand	Strawberry juice, berry juice or concentrates	UNSAFE COL LIST INGRE LACKS N/C+5	Source
Sep 25, 2026	Bubs GodisJonkoping, Sweden	Jellied candy, soft (jelly beans, gum drops, etc.), without nuts and fruit (without chocolate)	LIST INGRE INCONSPICU COLOR LBLG+7	Source
Sep 25, 2026	Bubs GodisJonkoping, Sweden	Jellied candy, soft (jelly beans, gum drops, etc.), without nuts and fruit (without chocolate)	LIST INGRE INCONSPICU COLOR LBLG+7	Source
Sep 25, 2026	Bubs GodisJonkoping, Sweden	Jellied candy, soft (jelly beans, gum drops, etc.), without nuts and fruit (without chocolate)	LIST INGRE INCONSPICU COLOR LBLG+7	Source
Sep 25, 2026	Bubs GodisJonkoping, Sweden	Jellied candy, soft (jelly beans, gum drops, etc.), without nuts and fruit (without chocolate)	LIST INGRE INCONSPICU COLOR LBLG+7	Source

Questions about USUAL NAME

What does USUAL NAME mean on an FDA refusal?: USUAL NAME is the refusal charge “Common or usual name missing”. The label appeared not to show the common or usual name of the food.
What law does USUAL NAME cite?: FDA's refusal charge table cites sections 403(i)(1) and 801(a)(3) of the FD&C Act (misbranding) for USUAL NAME, and classifies the charge as misbranding. The table is the Refusal Charges reference file that FDA publishes with its Data Dashboard.
Which countries have the most USUAL NAME refusals?: As of October 26, 2026, the countries with the most USUAL NAME refusal lines are Mexico (433), India (315) and China (250). The full list with links is in the table on this page.
Is there an FDA import alert for USUAL NAME?: Yes. 3 FDA import alerts name USUAL NAME as a charge code, including Import Alert 99-39 (Imported foods that appear to be misbranded), Import Alert 16-04 (Seafood products that appear to be misbranded) and Import Alert 40-05 (Adulterated and misbranded infant formula). 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.