FDA import refusals
FDA import refusals: seafood from Ecuador
FDA category: Fishery/Seafood Products · October 2016 to September 3, 2026
FDA refused 284 seafood shipment lines from Ecuador between October 2016 and September 3, 2026, 35 of them in 2026; the most refused products were mahi mahi and shrimp and prawns, most often for FILTHY (filthy, putrid or decomposed substance).
Data from FDA public records, last checked .
- 284
- seafood lines refused since October 2016
- 35
- refused so far in 2026
- 10
- firms with the most records, listed below
Seafood refusals from Ecuador by year
Shipment lines FDA refused each year. The table has the same numbers as the chart.
| Year | Refusal lines | vs prior year |
|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | 35 | |
| 2025 | 23 | -15% |
| 2024 | 27 | -18% |
| 2023 | 33 | -31% |
| 2022 | 48 | +433% |
| 2021 | 9 | +13% |
| 2020 | 8 | -11% |
| 2019 | 9 | -68% |
| 2018 | 28 | -28% |
| 2017 | 39 | |
| 2016 (from Oct) | 25 |
Mahi mahi refusals from Ecuador
FDA refused 112 mahi mahi lines from Ecuador between October 2016 and September 3, 2026, 39% of the seafood lines.
| FDA product description | Lines | Share of seafood |
|---|---|---|
| Mahi mahi | 112 | 39.4% |
Shrimp and prawns refusals from Ecuador
FDA refused 60 shrimp and prawns lines from Ecuador between October 2016 and September 3, 2026, 21% of the seafood lines.
| FDA product description | Lines | Share of seafood |
|---|---|---|
| Shrimp and prawns, aquaculture harvested fishery/seafood products | 60 | 21.1% |
Recent shrimp and prawns refusals
| Date | Firm | Product | Charges | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Industrial Pesquera Santa Priscila S.A. (Factory 2)Guayaquil, Ecuador | Shrimp and prawns, aquaculture harvested fishery/seafood products | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Industrial Pesquera Santa Priscila S.A. (Factory 2)Guayaquil, Ecuador | Shrimp and prawns, aquaculture harvested fishery/seafood products | SALMONELLA | Source |
Swordfish refusals from Ecuador
FDA refused 27 swordfish lines from Ecuador between October 2016 and September 3, 2026, 10% of the seafood lines.
| FDA product description | Lines | Share of seafood |
|---|---|---|
| Swordfish | 27 | 9.5% |
Other seafood products refused from Ecuador
| Product group | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Fish maw | 20 | 7.0% |
| Shrimp & prawns | 19 | 6.7% |
| Tuna | 15 | 5.3% |
| Sardines | 11 | 3.9% |
| Clams | 7 | 2.5% |
| Crab | 5 | 1.8% |
| Whiting | 2 | 0.7% |
Why FDA refused seafood from Ecuador
FDA records a charge code on each refused line; one line can carry several.
| Charge code | Meaning | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| FILTHY | Filthy, putrid or decomposed substance | 188 | 57% |
| SALMONELLA | Salmonella | 51 | 15% |
| HISTAMINE | Histamine | 31 | 9% |
| NO PROCESS | No scheduled process filed | 14 | 4% |
| NEEDS FCE | Processor not registered for canned or acidified foods | 10 | 3% |
| LACKS FIRM | Manufacturer name and address missing | 9 | 3% |
| LABELING | Fair Packaging and Labeling Act | 8 | 2% |
| POISONORD | Poisonous or deleterious substance (ordinarily injurious) | 8 | 2% |
| INSANITARY | Prepared, packed or held under insanitary conditions | 6 | 2% |
| LACKS N/C | Net quantity statement missing | 5 | 2% |
Import alerts for seafood that list Ecuador firms
| Alert | Covers | Red | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 16-05 | Mahimahi from Ecuador and Taiwan: histamine, decomposition | 76 | |
| 16-81 | Seafood products: Salmonella | 14 | |
| 16-105 | Fish products: decomposition, histamine or indole | 10 | |
| 16-125 | Refrigerated raw fish in reduced oxygen packaging | 9 | |
| 16-120 | Seafood from processors not in compliance with HACCP | 8 | |
| 16-119 | Fish products from importer and processor combinations | 2 |
Ecuador seafood firms with the most FDA records
Counts are FDA records in SupplierRadar's data, not a ranking of quality.
| Firm | City | FDA records |
|---|---|---|
| Grupo Degfer Cia Ltda | Manta | 32 |
| Propemar S.A. | Montecristi | 25 |
| Expotuna S.A. | Guayaquil | 23 |
| Reypezpacific S.A. | Esmeraldas | 15 |
| Industrial Pesquera Santa Priscila S.A. | Guayaquil | 13 |
| Transcity S.A. | Guayaquil | 12 |
| Empacadora Coral del Pacifico EMCOPAC S.A. | Esmeraldas | 11 |
| Sociedad Nacional de Galapagos C.A. | Guayaquil | 10 |
| Chang Sheng SAS | Guayaquil | 10 |
| Frigolab San Mateo Cia. Ltda | Jaramigo | 9 |
Latest seafood refusals from Ecuador
| Date | Firm | Product | Charges | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gambas del PacificoGuayaquil, Ecuador | Shrimp & prawns | FILTHY | Source | |
| Expotuna S.A.Guayaquil, Ecuador | Shrimp & prawns | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Expotuna S.A.Guayaquil, Ecuador | Shrimp & prawns | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Expotuna S.A.Guayaquil, Ecuador | Shrimp & prawns | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Expotuna S.A.Guayaquil, Ecuador | Shrimp & prawns | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Expotuna S.A.Guayaquil, Ecuador | Shrimp & prawns | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Expotuna S.A.Guayaquil, Ecuador | Shrimp & prawns | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Expotuna S.A.Guayaquil, Ecuador | Shrimp & prawns | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Expotuna S.A.Guayaquil, Ecuador | Shrimp & prawns | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Expotuna S.A.Guayaquil, Ecuador | Shrimp & prawns | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Expotuna S.A.Guayaquil, Ecuador | Shrimp & prawns | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Expotuna S.A.Guayaquil, Ecuador | Shrimp & prawns | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Expotuna S.A.Guayaquil, Ecuador | Shrimp & prawns | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Expotuna S.A.Guayaquil, Ecuador | Shrimp & prawns | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Expotuna S.A.Guayaquil, Ecuador | Shrimp & prawns | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Industrial Pesquera Santa Priscila S.A. (Factory 2)Guayaquil, Ecuador | Shrimp and prawns, aquaculture harvested fishery/seafood products | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Industrial Pesquera Santa Priscila S.A. (Factory 2)Guayaquil, Ecuador | Shrimp and prawns, aquaculture harvested fishery/seafood products | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Verionica Lucia Vasquez LopezAmbato, Ecuador | Sardines (brisling, sprats, pilchards, etc.) | NEEDS FCENO PROCESS | Source | |
| Crimasa Criaderos De Mariscos S. A.Duran, Ecuador | Shrimp & prawns | VETDRUGRESNO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Expotuna S.A.Guayaquil, Ecuador | Shrimp & prawns | SALMONELLA | Source |
Questions about seafood refusals from Ecuador
- How many seafood shipments from Ecuador did FDA refuse in 2026?
- FDA refused 35 shipment lines of seafood from Ecuador in 2026 through September 3, 2026, compared with 23 in 2025.
- Why does FDA refuse seafood from Ecuador?
- FDA records a charge code on every refused shipment line. For seafood from Ecuador the most frequent are FILTHY (filthy, putrid or decomposed substance, 188 lines), SALMONELLA (Salmonella, 51 lines) and HISTAMINE (histamine, 31 lines). A charge describes what FDA's reference table says about one shipment line, not about every firm.
- Which import alerts cover seafood from Ecuador?
- As of October 26, 2026, the FDA import alerts for this category that list Ecuador firms are Import Alert 16-05 (76 firms), Import Alert 16-81 (14 firms), Import Alert 16-105 (10 firms) and Import Alert 16-125 (9 firms). General food alerts numbered 99-xx can list Ecuador firms too; see the country page.
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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.