FDA import refusals
FDA import refusals: spices from Ethiopia
FDA category: Spices, Flavors, and Salts · October 2016 to April 17, 2026
FDA refused 17 spices shipment lines from Ethiopia between October 2016 and April 17, 2026, 1 of them in 2026; the most refused products were spices and seasoning and spices, most often for NUTRIT LBL (nutrition information missing from label).
Data from FDA public records, last checked .
- 17
- spices lines refused since October 2016
- 1
- refused so far in 2026
- 5
- firms with the most records, listed below
Spices refusals from Ethiopia 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) | 1 | |
| 2025 | 2 | |
| 2023 | 1 | 0% |
| 2022 | 1 | -50% |
| 2021 | 2 | |
| 2019 | 1 | -86% |
| 2018 | 7 | +250% |
| 2017 | 2 |
Spices and seasoning refusals from Ethiopia
FDA refused 5 spices and seasoning lines from Ethiopia between October 2016 and April 17, 2026, 29% of the spices lines.
| FDA product description | Lines | Share of spices |
|---|---|---|
| Spices and seasoning, ground, cracked, with salt, n.e.c. | 5 | 29.4% |
Recent spices and seasoning refusals
| Date | Firm | Product | Charges | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mesaf Trading PLCAdis Abeba, Ethiopia | Spices and seasoning, ground, cracked, with salt, n.e.c | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Mesaf Trading PLCAdis Abeba, Ethiopia | Spices and seasoning, ground, cracked, with salt, n.e.c | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Mesaf Trading PLCAdis Abeba, Ethiopia | Spices and seasoning, ground, cracked, with salt, n.e.c | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Mesaf Trading PLCAdis Abeba, Ethiopia | Spices and seasoning, ground, cracked, with salt, n.e.c | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Netsanet ExporterAdis Abeba, Ethiopia | Spices and seasoning, ground, cracked, with salt, n.e.c | FILTHYLACKS N/CSALMONELLA | Source |
Spices refusals from Ethiopia
FDA refused 5 spices lines from Ethiopia between October 2016 and April 17, 2026, 29% of the spices lines.
| FDA product description | Lines | Share of spices |
|---|---|---|
| Spices, ground, cracked, etc., n.e.c. | 5 | 29.4% |
Recent spices refusals
| Date | Firm | Product | Charges | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| kiflom hailu exportJeno Umera, Ethiopia | Spices, ground, cracked, etc., n.e.c | INCONSPICUNUTRIT LBL | Source | |
| kiflom hailu exportJeno Umera, Ethiopia | Spices, ground, cracked, etc., n.e.c | INCONSPICUNUTRIT LBL | Source | |
| kiflom hailu exportJeno Umera, Ethiopia | Spices, ground, cracked, etc., n.e.c | INCONSPICUNUTRIT LBL | Source | |
| kiflom hailu exportJeno Umera, Ethiopia | Spices, ground, cracked, etc., n.e.c | INCONSPICU | Source | |
| kiflom hailu exportJeno Umera, Ethiopia | Spices, ground, cracked, etc., n.e.c | INCONSPICU | Source |
Mixed spice and seasonings refusals from Ethiopia
FDA refused 4 mixed spice and seasonings lines from Ethiopia between October 2016 and April 17, 2026, 24% of the spices lines.
| FDA product description | Lines | Share of spices |
|---|---|---|
| Mixed spice and seasonings, ground, cracked, without salt, n.e.c. | 4 | 23.5% |
Recent mixed spice and seasonings refusals
| Date | Firm | Product | Charges | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gerezgher Amare DestaAddis Ababa, Ethiopia | Mixed spice and seasonings, ground, cracked, without salt, n.e.c | FALSENO ENGLISHUSUAL NAME+1 | Source | |
| Gerezgher Amare DestaAddis Ababa, Ethiopia | Mixed spice and seasonings, ground, cracked, without salt, n.e.c | FALSENO ENGLISHUSUAL NAME+1 | Source | |
| Netsanet ExporterAdis Abeba, Ethiopia | Mixed spice and seasonings, ground, cracked, without salt, n.e.c | LACKS FIRMLACKS N/CNUTRIT LBL | Source | |
| Seide Mohamed Alamen ExporterADDIS ABABABA, Ethiopia | Mixed spice and seasonings, ground, cracked, without salt, n.e.c | LIST INGRELACKS FIRMLACKS N/C+1 | Source |
Other spices products refused from Ethiopia
| Product group | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Pepper | 2 | 11.8% |
| Capsicums | 1 | 5.9% |
Why FDA refused spices from Ethiopia
FDA records a charge code on each refused line; one line can carry several.
| Charge code | Meaning | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| NUTRIT LBL | Nutrition information missing from label | 7 | 18% |
| SALMONELLA | Salmonella | 6 | 16% |
| INCONSPICU | Required information not conspicuous | 5 | 13% |
| LACKS N/C | Net quantity statement missing | 4 | 11% |
| USUAL NAME | Common or usual name missing | 4 | 11% |
| LACKS FIRM | Manufacturer name and address missing | 3 | 8% |
| NO ENGLISH | Required label information not in English | 3 | 8% |
| FALSE | False or misleading labeling | 2 | 5% |
| FILTHY | Filthy, putrid or decomposed substance | 2 | 5% |
| LIST INGRE | Ingredients not listed | 2 | 5% |
Ethiopia spices firms with the most FDA records
Counts are FDA records in SupplierRadar's data, not a ranking of quality.
| Firm | City | FDA records |
|---|---|---|
| kiflom hailu export | Jeno Umera | 6 |
| Mesaf Trading PLC | Adis Abeba | 4 |
| Netsanet Exporter | Adis Abeba | 3 |
| Seide Mohamed Alamen Exporter | ADDIS ABABABA | 2 |
| Gerezgher Amare Desta | Addis Ababa | 2 |
Latest spices refusals from Ethiopia
| Date | Firm | Product | Charges | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Netsanet ExporterAdis Abeba, Ethiopia | Pepper, pink | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Gerezgher Amare DestaAddis Ababa, Ethiopia | Mixed spice and seasonings, ground, cracked, without salt, n.e.c | FALSENO ENGLISHUSUAL NAME+1 | Source | |
| Gerezgher Amare DestaAddis Ababa, Ethiopia | Mixed spice and seasonings, ground, cracked, without salt, n.e.c | FALSENO ENGLISHUSUAL NAME+1 | Source | |
| Mesaf Trading PLCAdis Abeba, Ethiopia | Spices and seasoning, ground, cracked, with salt, n.e.c | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Mesaf Trading PLCAdis Abeba, Ethiopia | Spices and seasoning, ground, cracked, with salt, n.e.c | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Mesaf Trading PLCAdis Abeba, Ethiopia | Spices and seasoning, ground, cracked, with salt, n.e.c | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Mesaf Trading PLCAdis Abeba, Ethiopia | Spices and seasoning, ground, cracked, with salt, n.e.c | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Netsanet ExporterAdis Abeba, Ethiopia | Mixed spice and seasonings, ground, cracked, without salt, n.e.c | LACKS FIRMLACKS N/CNUTRIT LBL | Source | |
| Netsanet ExporterAdis Abeba, Ethiopia | Spices and seasoning, ground, cracked, with salt, n.e.c | FILTHYLACKS N/CSALMONELLA | Source | |
| kiflom hailu exportJeno Umera, Ethiopia | Spices, ground, cracked, etc., n.e.c | INCONSPICUNUTRIT LBL | Source | |
| kiflom hailu exportJeno Umera, Ethiopia | Spices, ground, cracked, etc., n.e.c | INCONSPICUNUTRIT LBL | Source | |
| kiflom hailu exportJeno Umera, Ethiopia | Spices, ground, cracked, etc., n.e.c | INCONSPICUNUTRIT LBL | Source | |
| kiflom hailu exportJeno Umera, Ethiopia | Spices, ground, cracked, etc., n.e.c | INCONSPICU | Source | |
| kiflom hailu exportJeno Umera, Ethiopia | Pepper, mixed, ground, cracked (spice) | FILTHYNO ENGLISHNUTRIT LBL | Source | |
| kiflom hailu exportJeno Umera, Ethiopia | Spices, ground, cracked, etc., n.e.c | INCONSPICU | Source | |
| Seide Mohamed Alamen ExporterADDIS ABABABA, Ethiopia | Capsicums (cayenne chili, hot peppers), ground, cracked (spice) | LIST INGRELACKS FIRMLACKS N/C+1 | Source | |
| Seide Mohamed Alamen ExporterADDIS ABABABA, Ethiopia | Mixed spice and seasonings, ground, cracked, without salt, n.e.c | LIST INGRELACKS FIRMLACKS N/C+1 | Source |
Questions about spices refusals from Ethiopia
- How many spices shipments from Ethiopia did FDA refuse in 2026?
- FDA refused 1 shipment line of spices from Ethiopia in 2026 through April 17, 2026, compared with 2 in 2025.
- Why does FDA refuse spices from Ethiopia?
- FDA records a charge code on every refused shipment line. For spices from Ethiopia the most frequent are NUTRIT LBL (nutrition information missing from label, 7 lines), SALMONELLA (Salmonella, 6 lines) and INCONSPICU (required information not conspicuous, 5 lines). A charge describes what FDA's reference table says about one shipment line, not about every firm.
- Which import alerts cover spices from Ethiopia?
- As of October 25, 2026, no import alert numbered under this category lists a firm in Ethiopia in SupplierRadar's records. General food alerts numbered 99-xx can still list Ethiopia firms; 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.