FDA import refusals
FDA import refusals: chocolate and cocoa from Japan
FDA category: Chocolate and Cocoa Products · October 2016 to July 15, 2024
FDA refused 25 chocolate and cocoa shipment lines from Japan between October 2016 and July 15, 2024, 1 of them in 2024; the most refused products were chocolate candy bar and chocolate candy pieces, most often for NO ENGLISH (required label information not in English).
Data from FDA public records, last checked .
- 25
- chocolate and cocoa lines refused since October 2016
- 1
- refused so far in 2024
- 10
- firms with the most records, listed below
Chocolate and cocoa refusals from Japan by year
Shipment lines FDA refused each year. The table has the same numbers as the chart.
| Year | Refusal lines | vs prior year |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 1 | |
| 2022 | 2 | +100% |
| 2021 | 1 | |
| 2019 | 6 | -14% |
| 2018 | 7 | -12% |
| 2017 | 8 |
Chocolate candy bar refusals from Japan
FDA refused 7 chocolate candy bar lines from Japan between October 2016 and July 15, 2024, 28% of the chocolate and cocoa lines.
| FDA product description | Lines | Share of chocolate and cocoa |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate candy bar, without nuts and fruit | 6 | 24.0% |
| Chocolate candy bar, with nuts and fruit | 1 | 4.0% |
Recent chocolate candy bar refusals
| Date | Firm | Product | Charges | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otafuku Co.Hiroshima, Japan | Chocolate candy bar, without nuts and fruit | LACKS FIRMLACKS N/CNO ENGLISH+2 | Source | |
| Nestle Japan LimitedKobe, Japan | Chocolate candy bar, with nuts and fruit | NO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Nestle Japan LimitedKobe, Japan | Chocolate candy bar, without nuts and fruit | NO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Nestle Japan LimitedKobe, Japan | Chocolate candy bar, without nuts and fruit | NO ENGLISH | Source |
Chocolate candy pieces refusals from Japan
FDA refused 7 chocolate candy pieces lines from Japan between October 2016 and July 15, 2024, 28% of the chocolate and cocoa lines.
| FDA product description | Lines | Share of chocolate and cocoa |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate candy pieces, without nuts and fruit | 5 | 20.0% |
| Chocolate candy pieces, with fruit and fruit products | 2 | 8.0% |
Recent chocolate candy pieces refusals
| Date | Firm | Product | Charges | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nestle Japan Inc Kasumigaura FacInashiki, Japan | Chocolate candy pieces, without nuts and fruit | NO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Nestle Japan Inc Kasumigaura FacInashiki, Japan | Chocolate candy pieces, without nuts and fruit | NO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Ezaki GlicoOsaka, Japan | Chocolate candy pieces, without nuts and fruit | NO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Donan Foods Co., Ltd.Hakodate, Japan | Chocolate candy pieces, with fruit and fruit products | NO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Kaseishishi CorporationHokkaido Chitose, Japan | Chocolate candy pieces, without nuts and fruit | NO ENGLISH | Source |
Chocolate bars refusals from Japan
FDA refused 3 chocolate bars lines from Japan between October 2016 and July 15, 2024, 12% of the chocolate and cocoa lines.
| FDA product description | Lines | Share of chocolate and cocoa |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate bars | 3 | 12.0% |
Recent chocolate bars refusals
| Date | Firm | Product | Charges | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nestle Japan LimitedKobe, Japan | Chocolate bars | NO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Royce' ConfectIshikari-Gun, Japan | Chocolate bars | NO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Nestle Japan LimitedKobe, Japan | Chocolate bars | NO ENGLISH | Source |
Other chocolate and cocoa products refused from Japan
| Product group | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Chocolate and cocoa products | 2 | 8.0% |
| White chocolate chunks | 2 | 8.0% |
| Chocolate marshmallows | 1 | 4.0% |
| Flavored chocolate bars | 1 | 4.0% |
| Imitation chocolate and cocoa beverage base | 1 | 4.0% |
Why FDA refused chocolate and cocoa from Japan
FDA records a charge code on each refused line; one line can carry several.
| Charge code | Meaning | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| NO ENGLISH | Required label information not in English | 25 | 78% |
| NUTRIT LBL | Nutrition information missing from label | 4 | 13% |
| LABELING | Fair Packaging and Labeling Act | 1 | 3% |
| LACKS FIRM | Manufacturer name and address missing | 1 | 3% |
| LACKS N/C | Net quantity statement missing | 1 | 3% |
Import alerts for chocolate and cocoa that list Japan firms
| Alert | Covers | Red | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 34-02 | Confectionery with non-nutritive components | 3 |
Japan chocolate and cocoa firms with the most FDA records
Counts are FDA records in SupplierRadar's data, not a ranking of quality.
| Firm | City | FDA records |
|---|---|---|
| Nestle Japan Limited | Kobe | 6 |
| Ishiya Seika Co., Ltd. | Sapporo | 3 |
| Junko Co.,Ltd | Minato | 3 |
| Ezaki Glico | Osaka | 2 |
| Ito En, Ltd. | Shibuya | 2 |
| Nestle Japan Inc Kasumigaura Fac | Inashiki | 2 |
| Otafuku Co. | Hiroshima | 1 |
| EIWA Confectionery Co., Ltd. | Azumino | 1 |
| Donan Foods Co., Ltd. | Hakodate | 1 |
| Ishiya Co Ltd | Sopporo | 1 |
Latest chocolate and cocoa refusals from Japan
| Date | Firm | Product | Charges | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| EIWA Confectionery Co., Ltd.Azumino, Japan | Chocolate marshmallows, without nuts and fruit | NO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Nestle Japan Inc Kasumigaura FacInashiki, Japan | Chocolate candy pieces, without nuts and fruit | NO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Nestle Japan Inc Kasumigaura FacInashiki, Japan | Chocolate candy pieces, without nuts and fruit | NO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Otafuku Co.Hiroshima, Japan | Chocolate candy bar, without nuts and fruit | LACKS FIRMLACKS N/CNO ENGLISH+2 | Source | |
| Ezaki GlicoOsaka, Japan | Chocolate candy pieces, without nuts and fruit | NO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Donan Foods Co., Ltd.Hakodate, Japan | Chocolate candy pieces, with fruit and fruit products | NO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Kaseishishi CorporationHokkaido Chitose, Japan | Chocolate candy pieces, without nuts and fruit | NO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Ishiya Co LtdSopporo, Japan | Imitation chocolate and cocoa beverage base | NO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Saison FactoryHigashiokitama-Gun, Japan | Chocolate candy pieces, with fruit and fruit products | NO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Ezaki GlicoOsaka, Japan | Chocolate candy pieces, without nuts and fruit | NO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Nestle Japan LimitedKobe, Japan | Chocolate bars | NO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Ishiya Seika Co., Ltd.Sapporo, Japan | White chocolate bars | NO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Nestle Japan LimitedKobe, Japan | Chocolate candy bar, with nuts and fruit | NO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Ishiya Seika Co., Ltd.Sapporo, Japan | White chocolate chunks | NO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Nestle Japan LimitedKobe, Japan | Chocolate candy bar, without nuts and fruit | NO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Ishiya Seika Co., Ltd.Sapporo, Japan | White chocolate chunks | NO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Nestle Japan LimitedKobe, Japan | Chocolate candy bar, without nuts and fruit | NO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Royce' ConfectIshikari-Gun, Japan | Chocolate bars | NO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Nestle Japan LimitedKobe, Japan | Chocolate bars | NO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Nestle Japan LimitedKobe, Japan | Chocolate and cocoa products, n.e.c | NO ENGLISH | Source |
Questions about chocolate and cocoa refusals from Japan
- How many chocolate and cocoa shipments from Japan did FDA refuse in 2024?
- FDA refused 1 shipment line of chocolate and cocoa from Japan in 2024 through July 15, 2024.
- Why does FDA refuse chocolate and cocoa from Japan?
- FDA records a charge code on every refused shipment line. For chocolate and cocoa from Japan the most frequent are NO ENGLISH (required label information not in English, 25 lines), NUTRIT LBL (nutrition information missing from label, 4 lines) and LABELING (Fair Packaging and Labeling Act, 1 line). A charge describes what FDA's reference table says about one shipment line, not about every firm.
- Which import alerts cover chocolate and cocoa from Japan?
- As of October 25, 2026, the FDA import alerts for this category that list Japan firms are Import Alert 34-02 (3 firms). General food alerts numbered 99-xx can list Japan firms too; see the country page.
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