FDA import refusals
FDA import refusals from Kenya
Food, dietary supplements and animal food · October 2016 to August 24, 2026 · how the data is collected
FDA refused 94 shipment lines from Kenya between October 2016 and August 2026, including 6 in 2026 through August 24, 2026; the most common charges were LACKS N/C, NUTRIT LBL and LIST INGRE, and the most refused category was nuts and seeds.
Data from FDA public records, last checked .
- 94
- refused shipment lines since October 2016
- 6
- refused so far in 2026
- 58
- Kenya firms with an FDA record
- 22
- firms on an active import alert
Refusals from Kenya 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) | 6 | |
| 2025 | 2 | -85% |
| 2024 | 13 | -43% |
| 2023 | 23 | -8% |
| 2022 | 25 | +400% |
| 2021 | 5 | +25% |
| 2020 | 4 | -20% |
| 2019 | 5 | 0% |
| 2018 | 5 | +25% |
| 2017 | 4 | |
| 2016 (from Oct) | 2 |
Why FDA refused Kenya shipment lines
FDA records a charge code on each refused line; one line can carry several. Each code opens FDA's official statement and the countries and products behind it.
| Charge code | Meaning | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| LACKS N/C | Net quantity statement missing | 49 | 26% |
| NUTRIT LBL | Nutrition information missing from label | 47 | 25% |
| LIST INGRE | Ingredients not listed | 25 | 14% |
| SALMONELLA | Salmonella | 22 | 12% |
| UNSAFE COL | Color additive unsafe under section 721 | 17 | 9% |
| FILTHY | Filthy, putrid or decomposed substance | 8 | 4% |
| UNAPPROVED | Unapproved new drug | 5 | 3% |
| COLOR LBLG | Artificial coloring not declared | 4 | 2% |
| INCONSPICU | Required information not conspicuous | 4 | 2% |
| USUAL NAME | Common or usual name missing | 4 | 2% |
What FDA refused from Kenya, by product category
FDA product categories, most refused first. Open a category for its product, charge and firm tables.
| Category | Most refused products | Lines |
|---|---|---|
| Nuts and seedsNuts and Edible Seeds | Macadamia, shelled; Mixed nuts, in shell, n.e.c.; Peanut, butter | 24 |
| SpicesSpices, Flavors, and Salts | Mixed spices and seasoning with salt, n.e.c.; Black cumin, ground, cracked spice; Mixed spice and seaonings, without salt, n.e.c. | 11 |
| Grains and starchWhole Grains, Milled Grain Products, and Starch | Wheat flour, plain; Flours and meals n.e.c.; Corn starch | 7 |
| Tropical and pit fruitFruit and Fruit Products (pit, subtropical and tropical fruits) | Plum, jam, jelly, preserves, marmalade, butter or candied; Mango, juice, milk, creme, drink or nectar, sub/tropical fruit; Mixed fruit, jam, jelly, preserves, marmalade, butter or candied, n.e.c. | 6 |
| Coffee and teaCoffee and Tea | Tea, black; Tea, green | 6 |
| SeafoodFishery/Seafood Products | Sardines (brisling, sprats, pilchards, etc.); Fish, n.e.c.; Mackerel (only scomberomorus spp eg. spanish or king) | 5 |
| Dressings and condimentsDressings and Condiments | Relish, vegetable based relish; Pepper sauce (hot, mild, etc.) | 5 |
| Bakery productsBakery Products, Doughs, Bakery Mixes, and Icings | Biscuits; Plain cookies,biscuits and wafers, n.e.c. | 4 |
| Candy and chewing gumCandy without Chocolate, Candy Specialties, and Chewing Gum | Candy without chocolate n.e.c.; Mint candy, hard, without nuts and fruit (without chocolate); Mint candy, soft, without nuts and fruit (without chocolate) | 4 |
| Vegetables (legumes and leafy)Vegetables and Vegetable Products (legumes, leaf and stem, fruit vegetables) | Pigeon peas; Blackeye peas, bean and pea sprouts | 3 |
| SweetenersFood Sweeteners (Nutritive) | Glucose and corn syrup; Honey | 3 |
| Berries and citrusFruit and Fruit Products (berries, citrus and core fruits) | Orange, jam, jelly, preserves, marmalade, butter and candied; Strawberry, jam, jelly, preserves, marmalade, butter and candied | 2 |
| Root vegetables and mushroomsVegetables and Vegetable Products (root and tuber vegetables, fungi) | Ginger root, juice or drink | 2 |
| Vegetable oilsVegetable Oils (Includes Olive Oil) | Oleomargarine; Olive oil with other vegetable oils, refined | 2 |
| Dietary supplementsVitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Unconventional Dietary Specialties | Vitamin, mineral, proteins and unconventional dietary specialities for humans and animals, n.e.c.; Vitamin, n.e.c. | 2 |
| Cereals and breakfast foodsCereal Preparations, Breakfast Foods | Wheat flakes,puffs,krispies,loops,shredded,wheat germ ready to eat | 1 |
| Snack foodsSnack Food Items | Snack foods not elsewhere mentioned, n.e.c. | 1 |
| Milk and butterMilk, Butter, and Dried Milk Products | Butter oil | 1 |
| Chocolate and cocoaChocolate and Cocoa Products | Chocolate and cocoa beverage base, n.e.c. | 1 |
| Sauces and prepared mealsMultiple Food Dinners, Gravies, Sauces, and Specialties | Chili sauce | 1 |
| SoupsSoups | Dried soup, n.e.c. | 1 |
| Baby foodBaby (Infant and Junior) Food Products | Other formula products, n.e.c., ready to feed | 1 |
| Pet foodPet and Laboratory Animal Foods | Pizzles, beef, pet chews (non-nutritive) | 1 |
Most refused products from Kenya
FDA's product descriptions on the refused lines, grouped case-insensitively.
| Product | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Macadamia, shelled | 22 | 23.4% |
| Mixed spices and seasoning with salt, n.e.c. | 7 | 7.4% |
| Tea, black | 5 | 5.3% |
| Relish, vegetable based relish | 4 | 4.3% |
| Biscuits | 3 | 3.2% |
| Wheat flour, plain | 3 | 3.2% |
| Flours and meals n.e.c. | 2 | 2.1% |
| Ginger root, juice or drink | 2 | 2.1% |
| Glucose and corn syrup | 2 | 2.1% |
| Pigeon peas | 2 | 2.1% |
FDA import alerts that list Kenya firms
8 alerts list at least one firm in Kenya: 22 firms on a red list, 22 firms on any list.
| Alert | Covers | Red | Green |
|---|---|---|---|
| 45-02 | Foods with illegal or undeclared colors | 7 | |
| 99-19 | Food products: Salmonella | 5 | |
| 99-08 | Processed human and animal foods: pesticides | 3 | |
| 16-74 | Uneviscerated salt-cured, dried, smoked or fermented fish | 2 | |
| 71-04 | Animal food: Salmonella | 2 | |
| 16-119 | Fish products from importer and processor combinations | 1 | |
| 99-36 | Low-acid canned/acidified foods: process information | 1 | |
| 99-39 | Imported foods that appear to be misbranded | 1 |
Kenya firms with the most FDA records
Counts are FDA records in SupplierRadar's data (refusals, import alert listings and other events), not a ranking of quality.
| Firm | City | FDA records |
|---|---|---|
| Premier Foods Limited | Ruaraka | 17 |
| Jungle Macs (EPZ) | Thika | 12 |
| Unga Limited | Nairobi | 5 |
| One Acre Fund - Kenya | Nairobi | 4 |
| Tropical Heat Ltd. | Nairobi | 2 |
| Trufoods Limited | Nairobi | 2 |
| Spice World Limited | Nairobi | 2 |
| Kenya Sweets Ltd | Nairobi | 1 |
| Unilever Kenya Ltd | Nairobi | 1 |
| Sagana Nuts | Sagana | 1 |
Latest refusals from Kenya
The 20 most recent refused lines, each with its FDA source.
| Date | Firm | Product | Charges | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MydawaNairobi, Kenya | Vitamin, n.e.c | NOT LISTEDUNAPPROVED | Source | |
| Nestle Kenya LtdNairobinairobi, Kenya | Chocolate and cocoa beverage base, n.e.c | LACKS N/CNUTRIT LBL | Source | |
| Insta Products (Epz) LtdAthi River, Kenya | Peanut, butter | LIST INGRESTD IDENT | Source | |
| One Acre Fund - KenyaNairobi, Kenya | Macadamia, shelled | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Qazi & Omer Brothers LimitedMombasa, Kenya | Fish, n.e.c | LACKS FIRMLACKS N/CLABELING+1 | Source | |
| One Acre Fund - KenyaNairobi, Kenya | Macadamia, shelled | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| One Acre Fund - KenyaNairobi, Kenya | Macadamia, shelled | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| One Acre Fund - KenyaNairobi, Kenya | Macadamia, shelled | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| North Star Global Solutions LimiNairobi, Kenya | Pizzles, beef, pet chews (non-nutritive) | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Amidzi Nuts and SeedsNairobi, Kenya | Olive oil with other vegetable oils, refined | ADDDRUGBIO | Source | |
| Zutan FoodsNairobi, Kenya | Candy without chocolate n.e.c | ADDDRUGBIO | Source | |
| Amidzi Nuts and SeedsNairobi, Kenya | Mixed nuts, in shell, n.e.c | ADDDRUGBIO | Source | |
| MydawaNairobi, Kenya | Vitamin, mineral, proteins and unconventional dietary specialities for humans and animals, n.e.c | UNAPPROVED | Source | |
| Premier Foods LimitedRuaraka, Kenya | Plum, jam, jelly, preserves, marmalade, butter or candied | UNSAFE COLLACKS N/CNUTRIT LBL | Source | |
| Premier Foods LimitedRuaraka, Kenya | Strawberry, jam, jelly, preserves, marmalade, butter and candied | UNSAFE COLLACKS N/CNUTRIT LBL | Source | |
| Premier Foods LimitedRuaraka, Kenya | Relish, vegetable based relish | UNSAFE COLLIST INGRELACKS N/C+1 | Source | |
| Premier Foods LimitedRuaraka, Kenya | Pepper sauce (hot, mild, etc.) | UNSAFE COLLACKS N/CNUTRIT LBL | Source | |
| Premier Foods LimitedRuaraka, Kenya | Relish, vegetable based relish | UNSAFE COLLIST INGRELACKS N/C+1 | Source | |
| Premier Foods LimitedRuaraka, Kenya | Relish, vegetable based relish | UNSAFE COLLIST INGRELACKS N/C+1 | Source | |
| Premier Foods LimitedRuaraka, Kenya | Relish, vegetable based relish | LIST INGRELACKS N/CNUTRIT LBL | Source |
Questions about FDA refusals from Kenya
- How many Kenya shipments did FDA refuse in 2026?
- FDA refused 6 shipment lines from Kenya in 2026 through August 24, 2026, compared with 2 in 2025 (a full year).
- Why does FDA refuse food from Kenya?
- FDA records a charge code on every refused shipment line. For Kenya the most frequent are LACKS N/C (net quantity statement missing, 49 lines), NUTRIT LBL (nutrition information missing from label, 47 lines) and LIST INGRE (ingredients not listed, 25 lines). A charge describes what FDA's reference table says about one shipment line; it is not a finding about every firm in the country.
- Which Kenya firms have the most FDA refusals?
- In SupplierRadar's records the Kenya firms with the most FDA records (refusals, import alert listings and other events) are Premier Foods Limited (Ruaraka) with 17 records, Jungle Macs (EPZ) (Thika) with 12 records and Unga Limited (Nairobi) with 5 records. Each firm's page lists every record with its FDA source.
- Which FDA import alerts list Kenya firms?
- As of October 26, 2026, 8 FDA import alerts list at least one firm in Kenya. The alerts with the most Kenya listings are Import Alert 45-02 (7 firms), Import Alert 99-19 (5 firms) and Import Alert 99-08 (3 firms).
- How many Kenya firms are on an FDA import alert red list?
- As of October 26, 2026, 22 Kenya firms are on the red list of at least one FDA import alert in SupplierRadar's records, and 22 firms are on any list.
All Kenya suppliers with FDA records (23)
Every Kenya firm in SupplierRadar's data with an active import alert, a warning letter or at least five FDA records, most recently active first. Each name opens the firm's FDA record history.
- One Acre Fund - KenyaNairobi
- North Star Global Solutions LimiNairobi
- Northstar Global SolutionsMachakos
- Premier Foods LimitedRuaraka
- Spice World LimitedNairobi
- FEYZO LimitedMlolongo
- Unilever Kenya LtdNairobi
- Jungle Macs (EPZ)Thika
- Kevefein AgenciesNairobi
- Margaret MongareNairobi
- Mars Wrigley Confectionery Kenya, LTD.Nairobi
- Trufoods LimitedNairobi
- Unga LimitedNairobi
- Tropical Heat Ltd.Nairobi
- Kenya Sweets LtdNairobi
- Sagana NutsSagana
- Unilever KenyaNairobi
- Deepa Industries LtdNairobi
- Ideal FarmNairobi
- Pisu & CompanyNairobi
- Et Cetera LimitedNairobi
- Keat Ventures Ltd.Nairobi
- Wrigley Company (East Africa) LimitedNairobi
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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.