FDA import refusals
FDA import refusals: snack foods from Mexico
FDA category: Snack Food Items · October 2016 to September 17, 2026
FDA refused 3,958 snack foods shipment lines from Mexico between October 2016 and September 17, 2026, 377 of them in 2026; the most refused products were corn chips and potato chips, most often for UNSAFE COL (color additive unsafe under section 721).
Data from FDA public records, last checked .
- 3,958
- snack foods lines refused since October 2016
- 377
- refused so far in 2026
- 10
- firms with the most records, listed below
Snack foods refusals from Mexico 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) | 377 | |
| 2025 | 854 | +405% |
| 2024 | 169 | -51% |
| 2023 | 348 | -76% |
| 2022 | 1,425 | +572% |
| 2021 | 212 | +130% |
| 2020 | 92 | -13% |
| 2019 | 106 | -39% |
| 2018 | 174 | +8% |
| 2017 | 161 | |
| 2016 (from Oct) | 40 |
Corn chips refusals from Mexico
FDA refused 2,833 corn chips lines from Mexico between October 2016 and September 17, 2026, 72% of the snack foods lines.
| FDA product description | Lines | Share of snack foods |
|---|---|---|
| Corn chips, fried | 2,745 | 69.4% |
| Corn chips, baked | 88 | 2.2% |
Recent corn chips refusals
| Date | Firm | Product | Charges | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sabritas Planta CelayaCelaya, Mexico | Corn chips, fried | UNSAFE COLCOLOR LBLG | Source | |
| Sabritas Planta CelayaCelaya, Mexico | Corn chips, fried | UNSAFE COLCOLOR LBLG | Source | |
| Sabritas Planta CelayaCelaya, Mexico | Corn chips, fried | UNSAFE COLCOLOR LBLG | Source | |
| Barcel, S.A. de C.VPueblo Infonavit Lerma, Mexico | Corn chips, fried | UNSAFE COLCOLOR LBLG | Source | |
| Sabritas S. de R.L. de C.V. , Planta ABCCiudad De Mexico, Mexico | Corn chips, fried | UNSAFE COLLIST INGREINCONSPICU+4 | Source |
Potato chips refusals from Mexico
FDA refused 544 potato chips lines from Mexico between October 2016 and September 17, 2026, 14% of the snack foods lines.
| FDA product description | Lines | Share of snack foods |
|---|---|---|
| Potato chips,fried | 544 | 13.7% |
Recent potato chips refusals
| Date | Firm | Product | Charges | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sabritas Planta CelayaCelaya, Mexico | Potato chips,fried | UNSAFE COLCOLOR LBLG | Source | |
| Sabritas Planta CelayaCelaya, Mexico | Potato chips,fried | UNSAFE COLLIST INGREINCONSPICU+4 | Source | |
| Sabritas Planta CelayaCelaya, Mexico | Potato chips,fried | UNSAFE COLLIST INGREINCONSPICU+4 | Source | |
| Sabritas Planta CelayaCelaya, Mexico | Potato chips,fried | UNSAFE COLLIST INGREINCONSPICU+4 | Source | |
| Sabritas Planta CelayaCelaya, Mexico | Potato chips,fried | UNSAFE COLLIST INGREINCONSPICU+4 | Source |
Cheese puffs refusals from Mexico
FDA refused 398 cheese puffs lines from Mexico between October 2016 and September 17, 2026, 10% of the snack foods lines.
| FDA product description | Lines | Share of snack foods |
|---|---|---|
| Cheese puffs, fired | 398 | 10.1% |
Other snack foods products refused from Mexico
| Product group | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Snack foods not elsewhere mentioned | 66 | 1.7% |
| Fried snack foods | 53 | 1.3% |
| Wheat grain snack | 27 | 0.7% |
| Potato snacks | 11 | 0.3% |
| Baked snack food | 6 | 0.2% |
| Corn starch snacks | 3 | 0.1% |
Why FDA refused snack foods from Mexico
FDA records a charge code on each refused line; one line can carry several.
| Charge code | Meaning | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|---|
| UNSAFE COL | Color additive unsafe under section 721 | 3,523 | 35% |
| COLOR LBLG | Artificial coloring not declared | 3,138 | 31% |
| NO ENGLISH | Required label information not in English | 1,616 | 16% |
| NUTRIT LBL | Nutrition information missing from label | 610 | 6% |
| LIST INGRE | Ingredients not listed | 328 | 3% |
| INCONSPICU | Required information not conspicuous | 285 | 3% |
| FALSE | False or misleading labeling | 208 | 2% |
| USUAL NAME | Common or usual name missing | 141 | 1% |
| LABELING | Fair Packaging and Labeling Act | 133 | 1% |
| LACKS N/C | Net quantity statement missing | 68 | 1% |
Mexico snack foods firms with the most FDA records
Counts are FDA records in SupplierRadar's data, not a ranking of quality.
| Firm | City | FDA records |
|---|---|---|
| Comercializadora Pepsico | Ciudad De Mexico | 1,889 |
| Comercializadora Pepsico Mexico, | Ciudad De Mexico | 667 |
| Sabritas Planta Celaya | Celaya | 365 |
| Fabrica Pepsico Mexicali S de RL de CV Planta Mexicali II | Mexicali | 285 |
| Barcel, S.A. de C.V | Pueblo Infonavit Lerma | 157 |
| Sabritas S.A. de C.V. | Saltillo | 85 |
| Sabritas S. de R.L. de C.V. Planta Saltillo | Saltillo | 73 |
| Sabritas S. de R.L. de C.V. , Planta ABC | Ciudad De Mexico | 61 |
| Comercializadora Pepsico S de Rlde CV | Ciudad Obregon | 58 |
| SABRITAS, S.de R.L. de C.V. | Ciudad De Mexico | 47 |
Latest snack foods refusals from Mexico
Questions about snack foods refusals from Mexico
- How many snack foods shipments from Mexico did FDA refuse in 2026?
- FDA refused 377 shipment lines of snack foods from Mexico in 2026 through September 17, 2026, compared with 854 in 2025.
- Why does FDA refuse snack foods from Mexico?
- FDA records a charge code on every refused shipment line. For snack foods from Mexico the most frequent are UNSAFE COL (color additive unsafe under section 721, 3,523 lines), COLOR LBLG (artificial coloring not declared, 3,138 lines) and NO ENGLISH (required label information not in English, 1,616 lines). A charge describes what FDA's reference table says about one shipment line, not about every firm.
- Which import alerts cover snack foods from Mexico?
- As of October 26, 2026, no import alert numbered under this category lists a firm in Mexico in SupplierRadar's records. General food alerts numbered 99-xx can still list Mexico 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.