FDA import refusals
FDA import refusals: spices from Spain
FDA category: Spices, Flavors, and Salts · October 2016 to May 30, 2025
FDA refused 131 spices shipment lines from Spain between October 2016 and May 30, 2025, 3 of them in 2025; the most refused products were saffron and pepper, most often for FILTHY (filthy, putrid or decomposed substance).
Data from FDA public records, last checked .
- 131
- spices lines refused since October 2016
- 3
- refused so far in 2025
- 10
- firms with the most records, listed below
Spices refusals from Spain by year
Shipment lines FDA refused each year. The table has the same numbers as the chart.
| Year | Refusal lines | vs prior year |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3 | -92% |
| 2024 | 36 | +13% |
| 2023 | 32 | +167% |
| 2022 | 12 | -54% |
| 2021 | 26 | +225% |
| 2020 | 8 | |
| 2017 | 7 | |
| 2016 (from Oct) | 7 |
Saffron refusals from Spain
FDA refused 75 saffron lines from Spain between October 2016 and May 30, 2025, 57% of the spices lines.
| FDA product description | Lines | Share of spices |
|---|---|---|
| Saffron, whole (spice) | 65 | 49.6% |
| Saffron, natural extract or flavor (spice) | 8 | 6.1% |
| Saffron, ground, cracked (spice) | 2 | 1.5% |
Recent saffron refusals
| Date | Firm | Product | Charges | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altaj Saffron Co S.L.Albacete, Spain | Saffron, natural extract or flavor (spice) | UNSAFE COLCOLOR LBLG | Source | |
| Altaj Saffron Co S.L.Albacete, Spain | Saffron, natural extract or flavor (spice) | UNSAFE COLCOLOR LBLG | Source | |
| Altaj Saffron, S.L.Albacete, Spain | Saffron, natural extract or flavor (spice) | COLOR LBLGNO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Manuel Romero De Avila Ramirez S.A.Albacete, Spain | Saffron, natural extract or flavor (spice) | OMITTED | Source | |
| The Harvest Of Saffron, S.L.La Solana, Spain | Saffron, ground, cracked (spice) | SUBSTITUTEOMITTED | Source |
Pepper refusals from Spain
FDA refused 18 pepper lines from Spain between October 2016 and May 30, 2025, 14% of the spices lines.
| FDA product description | Lines | Share of spices |
|---|---|---|
| Pepper,black, whole (spice) | 18 | 13.7% |
Paprika refusals from Spain
FDA refused 6 paprika lines from Spain between October 2016 and May 30, 2025, 5% of the spices lines.
| FDA product description | Lines | Share of spices |
|---|---|---|
| Paprika, ground, cracked (spice) | 4 | 3.1% |
| Paprika, natural extract or flavor (spice) | 2 | 1.5% |
Other spices products refused from Spain
| Product group | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Capers | 4 | 3.1% |
| Coriander | 4 | 3.1% |
| Garlic | 3 | 2.3% |
| Spices | 3 | 2.3% |
Why FDA refused spices from Spain
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 | 40 | 28% |
| SALMONELLA | Salmonella | 27 | 19% |
| OMITTED | Appears that a valuable constituent of the article has been in whole or in part omitted or abstracted from… | 25 | 17% |
| NUTRIT LBL | Nutrition information missing from label | 12 | 8% |
| UNSAFE COL | Color additive unsafe under section 721 | 11 | 8% |
| NO PROCESS | No scheduled process filed | 7 | 5% |
| USUAL NAME | Common or usual name missing | 7 | 5% |
| ALLERGEN | Major food allergen not declared | 5 | 3% |
| LIST INGRE | Ingredients not listed | 5 | 3% |
| COLOR LBLG | Artificial coloring not declared | 4 | 3% |
Spain spices firms with the most FDA records
Counts are FDA records in SupplierRadar's data, not a ranking of quality.
| Firm | City | FDA records |
|---|---|---|
| Jesus Navarro S.A. | Novelda | 19 |
| Verdu Canto Saffron Spain, S.L. | Novelda | 18 |
| The Harvest Of Saffron, S.L. | La Solana | 14 |
| La Casa de los Aromas S.L. | Novelda | 13 |
| Sucesores de Blas Palomares SL | Novelda | 9 |
| Alcaparras Luxeapers SLU | Nacimiento | 8 |
| Altaj Saffron Co S.L. | Albacete | 7 |
| Artynnova Reposteria SL | Sevilla | 5 |
| Fai Natur SL | Barcelona | 5 |
| Manuel Romero de Avila Ramirez S.A. | La Solana | 4 |
Latest spices refusals from Spain
| Date | Firm | Product | Charges | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Altaj Saffron Co S.L.Albacete, Spain | Saffron, natural extract or flavor (spice) | UNSAFE COLCOLOR LBLG | Source | |
| Altaj Saffron Co S.L.Albacete, Spain | Saffron, natural extract or flavor (spice) | UNSAFE COLCOLOR LBLG | Source | |
| Altaj Saffron, S.L.Albacete, Spain | Saffron, natural extract or flavor (spice) | COLOR LBLGNO ENGLISH | Source | |
| Manuel Romero De Avila Ramirez S.A.Albacete, Spain | Saffron, natural extract or flavor (spice) | OMITTED | Source | |
| The Harvest Of Saffron, S.L.La Solana, Spain | Saffron, ground, cracked (spice) | SUBSTITUTEOMITTED | Source | |
| The Harvest Of Saffron, S.L.La Solana, Spain | Saffron, natural extract or flavor (spice) | OMITTED | Source | |
| Manuel Romero de Avila RamirezAlbacete, Spain | Saffron, whole (spice) | OMITTED | Source | |
| The Harvest Of Saffron, S.L.La Solana, Spain | Saffron, whole (spice) | OMITTED | Source | |
| Sucesores de Blas Palomares SLNovelda, Spain | Coriander, ground, cracked (spice) | LACKS FIRMLACKS N/CSALMONELLA | Source | |
| Verdu Canto Saffron Spain, S.L.Novelda, Spain | Saffron, whole (spice) | OMITTED | Source | |
| Fai Natur SLBarcelona, Spain | Spices, flavors and salt not mentioned elsewhere, n.e.c | NUTRIT LBL | Source | |
| Fai Natur SLBarcelona, Spain | Salt (table salt) n.e.c | NUTRIT LBL | Source | |
| Fai Natur SLBarcelona, Spain | Spices, flavors and salt not mentioned elsewhere, n.e.c | NUTRIT LBL | Source | |
| Fai Natur SLBarcelona, Spain | Strawberry, natural extract or flavor (spice) | NUTRIT LBL | Source | |
| Fai Natur SLBarcelona, Spain | Raspberry, natural extract or flavor (spice) | NUTRIT LBL | Source | |
| The Harvest Of Saffron, S.L.La Solana, Spain | Saffron, whole (spice) | OMITTED | Source | |
| The Harvest Of Saffron, S.L.La Solana, Spain | Saffron, whole (spice) | OMITTED | Source | |
| The Harvest Of Saffron, S.L.La Solana, Spain | Saffron, whole (spice) | OMITTED | Source | |
| The Harvest Of Saffron, S.L.La Solana, Spain | Saffron, whole (spice) | OMITTED | Source | |
| Antonio Garcialnesta, S.L.Noveloa, Spain | Saffron, whole (spice) | FILTHY | Source |
Questions about spices refusals from Spain
- How many spices shipments from Spain did FDA refuse in 2025?
- FDA refused 3 shipment lines of spices from Spain in 2025 through May 30, 2025, compared with 36 in 2024.
- Why does FDA refuse spices from Spain?
- FDA records a charge code on every refused shipment line. For spices from Spain the most frequent are FILTHY (filthy, putrid or decomposed substance, 40 lines), SALMONELLA (Salmonella, 27 lines) and OMITTED (OMITTED, 25 lines). A charge describes what FDA's reference table says about one shipment line, not about every firm.
- Which import alerts cover spices from Spain?
- As of October 26, 2026, no import alert numbered under this category lists a firm in Spain in SupplierRadar's records. General food alerts numbered 99-xx can still list Spain 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.