FDA import refusals
FDA import refusals: spices from Sri Lanka
FDA category: Spices, Flavors, and Salts · October 2016 to October 8, 2026
FDA refused 55 spices shipment lines from Sri Lanka between October 2016 and October 8, 2026, 13 of them in 2026; the most refused products were cinnamon and curry powder, most often for FILTHY (filthy, putrid or decomposed substance).
Data from FDA public records, last checked .
- 55
- spices lines refused since October 2016
- 13
- refused so far in 2026
- 8
- firms with the most records, listed below
Spices refusals from Sri Lanka 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) | 13 | |
| 2025 | 11 | +38% |
| 2024 | 8 | +300% |
| 2023 | 2 | 0% |
| 2022 | 2 | -60% |
| 2021 | 5 | +67% |
| 2020 | 3 | +50% |
| 2019 | 2 | |
| 2017 | 7 | |
| 2016 (from Oct) | 2 |
Cinnamon refusals from Sri Lanka
FDA refused 42 cinnamon lines from Sri Lanka between October 2016 and October 8, 2026, 76% of the spices lines.
| FDA product description | Lines | Share of spices |
|---|---|---|
| Cinnamon, cassia, ground, cracked (spice) | 21 | 38.2% |
| Cinnamon, cassia, whole (spice) | 17 | 30.9% |
| Cinnamon, cassia, natural extract or flavor (spice) | 4 | 7.3% |
Recent cinnamon refusals
| Date | Firm | Product | Charges | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dru Era (Pvt) LtdDehiwala, Sri Lanka | Cinnamon, cassia, ground, cracked (spice) | UNAPPROVED | Source | |
| Dru Era (Pvt) LtdDehiwala, Sri Lanka | Cinnamon, cassia, ground, cracked (spice) | UNAPPROVED | Source | |
| Dru Era (Pvt) LtdDehiwala, Sri Lanka | Cinnamon, cassia, ground, cracked (spice) | ADDDRUGBIO | Source | |
| Dru Era (Pvt) LtdDehiwala, Sri Lanka | Cinnamon, cassia, ground, cracked (spice) | ADDDRUGBIO | Source | |
| Dru Era (Pvt) LtdDehiwala, Sri Lanka | Cinnamon, cassia, ground, cracked (spice) | ADDDRUGBIO | Source |
Curry powder refusals from Sri Lanka
FDA refused 8 curry powder lines from Sri Lanka between October 2016 and October 8, 2026, 15% of the spices lines.
| FDA product description | Lines | Share of spices |
|---|---|---|
| Curry powder, ground, cracked, without salt | 8 | 14.5% |
Essential oils for flavoring refusals from Sri Lanka
FDA refused 3 essential oils for flavoring lines from Sri Lanka between October 2016 and October 8, 2026, 5% of the spices lines.
| FDA product description | Lines | Share of spices |
|---|---|---|
| Essential oils for flavoring, n.e.c. | 3 | 5.5% |
Recent essential oils for flavoring refusals
| Date | Firm | Product | Charges | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sancan Exports Lanka (Private) LimitedSouthern Province, Sri Lanka | Essential oils for flavoring, n.e.c | UNAPPROVED | Source | |
| Sancan Exports Lanka (Private) LimitedSouthern Province, Sri Lanka | Essential oils for flavoring, n.e.c | UNAPPROVED | Source | |
| Sancan Exports Lanka (Private) LimitedSouthern Province, Sri Lanka | Essential oils for flavoring, n.e.c | UNAPPROVED | Source |
Other spices products refused from Sri Lanka
| Product group | Lines | Share |
|---|---|---|
| Mustard | 1 | 1.8% |
| Nutmeg | 1 | 1.8% |
Why FDA refused spices from Sri Lanka
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 | 21 | 37% |
| UNAPPROVED | Unapproved new drug | 16 | 28% |
| SALMONELLA | Salmonella | 10 | 18% |
| ADDDRUGBIO | Appears to be a food to which has been added either a drug approved under section 505, a biological product… | 4 | 7% |
| NUTRIT LBL | Nutrition information missing from label | 2 | 4% |
| DIRECTIONS | Is a device whose label appears to not bear adequate directions for use. | 1 | 2% |
| LACKS FIRM | Manufacturer name and address missing | 1 | 2% |
| NO PROCESS | No scheduled process filed | 1 | 2% |
| PB-FOOD | Appears to contain a poisonous or deleterious substance, lead, which may render it injurious to health. | 1 | 2% |
Sri Lanka spices firms with the most FDA records
Counts are FDA records in SupplierRadar's data, not a ranking of quality.
| Firm | City | FDA records |
|---|---|---|
| Dru Era (Pvt) Ltd | Dehiwala | 16 |
| Wijaya Products (Pvt) Ltd. | Kalutara | 6 |
| Joint Agri Products Ceylon (PVT) Ltd. | Gampaha District | 5 |
| AMK Food Export (Pvt) Ltd | Homagama | 2 |
| Eswaran Brothers Exports (PVT) Ltd | Colombo 14 | 2 |
| Imperial Spices Pvt. Ltd. | Kelaniya | 1 |
| Lanka Canneries (Pvt) Ltd. | Gampaha District | 1 |
| E-Silk Route Ventures (Pvt) Ltd. | Rajagiriya | 1 |
Latest spices refusals from Sri Lanka
| Date | Firm | Product | Charges | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dru Era (Pvt) LtdDehiwala, Sri Lanka | Cinnamon, cassia, ground, cracked (spice) | UNAPPROVED | Source | |
| Dru Era (Pvt) LtdDehiwala, Sri Lanka | Cinnamon, cassia, ground, cracked (spice) | UNAPPROVED | Source | |
| Dru Era (Pvt) LtdDehiwala, Sri Lanka | Cinnamon, cassia, ground, cracked (spice) | ADDDRUGBIO | Source | |
| Dru Era (Pvt) LtdDehiwala, Sri Lanka | Cinnamon, cassia, ground, cracked (spice) | ADDDRUGBIO | Source | |
| Dru Era (Pvt) LtdDehiwala, Sri Lanka | Cinnamon, cassia, ground, cracked (spice) | ADDDRUGBIO | Source | |
| Dru Era (Pvt) LtdDehiwala, Sri Lanka | Cinnamon, cassia, ground, cracked (spice) | UNAPPROVED | Source | |
| Dru Era (Pvt) LtdDehiwala, Sri Lanka | Cinnamon, cassia, ground, cracked (spice) | UNAPPROVED | Source | |
| Dru Era (Pvt) LtdDehiwala, Sri Lanka | Cinnamon, cassia, ground, cracked (spice) | UNAPPROVED | Source | |
| Dru Era (Pvt) LtdDehiwala, Sri Lanka | Cinnamon, cassia, ground, cracked (spice) | UNAPPROVED | Source | |
| Dru Era (Pvt) LtdDehiwala, Sri Lanka | Cinnamon, cassia, natural extract or flavor (spice) | UNAPPROVED | Source | |
| Dru Era (Pvt) LtdDehiwala, Sri Lanka | Cinnamon, cassia, natural extract or flavor (spice) | UNAPPROVED | Source | |
| Eswaran Brothers Exports (PVT) LtdColombo 14, Sri Lanka | Cinnamon, cassia, ground, cracked (spice) | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Eswaran Brothers Exports (PVT) LtdColombo 14, Sri Lanka | Cinnamon, cassia, ground, cracked (spice) | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Sancan Exports Lanka (Private) LimitedSouthern Province, Sri Lanka | Essential oils for flavoring, n.e.c | UNAPPROVED | Source | |
| Sancan Exports Lanka (Private) LimitedSouthern Province, Sri Lanka | Cinnamon, cassia, ground, cracked (spice) | UNAPPROVED | Source | |
| Sancan Exports Lanka (Private) LimitedSouthern Province, Sri Lanka | Essential oils for flavoring, n.e.c | UNAPPROVED | Source | |
| Sancan Exports Lanka (Private) LimitedSouthern Province, Sri Lanka | Essential oils for flavoring, n.e.c | UNAPPROVED | Source | |
| E-Silk Route Ventures (Pvt) Ltd.Rajagiriya, Sri Lanka | Cinnamon, cassia, ground, cracked (spice) | PB-FOOD | Source | |
| Imperial Spices Pvt. Ltd.Kelaniya, Sri Lanka | Cinnamon, cassia, ground, cracked (spice) | SALMONELLA | Source | |
| Dru Era (Pvt) LtdDehiwala, Sri Lanka | Cinnamon, cassia, ground, cracked (spice) | ADDDRUGBIO | Source |
Questions about spices refusals from Sri Lanka
- How many spices shipments from Sri Lanka did FDA refuse in 2026?
- FDA refused 13 shipment lines of spices from Sri Lanka in 2026 through October 8, 2026, compared with 11 in 2025.
- Why does FDA refuse spices from Sri Lanka?
- FDA records a charge code on every refused shipment line. For spices from Sri Lanka the most frequent are FILTHY (filthy, putrid or decomposed substance, 21 lines), UNAPPROVED (unapproved new drug, 16 lines) and SALMONELLA (Salmonella, 10 lines). A charge describes what FDA's reference table says about one shipment line, not about every firm.
- Which import alerts cover spices from Sri Lanka?
- As of October 26, 2026, no import alert numbered under this category lists a firm in Sri Lanka in SupplierRadar's records. General food alerts numbered 99-xx can still list Sri Lanka 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.