The Food and Drug Administration continues to issue warning letters to importers concerning noncompliance with requirements under the Foreign Supplier Verification Program, which requires importers to perform certain risk-based activities to verify that the human and/or animal foods they import have been produced in a manner that meets applicable U.S. food safety standards.
Most recently, FDA inspections of the facilities of two importers found that they did not develop, maintain, and follow the required plans for mushroom soup powder, seasoning sauce with garlic and chili, roasted corn, puffed rice, kalizera rice, and flattened rice.
In each case, the FDA states that within 15 working days the importer should provide information on the specific things it is doing to correct these violations; e.g., documentation of changes made and records to demonstrate implementation of an FSVP. If the importer does not act promptly the FDA may take further action, such as refusing admission of violative products and subjecting them to detention without physical examination.
For more information, please contact Domenic Veneziano at (202) 734-3939.
This article was originally published in the Sandler, Travis & Rosenberg Trade Report on September 23, 2020.