FDA matters Archives | Customs & International Trade Law Blog

FDA Begins Enforcement of DUNS Number Requirement for Food Facility Registrations

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is now enforcing the requirement that every Food Facility Registration has a valid DUNS number. The FDA officially began enforcement on January 1, 2023 but gave a 60-day grace period before beginning to verify numbers.

What is a DUNS Number?

DUNS stands for Data Universal Numbering System. It is a proprietary system developed by Dun & Bradstreet (D&B) that assigns a unique number to a business entity that is recognized worldwide. The DUNS system is not unique to the FDA. Other DUNS users include the UN, Apple, and the European Commission.

Why is the FDA Requiring This Now?

The FDA has required food facilities to register with the agency since 2002, but a DUNS number was not required up until now. The DUNS requirement dates back to 2016 when the agency issued a rule implementing new food facility registration requirements. Under the rule, the FDA requires facilities to provide a unique facility identifier (UFI) when registering. Subsequent guidance provided that a DUNS number is an acceptable UFI for registration.

The utilization of DUNS numbers will help the FDA:

Improve accuracy and consistency in the registration database
Identify facilities that pose a risk
Verify the authenticity of registrations
Ensure that facility information is up to date

The FDA has been working with facilities who have had difficulty obtaining a DUNS number and has issued guidance allowing registrants to enter a “PENDING” status if they cannot obtain a number in time.

What Do Food Facilities Need to Do?

Food facilities that […]

FDA OPENS NEW FSVP PORTAL FOR IMPORTERS

The Foreign Supplier Verification Programs for Food Importers (FSVP), establishes guidelines for importers to vet their foreign manufacturers, ensuring that food products destined for the U.S. are safe for consumption. The FSVP was created under the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA). These standards of the FSVP are in line with the goals articulated in the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) Strategy for the Safety of Imported Food. The FDA seeks to ensure that foreign-manufactured food products are safe for consumption. Further, as discussed in Diaz Trade Law’s previously published blog, the FDA issued its first FSVP warning letter in September 2019, and since then has issued at least 60 more!

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By Jennifer Diaz|2021-10-07T14:53:51-04:00May 27, 2021|Best Practices, Food, Import, International Business, International Trade, Labeling, Pre-compliance, Supply Chain, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)|Comments Off

FDA Webinar on Human Drug Importations

On January 14, 2021, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) kicked off the year with a set of Webinars for the trade community. Specifically, the Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) held its first annual Small Business and Industry Assistance (SIBA) Compliance Conference. The topics covered various areas dedicated to compliance including compounding in cleanrooms, drug importation requirements, drug supply chain security act implementation, and Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) compliance.

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By Jennifer Diaz|2022-07-07T12:33:06-04:00March 2, 2021|Best Practices, Customs Expert, Enforcement, Events, Export, Import, International Business, International Law, International Trade, Supply Chain, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)|Comments Off

FDA Import Alert on Mexican Hand Sanitizer

For the first time in history, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a countrywide import alert for any category of drug product. Specifically, on January 26, 2021, the FDA announced that it will Take Action to Place All Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizers from Mexico on Import Alert to Help Prevent Entry of Violative and Potentially Dangerous Products into U.S., Protect U.S. Consumers. FDA singled out importations of hand sanitizers from Mexico due to the frequent use of methanol.

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By Jennifer Diaz|2021-10-12T14:59:21-04:00February 4, 2021|Best Practices, COVID-19, Customs Expert, Enforcement, Export, Import, Import Alert, International Business, International Law, International Trade, Mexico, Seizures, Supply Chain, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)|Comments Off

FSMA: Stay Compliant with DTL’s ‘PICTURE’!

Each year, according to the findings of a Center for Disease Control and Prevention study, 48 million people (1 in 6 Americans) get sick, 128,000 people are hospitalized, and 3,000 people die as the result of food-related diseases. Instead of reacting to this news on a yearly basis, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) decided to do something about it (although not fast enough, some would say) by enacting the Food Safety Modernization Act (“FSMA”). This law, which went into effect on January 4, 2011, aims to protect public health and ensure food safety by placing a greater emphasis on prevention, compliance, and enforcement.

We’ve summarized the seven foundational rules of FSMA for you below. The compliance elements which food facility owner/operators, growers, suppliers, importers, consignees, carriers, and/or accreditation/certification bodies should, at a minimum, incorporate into their 2017 actions plans are highlighted in red (information regarding compliance deadlines for different size-based categories of business can be viewed here). Diaz Trade Law has extensive advising clients on FDA matters and welcomes the opportunity to help your company get FSMA compliant. […]

By Jennifer Diaz|2021-11-09T14:05:54-05:00January 12, 2017|Food, FSMA, Import, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)|2 Comments