Import Alert Archives | Customs & International Trade Law Blog

Don’t be a Target, Learn Best Practices to Mitigate FDA Enforcement

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is in full enforcement mode issuing 260 warning letters in 2021 alone! Now is the time to ensure your products are in compliance with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (the Act) prior to importation. Manufacturers, importers, distributors, and others engaged in the production or sale of over the counter (OTC) drugs or cosmetic products must be aware of FDA’s various enforcement mechanisms, and more importantly, how to avoid and/or mitigate such actions. FDA’s most common enforcement activities include notices of FDA action, warning letters, seizures, voluntary recalls, injunctions, and criminal prosecution.

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By Jennifer Diaz|2021-07-22T11:27:59-04:00May 27, 2021|Cosmetics, E-Cigarette, Food, FSMA, Gluten Free, Import, Import Alert, International Trade, Medical Devices, Pre-compliance, Reasonable Care, Tobacco, 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

FDA ISSUES ITS FIRST FSVP WARNING LETTER

The Food Safety Modernization Act (“FSMA”) is in full force and the U.S. Food and Drug Association (FDA) is now enforcing its Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) regulation. This blog discusses FDA’s first FSVP Warning Letter and illustrates what NOT to do when FDA starts asking questions about your products. The FSVP regulation requires that importers perform certain risk-based activities to verify that human and/or animal food imported into the United States has been produced in a manner that meets applicable U.S. food safety standards.

In the case of the U.S. importer who received the FSVP Warning Letter, their FDA issues started in the beginning of 2019 when a salmonella outbreak ravished multiple states and was traced back to the importer’s tahini product.

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By Jennifer Diaz|2021-10-28T15:35:34-04:00September 4, 2019|U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)|1 Comment

Here’s a Recap of Part II of our #WorldTradeMonth Seminar Series for Compliance Professionals on FDA FSMA and FSVP

Yesterday, we at DTL, had the pleasure of hosting Part II of our #WorldTradeMonth Seminar Series for Compliance Professionals. The second seminar focused on FDA FSMA (Food Safety Modernization Act) Compliance for Importers with expert speakers from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and industry. We had a packed house with an array of attendees such as importers of food, beverages, and medical devices, along with customs brokers, freight forwarders / NVOCCs, lawyers, consultants, and others. We received requests for a re-cap from those who attended and industry members who were not able to attend. You asked and we deliver. Here is our recap:

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By Jennifer Diaz|2022-07-06T15:47:05-04:00May 19, 2017|Best Practices, Customs Broker, Events, Food, FSMA, Import, Import Alert, Seizures, Speaking, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)|Comments Off

FDA Discusses TOP Reasons for Detention of Goods

At today's Import Operations Training, sponsored by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Florida Customs Brokers and Forwarders Association (FCBF), top officials from FDA traveled to Miami to educate importers and brokers. Topics ranged from a general overview of FDA compliance, TOP rationales for FDA detentions, Food Safety and Modernization Act (FSMA) updates, an overview of the newly re-organized (now DIO) Division of Import Operations (formerly DIOP - policy has now been removed), an overview of CBP & FDA's Joint Team 488 - which handles liquidated damages claims for underlying FDA violations and much more. Highlights of the TOP rationale for detentions follows...

By Jennifer Diaz|2021-11-10T14:22:59-05:00March 20, 2013|Best Practices, Cosmetics, Food, FSMA, Import, Import Alert, Medical Devices, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)|Comments Off

International Boston Seafood Show – LIVE!

I am at the final day of the annual International Boston Seafood Show held at the Boston Convention Center. With record attendance and a record number of exhibitors filling the convention center floor with extravagant booths overflowing with shrimp, fish, crab, lobster, and other seafood delectables from all over the world, the Show is a success. After all, this is the largest seafood show in North and South America.

By Jennifer Diaz|2021-04-09T13:23:03-04:00March 22, 2011|Events, Food, Import Alert, U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)|Comments Off

FDA Import Alerts for Seafood

Americans are constantly bombarded with warnings that the seafood we eat is contaminated with salmonella, listeria, or some other antibiotic, fungicide, or microorganism that will make us sick. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is taking more samples of imported seafood, holding more seafood for laboratory analysis, and rejecting more seafood than in past years. That is true of basa from Vietnam, crabmeat from Indonesia, and a variety of seafood from countries as far away as China, or as close to the United States as the Bahamas.

By Jennifer Diaz|2010-08-23T06:23:57-04:00August 23, 2010|Import, Import Alert|Comments Off

How To Get Off The FDA ‘Black List’

Are your goods automatically detained by the FDA? Learn how to check who's on the FDA Black List and how to get your company, country, etc. off the list!

By Jennifer Diaz|2021-11-10T15:20:52-05:00August 3, 2009|Food, Import, Import Alert, U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)|6 Comments