Importers of food and dietary supplements into the U.S. must pay close attention to import alerts issued by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Failure to do so could cause your product to be detained at the port and ultimately refused entry.

What is an FDA import alert?  

An import alert is issued by the FDA to inform its field workers and the U.S. Customs and Border Patrol that a product appears to be in violation of the United States law. Food products subject to an import alert will also be subject to a Detention Without Physical Examination (DWPE). Products subject to a DWPE will be detained until the importer can show that the product is safe and meets U.S. standards. If an importer cannot demonstrate this, then product will be refused entry.   

Import alerts can be based on a number of key identifiers, such as: (1) the country or area of the product’s origin; (2) the name of the manufacturer; (3) the type of product being imported; (4) the name of the shipper; and/or...