5 mistakes that delay your food shipment at U.S. ports

Your shipment is sitting at the port. The FDA has placed it on hold. Every hour costs you money. This scenario is more common than most importers realize — and it is almost always preventable.

Prior Notice rejections and detention notices share a short list of root causes. Learn them now. Fix them before your next shipment moves.

1. Submitting Prior Notice Too Late

FDA requires Prior Notice for all food shipments entering the United States. The submission window matters. For most shipments arriving by ocean, you must file at least two hours before arrival. Air shipments require at least four hours.

Missing that window triggers an automatic hold. The shipment cannot be released until a new, valid submission is accepted. This rule lives in 21 CFR Part 1, Subpart I. Read it. Know the deadlines for your mode of transport.

2. Listing the Wrong Manufacturer or Shipper

Prior Notice asks for specific parties: the shipper, the manufacturer, and the grower when applicable. Many filers copy and paste from old records. Names change. Facilities change. One incorrect entry flags the entire submission.

Use the exact legal name registered with FDA. Confirm it before every filing. A small typo can look like a fraudulent entry to the reviewing system.

3. Missing or Incorrect FDA Facility Registration

Foreign food facilities that manufacture, process, pack, or hold food for U.S. consumption must be registered with FDA. Registration must be renewed every two years during the October-to-December window.

If the facility registration is expired or the registration number on your Prior Notice does not match FDA records, your shipment stops. Check the registration status before the product ever ships.

4. Vague or Incorrect Product Descriptions

FDA reviewers need to know exactly what is in the shipment. Generic descriptions fail. "Food product" or "natural ingredients" are not acceptable. You need the correct commodity type, the FDA product code, and an accurate description of the intended use.

Using the wrong FDA product code routes your shipment to the wrong review team. That alone can add days to your clearance time. Be specific. Be accurate. Match your commercial invoice to your Prior Notice entry.

5. Ignoring Labeling Requirements Before the Shipment Arrives

Many importers treat labeling as a domestic problem. It is not. FDA can refuse entry to a shipment that arrives with labeling that violates the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. Common issues include missing nutrition facts panels, absent allergen declarations, and foreign-language-only labels.

If FDA refuses entry based on labeling, the importer must either re-export the goods or destroy them. There is no quick fix at the port. Review labels before production, not after the shipment lands.

Get Your Filing Right the First Time

These five mistakes are preventable. They share one common fix: working with a compliance partner who files Prior Notice correctly and reviews your documentation before the shipment moves.

US Imports helps food importers navigate FDA requirements with accuracy and speed. Our team files Prior Notice, reviews facility registrations, and flags labeling issues before they become port holds. We work fast. Most filings are completed within 48 hours of receiving your documents.

Do not wait until your shipment is on hold to ask for help. Start the process now.

Get started today: https://www.usimports.us/services