The Food and Drug Administration recently warned three exporters in South Korea, India, and Thailand that it may begin refusing entry to their fish products because of hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) violations. In three separate warning letters, the agency told Seorak Clean Food of South Korea (here), Britto Seafoods of India (here), and Royal Foods of Thailand (here) that their fish products may be placed on import alert if the violations are not corrected. The agency also said that, because the violations are related to food safety, it may assess reinspection fees on each company’s U.S. agent to cover the costs of having to go back to each company’s facility and make sure they are in compliance.
During the week of March 31 - April 6, the Food and Drug Administration modified the following existing Import Alerts (not otherwise listed on the FDA's new and revised import alerts page) on the detention without physical examination and/or surveillance of:
The Food and Drug Administration is amending its regulations on color additives to allow use of spirulina extract in more types of foods. In response to a petition from GNT USA, the agency will effective May 13 allow use of the cyanobacteria-derived blue coloring in color frostings, ice cream and frozen desserts, dessert coatings and toppings, beverage mixes and powders, yogurts, custards, puddings, cottage cheese, gelatin, breadcrumbs, and ready-to-eat cereals (excluding extruded cereals). FDA already allows use of spirulina in candy and chewing gum (see 13081214). Objections and hearing requests are due May 12.
On April 9 the Food and Drug Administration posted new and revised versions of the following Import Alerts on the detention without physical examination of:
On April 8 the Food and Drug Administration posted new and revised versions of the following Import Alerts on the detention without physical examination of:
On April 7 the Food and Drug Administration posted new and revised versions of the following Import Alerts on the detention without physical examination of:
The Food and Drug Administration announced on April 8 a new draft guidance document on labeling of honey and honey products. The draft guidance includes a question and answer section that addresses how to label pure honey, blends of honey and a sweetener, and honey with flavoring ingredients. To ensure consideration before FDA finalizes its guidance, comments are due by June 9, according to a concurrent Federal Register notice (here).
The Food and Drug Administration issued the Interstate Certified Shellfish Shippers List (ICSSL) for April. The ICSSL is published monthly for the information and use by food control officers, the seafood industry and other interested persons. The shippers listed have been certified by regulatory authorities in the U.S., Canada, Chile, South Korea, Mexico and New Zealand under the uniform sanitation requirements of the National Shellfish Program.
On April 4 the Food and Drug Administration posted new and revised versions of the following Import Alerts on the detention without physical examination of:
The Food and Drug Administration threatened action against a New York fish importer because of alleged violations of seafood hazard analysis and critical control point (HACCP) regulations. FDA’s March 20 warning letter said the agency had already in November 2013 found decomposition in a shipment of frozen vacuum packed raw ground tuna imported by Best Choice Trading in Brooklyn. A subsequent inspection in February allegedly found HACCP violations, FDA said. The agency said it will now conduct a reinspection to see if Best Choice has brought itself into compliance, and may assess fees on Best Choice to cover reinspection costs.