CSPI comment on labeling of refused shipments

Here is an excerpt from the comment provided by the Center for Science in the Public Interest about labeling products that have been refused entry into the U.S. Find the rulemaking docket here.


The rule should be strengthened by requiring government officials to supervise the person who affixes a “United States: Refused Entry” label. As drafted, subsection (d) of the rule ould permit an importer to affix the label provided FDA is given photographic or visual proof it was done, or the importer provided proof by another satisfactory method. These two alternatives open the door to fraud. Neither the proposed rule’s preamble nor referenced documentation provides support for FDA’s decision to permit unsupervised importers to affix labels. It is well established that unscrupulous importers will cheat in order to avoid detection of an unsafe food shipment. Customs operations in the 1990s found 30 percent of importers engaged in practices such as banking, substitution and document fraud to illegally import and avoid exporting unsafe foods.