Successfully importing food into the United States: Keeping the U.S. Food and Drug Administration off your back

The Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act regulates food in all phases of interstate commerce within the United States, as well as food entering the United States. Although there are numerous provisions of the Act, the areas most frequently violated by foreign processors are the inclusion of non-approved additives, preservatives, or coloring agents, the presence of Salmonella or filth, decomposition of the product due to improper processing, packaging, and/or transportation conditions, and improper labeling of the product. We shall explore these areas briefly, both in terms of what is required and how to achieve compliance.