[Code of Federal Regulations]

[Title 21, Volume 1]

[Revised as of April 1, 2006]

From the U.S. Government Printing Office via GPO Access

[CITE: 21CFR1.285]



[Page 35-37]

 

                        TITLE 21--FOOD AND DRUGS

 

CHAPTER I--FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN 

                                SERVICES

 

PART 1_GENERAL ENFORCEMENT REGULATIONS--Table of Contents

 

                 Subpart I_Prior Notice of Imported Food

 

Sec.  1.285  What happens to food that is imported or offered for import 

from unregistered facilities that are required to register under 21 CFR 

part 1, subpart H?



    (a) If an article of food from a foreign manufacturer that is not 

registered as required under section 415 of the act (21 U.S.C. 350d) and 

subpart H is imported or offered for import into the United States, the 

food is subject to refusal of admission under section 801(m)(1) of the 

act and Sec.  1.283 for failure to provide adequate prior notice. The 

failure to provide the correct registration number of the foreign 

manufacturer, if registration is required under section 415 of the act 

and 21 CFR part 1, subpart H, renders the identity of that facility 

incomplete for purposes of prior notice.

    (b) Unless CBP concurrence is obtained for export and the article is 

immediately exported from the port of arrival, if an article of food is 

imported or offered for import from a foreign facility that is not 

registered as required under section 415 of the act and is placed under 

hold under section 801(l) of the act, it must be held within the port of 

entry for the article unless directed by CBP or FDA.

    (c) Status and movement of held food. (1) An article of food that 

has been placed under hold under section 801(l) of the act shall be 

considered general order merchandise as described in section 490 of the 

Tariff Act of 1930, as amended (19 U.S.C. 1490).

    (2) Food under hold under section 801(l) must be moved under 

appropriate custodial bond. FDA must be notified of the location where 

the food has been or will be moved, within 24 hours of the hold. The 

food subject to hold shall not be entered and shall not be delivered to 

any importer, owner, or ultimate consignee. The food must be taken 

directly to the designated facility.

    (d) Segregation of held foods. If an article of food that has been 

placed under hold under section 801(l) of the act is part of a shipment 

that contains articles that have not been placed under hold, the food 

under hold may be segregated from the rest of the shipment. This 

segregation must take place where the article is held, if different. FDA 

or CBP may supervise segregation. If FDA or CBP determine that 

supervision is necessary, segregation must not take place without 

supervision.

    (e) Costs. Neither FDA nor CBP will be liable for transportation, 

storage, or other expenses resulting from any hold.

    (f) Export after hold. An article of food that has been placed under 

hold under section 801(l) of the act may be exported with CBP 

concurrence and under CBP supervision unless it is seized or 

administratively detained by FDA or CBP under other authority.

    (g) No Registration or Request for Review. If an article of food is 

placed under hold under section 801(l) of the act and no registration or 

request for



[[Page 36]]



FDA review is submitted in a timely fashion or export has not occurred 

in accordance with subsection (f), the food shall be dealt with as set 

forth in CBP regulations relating to general order merchandise, except 

that the article may only be sold for export or destroyed as agreed to 

by CBP and FDA.

    (h) Food carried by or otherwise accompanying an individual. If an 

article of food carried by or otherwise accompanying an individual 

arriving in the United States is placed under hold under section 801(l) 

of the act because it is from a foreign facility that is not registered 

as required under section 415 of the act, 21 U.S.C. 350d, and subpart H, 

the individual may arrange to have the food held at the port or 

exported. If such arrangements cannot be made, the article of food may 

be destroyed.

    (i) Post-refusal and post-hold submissions. (1) Post-refusal. To 

resolve the refusal if an article of food is refused under Sec.  

1.283(a) because the facility is not registered, the facility must be 

registered and after a registration number has been obtained, you should 

cancel the prior notice and must resubmit the prior notice in accordance 

with Sec.  1.283(c).

    (2) Post-hold. To resolve a hold, if an article of food is held 

under Sec.  1.285(b) because it is from a foreign facility that is not 

registered, the facility must be registered and a registration number 

must be obtained.

    (i) FDA must be notified of the applicable registration number in 

writing. The notification must provide the name and contact information 

for the person submitting the information. The notification may be 

delivered to FDA by mail, express courier, fax, or e-mail. The location 

for receipt of a notification of registration number associated with an 

article of food under hold is listed at http://www.fda.gov--see Food 

Facility Registration. The notification should include the applicable 

CBP identifier.

    (ii) If FDA determines that the article is no longer subject to 

hold, it will notify the person who provided the registration 

information and CBP that the food is no longer subject to hold under 

section 801(l) of the act.

    (j) FDA review after hold. (1) If an article of food has been placed 

under hold under section 801(l) of the act, a request may be submitted 

asking FDA to review whether the facility associated with the article is 

subject to the requirements of section 415 of the act. A request for 

review may not be submitted to obtain a registration number.

    (2) A request may be submitted only by the prior notice submitter, 

importer, owner, or ultimate consignee of the article. A request must 

identify which one the requestor is.

    (3) A request must be submitted in writing to FDA and delivered by 

mail, express courier, fax or e-mail. The location for receipt of a 

request is listed at http://www.fda.gov--see Food Facility Registration. 

A request must include all factual and legal information necessary for 

FDA to conduct its review. Only one request for review may be submitted 

for each article under hold.

    (4) The request must be submitted within 5 calendar days of the 

hold. FDA will review and respond within 5 calendar days of receiving 

the request.

    (5) If FDA determines that the article is not from a facility 

subject to the requirements of section 415, it will notify the requestor 

and CBP that the food is no longer subject to hold under section 801(l) 

of the act.

    (k) International mail. If an article of food is that arrives by 

international mail is from a foreign facility that is not registered as 

required under section 415 of the act (21 U.S.C. 350d) and subpart H, 

the parcel will be held by CBP for 72 hours for FDA inspection and 

disposition. If the article is held under section 801(1) of the act and 

there is a return address, the parcel may be returned to sender stamped 

``No Registration--No Admission Permitted.'' If the article is under 

hold and there is no return address or FDA determines that the article 

of food is in the parcel appears to present a hazard, FDA may dispose of 

or destroy the parcel at its expense. If FDA does not respond within 72 

hours of the CBP hold, CBP may return the parcel to the sender stamped 

``No Registration--No Admission Permitted'' or, if there is no return 

address, destroy the parcel, at FDA expense.



[[Page 37]]



    (l) Prohibitions on delivery and transfer. (1) Notwithstanding 

section 801(b) of the act (21 U.S.C. 381(b)), an article of food that 

has been placed under hold section 801(l) of the act may not be 

delivered to the importer, owner, or ultimate consignee until prior 

notice is submitted to FDA in accordance with this subpart, FDA has 

examined the prior notice, FDA has determined that the prior notice is 

adequate, and FDA has notified CBP and the transmitter that the article 

of food is no longer subject to hold under section 801(l) of the act.

    (2) During the time an article of food that has been refused under 

section 801(m)(1) of the act is held, the article may not be transferred 

by any person from the port or the secure facility location until prior 

notice is submitted to FDA in accordance with this subpart, FDA has 

examined the prior notice, FDA has determined that the prior notice is 

adequate, and FDA has notified CBP and the transmitter that the article 

of food is no longer refused admission under section 801(m)(1) of the 

act. After this notification by FDA to CBP and transmitter, entry may be 

made in accordance with law and regulation.

    (m) Relationship to other admissibility provisions. A determination 

that an article of food is no longer subject to hold under section 

801(l) of the act is different than, and may come before, determinations 

of admissibility under other provisions of the act or other U.S. laws. A 

determination that an article of food is no longer under hold under 

section 801(l) does not mean that it will be granted admission under 

other provisions of the act or other U.S. laws.



[68 FR 59070, Oct. 10, 2003; 69 FR 4852, Feb. 2, 2004]