[Code of Federal Regulations]
[Title 21, Volume 1]
[Revised as of April 1, 2007]
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]