FDA refusal charge COLOR LBLG: color not declared
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The COLOR LBLG charge appeared in 2,139 FDA import refusals between 2020 and 2026 — 8.1% of all 26,358 US import refusals. The charge is a labelling or registration failure, not a hazard found in the product. The origins cited most often are Mexico, China, India. The most-affected product category is Snack Food Items (Flour, Meal, or Vegetable Base). Volume in 2025 was up 90% on 2024.
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What FDA's charge says
COLOR LBLG is the code FDA prints on a refusal; below is the charge language FDA publishes for it, quoted from its charge table, with the sections of the FD&C Act it cites.
The article appears to contain an artificial coloring and it fails to bear labeling stating that fact.
COLOR LBLG refusals by year
| Year | Refusals | YoY | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 144 | — | |
| 2021 | 155 | +7.6% | |
| 2022 | 354 | +128.4% | |
| 2023 | 289 | -18.4% | |
| 2024 | 258 | -10.7% | |
| 2025 | 490 | +89.9% | |
| 2026 | 449 | — | YTD |
| Total | 2,139 |
Origins most often refused under COLOR LBLG
| # | Origin country | Refusals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mexico | 1,015 |
| 2 | China | 191 |
| 3 | India | 165 |
| 4 | Philippines | 135 |
| 5 | Japan | 64 |
| 6 | Guatemala | 47 |
| 7 | Canada | 39 |
| 8 | Turkey | 35 |
| 9 | Vietnam | 29 |
| 10 | Pakistan | 27 |
| 11 | Sweden | 26 |
| 12 | United Kingdom | 26 |
| 13 | Honduras | 25 |
| 14 | Taiwan | 23 |
| 15 | Italy | 21 |
| 16 | Bangladesh | 20 |
| 17 | South Korea | 18 |
| 18 | Spain | 15 |
| 19 | Thailand | 15 |
| 20 | El Salvador | 14 |
| 21 | Colombia | 12 |
| 22 | Israel | 10 |
| 23 | Egypt | 9 |
| 24 | Jordan | 9 |
| 25 | Nigeria | 8 |
| 26 | Poland | 8 |
| 27 | Afghanistan | 7 |
| 28 | United States | 7 |
| 29 | Brazil | 6 |
| 30 | Ghana | 6 |
Product categories refused under COLOR LBLG
| # | Product category | Refusals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Snack Food Items (Flour, Meal, or Vegetable Base) | 748 |
| 2 | Candy Without Chocolate, Candy Specialties, and Chewing Gum | 314 |
| 3 | Bakery Products, Doughs, Bakery Mixes, and Icings | 159 |
| 4 | Fruit and Fruit Products | 153 |
| 5 | Soft Drinks and Waters | 129 |
| 6 | Ice Cream and Related Products | 111 |
| 7 | Multiple Food Dinners, Gravies, Sauces, and Specialties (Total Diet) | 109 |
| 8 | Spices, Flavors, and Salts | 65 |
| 9 | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 43 |
| 10 | Dietary Conventional Foods and Meal Replacements | 41 |
| 11 | Chocolate and Cocoa Products | 39 |
| 12 | Beverage Bases | 32 |
| 13 | Food Sweeteners (Nutritive) | 27 |
| 14 | Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Unconventional Dietary Specialties for Humans | 26 |
| 15 | Nuts and Edible Seeds | 24 |
Latest refusals citing COLOR LBLG
- 1FX-5471974-6 CANDY WITHOUT CHOCOLATE N.E.C.From Sweden, Candy Without Chocolate, Candy Specialties, and Chewing Gum. unsafe color additivecolor not declared
- 555-0730387-7 CHEWING GUM (WITHOUT CHOCOLATE)From Italy, Candy Without Chocolate, Candy Specialties, and Chewing Gum. unsafe color additivecolor not declared
- 1FX-5191845-7 JELLIED CANDY, SOFT (JELLY BEANS, GUM DROPS, ETC.), WITHOUT NUTS AND FRUIT (WITHOUT CHOCOLATE)From Sweden, Candy Without Chocolate, Candy Specialties, and Chewing Gum. unsafe color additivecolor not declared
- NFT-2094131-5 ICES, FRUIT FLAVORED, ON A STICK, (POPSICLES, ETC.)From China, Ice Cream and Related Products. unsafe color additivecolor not declared
- BJG-0222031-6 SOFT DRINK, SUBTROPICAL OR TROPICAL FRUIT FLAVORED, CARBONATEDFrom Mexico, Soft Drinks and Waters. unsafe color additivecolor not declarednutrition labeling
- NFT-2094192-7 ICES, FRUIT FLAVORED, ON A STICK, (POPSICLES, ETC.)From China, Ice Cream and Related Products. unsafe color additivecolor not declared
- KM6-1653589-4 SPICES AND SEASONING, GROUND, CRACKED, WITH SALT, N.E.C.From India, Spices, Flavors, and Salts. unsafe color additivecolor not declared
- NFT-2072767-2 ICES, FRUIT FLAVORED, ON A STICK, (POPSICLES, ETC.)From China, Ice Cream and Related Products. unsafe color additivecolor not declaredFD&C Yellow No. 5 undeclared
- NFT-2067117-7 ICES, FRUIT FLAVORED, ON A STICK, (POPSICLES, ETC.)From China, Ice Cream and Related Products. unsafe color additivecolor not declaredFD&C Yellow No. 5 undeclared
- NFT-2072758-1 ICES, FRUIT FLAVORED, ON A STICK, (POPSICLES, ETC.)From China, Ice Cream and Related Products. unsafe color additivecolor not declaredFD&C Yellow No. 5 undeclared
- NFT-2074380-2 ICES, FRUIT FLAVORED, ON A STICK, (POPSICLES, ETC.)From China, Ice Cream and Related Products. unsafe color additivecolor not declaredFD&C Yellow No. 5 undeclared
- BDD-6800969-1 BANANA SAUCEFrom Philippines, Multiple Food Dinners, Gravies, Sauces, and Specialties (Total Diet). unsafe color additivelabel not conspicuousfalse or misleading labelcolor not declared+1 more
- NFT-2098883-7 ICES, FRUIT FLAVORED, ON A STICK, (POPSICLES, ETC.)From China, Ice Cream and Related Products. unsafe color additivecolor not declared
- NFT-2097854-9 ICES, FRUIT FLAVORED, ON A STICK, (POPSICLES, ETC.)From China, Ice Cream and Related Products. unsafe color additivecolor not declared
- 300-6087487-5 BAKLAVAFrom Canada, Bakery Products, Doughs, Bakery Mixes, and Icings. unsafe color additivecolor not declaredFD&C Yellow No. 5 undeclared
- J21-0119554-8 FLAVORED CANDY, SOFT (LIVE SAVERS, ETC.), WITHOUT NUTS AND FRUIT (WITHOUT CHOCOLATE)From Sweden, Candy Without Chocolate, Candy Specialties, and Chewing Gum. unsafe color additivecolor not declared
- 1FX-5191937-2 JELLIED CANDY, SOFT (JELLY BEANS, GUM DROPS, ETC.), WITHOUT NUTS AND FRUIT (WITHOUT CHOCOLATE)From Sweden, Candy Without Chocolate, Candy Specialties, and Chewing Gum. ingredients not listedlabel not conspicuouscolor not declaredno manufacturer name+6 more
- BDD-0733976-1 CARAMEL CANDY PIECES, HARD, WITH NUTS OR NUT PRODUCTS (NOT COCONUT) (WITHOUT CHOCOLATE)From Philippines, Candy Without Chocolate, Candy Specialties, and Chewing Gum. color not declaredlabel not conspicuousfalse or misleading labelnutrition labeling
- EVR-0192417-9 PASSION FRUIT, JUICE, MILK, CREME, DRINK OR NECTAR, SUB/TROPICAL FRUITFrom Vietnam, Fruit and Fruit Products. color not declared
- JJ8-8612087-9 JELLIED CANDY, SOFT (JELLY BEANS, GUM DROPS, ETC.), WITHOUT NUTS AND FRUIT (WITHOUT CHOCOLATE)From Pakistan, Candy Without Chocolate, Candy Specialties, and Chewing Gum. unsafe color additivecolor not declared
About COLOR LBLG
What does the FDA import refusal charge COLOR LBLG mean?
FDA uses COLOR LBLG for: color not declared. Its published charge language reads: “The article appears to contain an artificial coloring and it fails to bear labeling stating that fact.”
Is COLOR LBLG a food safety finding?
No. COLOR LBLG is a labelling or registration failure: the charge is about the label, the filing or the paperwork, not a hazard found in the product. A refusal citing it alone is counted as paperwork on this site.
What happens to a shipment refused under COLOR LBLG?
Under section 801(a) of the FD&C Act a refused entry has to be exported or destroyed, normally within 90 days of the notice of refusal. Bringing a product into compliance, for instance by relabelling, is something the importer asks FDA for before the decision is final. The notice itself and FDA's guidance govern a particular case; this page describes the published data and is not legal advice.