FDA refusal charge INADPRCCTL: inadequate process control
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The INADPRCCTL charge appeared in 130 FDA import refusals between 2020 and 2026 — 0.5% of all 26,358 US import refusals. The charge is a process, registration or approval failure, not a contaminant or pathogen found in the product. The origins cited most often are China, Senegal, Philippines. The most-affected product category is Vegetables and Vegetable Products. Volume in 2025 was up 380% on 2024.
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What FDA's charge says
INADPRCCTL 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 is subject to refusal of admission pursuant to Section 801(a)(3) in that it appears to have been prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby it may have become contaminated with filth, or whereby it may have been rendered injurious to health due to inadequate process controls.
INADPRCCTL refusals by year
| Year | Refusals | YoY | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 1 | — | |
| 2021 | 6 | +500.0% | |
| 2022 | 9 | +50.0% | |
| 2023 | 5 | -44.4% | |
| 2024 | 15 | +200.0% | |
| 2025 | 72 | +380.0% | |
| 2026 | 22 | — | YTD |
| Total | 130 |
Origins most often refused under INADPRCCTL
| # | Origin country | Refusals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | China | 29 |
| 2 | Senegal | 27 |
| 3 | Philippines | 11 |
| 4 | Pakistan | 8 |
| 5 | South Korea | 8 |
| 6 | Egypt | 7 |
| 7 | Sri Lanka | 6 |
| 8 | Vietnam | 6 |
| 9 | Italy | 4 |
| 10 | Jordan | 4 |
| 11 | Germany | 3 |
| 12 | Ghana | 3 |
| 13 | Greece | 3 |
| 14 | United Kingdom | 3 |
| 15 | Poland | 2 |
| 16 | Argentina | 1 |
| 17 | Macedonia | 1 |
| 18 | Mexico | 1 |
| 19 | Myanmar | 1 |
| 20 | Portugal | 1 |
| 21 | Spain | 1 |
Product categories refused under INADPRCCTL
| # | Product category | Refusals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 31 |
| 2 | Fishery/Seafood Products | 30 |
| 3 | Fruit and Fruit Products | 27 |
| 4 | Coffee and Tea | 13 |
| 5 | Macaroni and Noodle Products | 8 |
| 6 | Multiple Food Dinners, Gravies, Sauces, and Specialties (Total Diet) | 4 |
| 7 | Dressings and Condiments | 3 |
| 8 | Beverage Bases | 2 |
| 9 | Soft Drinks and Waters | 2 |
| 10 | Spices, Flavors, and Salts | 2 |
| 11 | Whole Grains, Milled Grain Products, and Starch | 2 |
| 12 | Bakery Products, Doughs, Bakery Mixes, and Icings | 1 |
| 13 | Candy Without Chocolate, Candy Specialties, and Chewing Gum | 1 |
| 14 | Filled Milk and Imitation Milk Products | 1 |
| 15 | Gelatin, Rennet, Pudding Mixes, and Pie Fillings | 1 |
Latest refusals citing INADPRCCTL
- 9AJ-0016300-9 IMPORT MILK ACTFrom Poland, Milk, Butter, and Dried Milk Products. inadequate process control
- MDQ-0003739-0 OLIVES, BLACK, (PIT FRUIT)From Egypt, Fruit and Fruit Products. inadequate process controlno process filing
- 084-1806025-0 ONION BULB (YELLOW, WHITE, RED, ETC.) (ROOT & TUBER VEGETABLE)From United Kingdom, Vegetables and Vegetable Products. inadequate process controlno acidified-food filingno food-canning registration
- 224-5113645-5 SAUCES, N.E.C.From Italy, Multiple Food Dinners, Gravies, Sauces, and Specialties (Total Diet). inadequate process control
- FP1-0036846-2 OLIVES, BLACK, (PIT FRUIT)From Greece, Fruit and Fruit Products. inadequate process control
- 231-6437857-9 LYCHEE, LICHEE, LITCHI, LEECHEE (SUBTROPICAL AND TROPICAL FRUIT)From Vietnam, Fruit and Fruit Products. inadequate process control
- 9AJ-0014635-0 CUCUMBERS (FRUIT USED AS VEGETABLE)From Poland, Vegetables and Vegetable Products. inadequate process control
- J21-0117519-3 ONION BULB (YELLOW, WHITE, RED, ETC.), WITH SAUCEFrom United Kingdom, Vegetables and Vegetable Products. inadequate process controlno acidified-food filingno process filing
- GHT-0000493-0 COCONUT, SUBTROPICAL AND TROPICAL FRUITFrom Philippines, Fruit and Fruit Products. inadequate process control
- 224-5110420-6 SAUCES, N.E.C.From Italy, Multiple Food Dinners, Gravies, Sauces, and Specialties (Total Diet). inadequate process control
- 231-6464797-3 LYCHEE, LICHEE, LITCHI, LEECHEE (SUBTROPICAL AND TROPICAL FRUIT)From Vietnam, Fruit and Fruit Products. inadequate process control
- 00X-0000018-5 ONION BULB (YELLOW, WHITE, RED, ETC.) (ROOT & TUBER VEGETABLE)From United Kingdom, Vegetables and Vegetable Products. inadequate process controlno acidified-food filing
- NFT-2078168-7 ABALONEFrom China, Fishery/Seafood Products. inadequate process control
- 555-0727656-0 LYCHEE, LICHEE, LITCHI, LEECHEE (SUBTROPICAL AND TROPICAL FRUIT)From Vietnam, Fruit and Fruit Products. inadequate process control
- 427-8313444-0 LYCHEE, LICHEE, LITCHI, LEECHEE (SUBTROPICAL AND TROPICAL FRUIT)From Vietnam, Fruit and Fruit Products. inadequate process control
- K64-1307455-5 LYCHEE, LICHEE, LITCHI, LEECHEE (SUBTROPICAL AND TROPICAL FRUIT)From Vietnam, Fruit and Fruit Products. inadequate process control
- K64-3064261-6 LYCHEE, LICHEE, LITCHI, LEECHEE (SUBTROPICAL AND TROPICAL FRUIT)From Vietnam, Fruit and Fruit Products. inadequate process control
- BDD-6801279-4 GELATIN, FLAVOREDFrom Philippines, Gelatin, Rennet, Pudding Mixes, and Pie Fillings. inadequate process controlno food-canning registrationinsanitary conditions
- DP4-3980006-2 OLIVES, BLACK, (PIT FRUIT)From Egypt, Fruit and Fruit Products. pesticide residueinadequate process control
- 224-3700198-9 MUSTARD GREENS (LEAF & STEM VEGETABLE)From China, Vegetables and Vegetable Products. inadequate process control
About INADPRCCTL
What does the FDA import refusal charge INADPRCCTL mean?
FDA uses INADPRCCTL for: inadequate process control. Its published charge language reads: “The article is subject to refusal of admission pursuant to Section 801(a)(3) in that it appears to have been prepared, packed, or held under insanitary conditions whereby it may have become contaminated with filth, or whereby it may have been rendered injurious to health due to inadequate process controls.”
Is INADPRCCTL a food safety finding?
No. INADPRCCTL is a process, registration or approval failure: the charge records a missing filing, registration, approval or process control, not a contaminant or pathogen found in the product. This site counts a refusal citing it alone with paperwork. It can still mean the product cannot lawfully be sold in the US.
What happens to a shipment refused under INADPRCCTL?
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.