FDA refusal charge USUAL NAME: no common name
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The USUAL NAME charge appeared in 668 FDA import refusals between 2020 and 2026 — 2.5% 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, India, China. The most-affected product category is Fishery/Seafood Products. Volume in 2025 was up 2% on 2024.
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What FDA's charge says
USUAL NAME 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) of the FD&C Act in that it appears to be misbranded within the meaning of Section 403(i)(1) of the FD&C Act in that the label fails to bear the common or usual name of the food, if any there be.
USUAL NAME refusals by year
| Year | Refusals | YoY | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 75 | — | |
| 2021 | 82 | +9.3% | |
| 2022 | 78 | -4.9% | |
| 2023 | 92 | +17.9% | |
| 2024 | 120 | +30.4% | |
| 2025 | 123 | +2.5% | |
| 2026 | 98 | — | YTD |
| Total | 668 |
Origins most often refused under USUAL NAME
| # | Origin country | Refusals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mexico | 98 |
| 2 | India | 86 |
| 3 | China | 59 |
| 4 | Nigeria | 23 |
| 5 | Philippines | 22 |
| 6 | Tanzania | 21 |
| 7 | Switzerland | 17 |
| 8 | Ghana | 14 |
| 9 | South Korea | 14 |
| 10 | Vietnam | 14 |
| 11 | Colombia | 13 |
| 12 | Thailand | 13 |
| 13 | Turkey | 13 |
| 14 | Canada | 12 |
| 15 | Honduras | 12 |
| 16 | Bangladesh | 11 |
| 17 | Guatemala | 10 |
| 18 | Japan | 10 |
| 19 | Jordan | 10 |
| 20 | Sweden | 10 |
| 21 | Taiwan | 8 |
| 22 | United Kingdom | 8 |
| 23 | Brazil | 7 |
| 24 | Ecuador | 7 |
| 25 | Guyana | 7 |
| 26 | Indonesia | 7 |
| 27 | Italy | 7 |
| 28 | Myanmar | 7 |
| 29 | Pakistan | 7 |
| 30 | Haiti | 6 |
Product categories refused under USUAL NAME
| # | Product category | Refusals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fishery/Seafood Products | 92 |
| 2 | Snack Food Items (Flour, Meal, or Vegetable Base) | 65 |
| 3 | Bakery Products, Doughs, Bakery Mixes, and Icings | 60 |
| 4 | Fruit and Fruit Products | 56 |
| 5 | Candy Without Chocolate, Candy Specialties, and Chewing Gum | 49 |
| 6 | Soft Drinks and Waters | 48 |
| 7 | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 42 |
| 8 | Spices, Flavors, and Salts | 32 |
| 9 | Chocolate and Cocoa Products | 28 |
| 10 | Multiple Food Dinners, Gravies, Sauces, and Specialties (Total Diet) | 25 |
| 11 | Macaroni and Noodle Products | 23 |
| 12 | Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Unconventional Dietary Specialties for Humans | 19 |
| 13 | Whole Grains, Milled Grain Products, and Starch | 17 |
| 14 | Nuts and Edible Seeds | 16 |
| 15 | Dietary Conventional Foods and Meal Replacements | 14 |
Latest refusals citing USUAL NAME
- K09-0100953-8 SWEET GOODS WITHOUT CUSTARD OR CREAM FILLING, N.E.C.From Turkey, Bakery Products, Doughs, Bakery Mixes, and Icings. label not conspicuousno net quantityno common namenutrition labeling+1 more
- BDD-6801575-5 BISCUITSFrom Philippines, Bakery Products, Doughs, Bakery Mixes, and Icings. ingredients not listedlabel not conspicuousfalse or misleading labelno common name+1 more
- 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
- 9AR-0447184-3 STRAWBERRY JUICE, BERRY JUICE OR CONCENTRATESFrom Thailand, Fruit and Fruit Products. unsafe color additiveingredients not listedno net quantitynot in English+4 more
- 9EH-0606019-0 FISH, N.E.C.From China, Fishery/Seafood Products. ingredients not listedno manufacturer nameno net quantitynot in English+2 more
- KM6-3683885-6 NOODLES, INSTANTFrom Bangladesh, Macaroni and Noodle Products. unsafe color additiveingredients not listedcolor not declaredno manufacturer name+4 more
- EVJ-1265443-3 MIXED SPICES AND SEASONINGS, LIQUID, WITH SALT, N.E.C.From South Korea, Spices, Flavors, and Salts. ingredients not listedpreservative not declaredno common nameinsanitary handling
- TXC-7508193-4 CANDY WITHOUT CHOCOLATE N.E.C.From Finland, Candy Without Chocolate, Candy Specialties, and Chewing Gum. no manufacturer nameno net quantitynutrition labelinglabel not conspicuous+3 more
- ENS-0103435-6 MILK, PLAINFrom Poland, Milk, Butter, and Dried Milk Products. no common namelabelingnutrition labelingno process filing
- NAU-0006152-2 MARSHMALLOW CANDY, SOFT, WITHOUT NUTS AND FRUIT (WITHOUT CHOCOLATE)From Italy, Candy Without Chocolate, Candy Specialties, and Chewing Gum. unsafe color additiveingredients not listedno net quantitynot in English+2 more
- 8B4-0012673-4 MUSHROOMS AND OTHER FUNGI PRODUCTS, WHOLE (BUTTON), N.E.C.From Haiti, Vegetables and Vegetable Products. no manufacturer nameno net quantityno common name
- 8QB-0001362-6 CHEESE PRODUCTS, STANDARDIZED, N.E.C.From Honduras, Cheese and Cheese Products. ingredients not listedinsanitary conditionsno manufacturer nameno net quantity+3 more
- U51-0064296-2 SOFT CANDY WITHOUT NUTS AND FRUIT, N.E.C. (WITHOUT CHOCOLATE)From Jordan, Candy Without Chocolate, Candy Specialties, and Chewing Gum. unsafe color additivecolor not declaredno net quantitynot in English+4 more
- EAY-0046804-6 OTHER FRUIT AND FRUIT PRODUCTS, JAM, JELLY, PRESERVES, MARMALADE, BUTTER OR CANDIED, N.E.C.From Senegal, Fruit and Fruit Products. not in Englishno net quantityno common namenutrition labeling
- EVY-0059419-8 ICE CREAM, REGULAR, NOT VANILLA OR VANILLIN FLAVOREDFrom China, Ice Cream and Related Products. unsafe color additiveno net quantityno common nameingredients not listed+2 more
- 8QB-0001357-6 CHEESE PRODUCTS, STANDARDIZED, N.E.C.From Honduras, Cheese and Cheese Products. ingredients not listedno manufacturer nameno net quantityno common name+3 more
- KM6-3673065-7 NOODLES AND NOODLE PRODUCTS, N.E.C.From India, Macaroni and Noodle Products. ingredients not listedcolor not declaredno manufacturer nameno net quantity+5 more
- AEK-9647966-0 CANDY SPECIALTIES, N.E.C. (WITHOUT CHOCOLATE)From Nicaragua, Candy Without Chocolate, Candy Specialties, and Chewing Gum. ingredients not listedno net quantityno common namenutrition labeling+1 more
- KM6-3675831-0 FOODS (INCLUDING WATER) WITH EXCESSIVE NUTRITIONAL CLAIMSFrom India, Dietary Conventional Foods and Meal Replacements. ingredients not listedno net quantityno common namenutrition labeling
- KM6-3678694-9 OTHER BAKERY PRODUCTS, N.E.C.From India, Bakery Products, Doughs, Bakery Mixes, and Icings. filthunsafe color additiveingredients not listedno net quantity+4 more
About USUAL NAME
What does the FDA import refusal charge USUAL NAME mean?
FDA uses USUAL NAME for: no common name. Its published charge language reads: “The article is subject to refusal of admission pursuant to Section 801(a)(3) of the FD&C Act in that it appears to be misbranded within the meaning of Section 403(i)(1) of the FD&C Act in that the label fails to bear the common or usual name of the food, if any there be.”
Is USUAL NAME a food safety finding?
No. USUAL NAME 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 USUAL NAME?
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.