Last refresh: · 25,892 refusals since 2020-01-01

Contaminants in US Food Imports — FDA Import Refusals

← all hazards · dashboard

Contaminants appeared in 1,810 FDA import refusals between 2020 and 2026 — 7.0% of the 25,860 refusals that identify a hazard. The origins cited most often are China, India, Mexico. The most-affected product category is Nuts and Edible Seeds. Volume in 2025 was up 31% on 2024.

Email me about new FDA import refusals involving melamine

One email a week, and only when something matches. We'll send a confirmation link first; unsubscribe any time from the footer of any email.

Contaminants notifications by year

YearNotificationsof which border rejectionsYoY
2020 158 158 —
2021 164 164 +3.8%
2022 190 190 +15.9%
2023 233 233 +22.6%
2024 302 302 +29.6%
2025 397 397 +31.5%
2026 366 366 — YTD
Total1,810

Origins most cited for Contaminants

#Origin countryNotifications
1 China 748
2 India 265
3 Mexico 104
4 Vietnam 81
5 South Korea 79
6 Indonesia 72
7 Thailand 64
8 Canada 44
9 Taiwan 36
10 Turkey 30
11 Bangladesh 21
12 Chile 21
13 Pakistan 20
14 Myanmar 17
15 Guatemala 15
16 Japan 15
17 Egypt 13
18 Ecuador 12
19 United Arab Emirates 11
20 Hong Kong 10
21 Colombia 9
22 United Kingdom 9
23 Italy 8
24 Albania 7
25 Lebanon 7
26 Mozambique 7
27 Philippines 7
28 Poland 7
29 El Salvador 6
30 Brazil 5

Product categories where Contaminants appears

#Product categoryNotifications
1Nuts and Edible Seeds244
2Bakery Products, Doughs, Bakery Mixes, and Icings236
3Fruit and Fruit Products209
4Vegetables and Vegetable Products191
5Fishery/Seafood Products141
6Spices, Flavors, and Salts139
7Ice Cream and Related Products127
8Snack Food Items (Flour, Meal, or Vegetable Base)127
9Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Unconventional Dietary Specialties for Humans64
10Milk, Butter, and Dried Milk Products46
11Chocolate and Cocoa Products41
12Whole Grains, Milled Grain Products, and Starch39
13Vegetable Protein Products (Simulated Meats)37
14Candy Without Chocolate, Candy Specialties, and Chewing Gum32
15Cheese and Cheese Products31

Recent Contaminants notifications

About Contaminants

This group covers chemical and environmental contaminants charged under Section 402(a)(1) as poisonous or deleterious substances, distinct from residues of a pesticide or animal drug applied on purpose: lead, melamine and its analogues, dioxins and PCBs, the radionuclide Cesium-137, sulfites present in excess, and marine biotoxins. These reach food through packaging, industrial contamination, fraudulent adulteration or the animal's own environment rather than through intended use, and refusals here turn up in seafood, dairy, infant-formula ingredients and imported confectionery.

Which FDA import refusals does this page count?

Every entry FDA refused that cites this hazard among its charge codes. A single entry can carry more than one charge, so an entry refused for both a pathogen and a labelling defect is counted on both the relevant hazard page and, separately, in the hazard/paperwork split shown on the leaderboard.

What happens when this hazard is found in a shipment?

The entry is refused admission into US commerce. The importer must recondition the shipment (where that is possible), export it out of the United States, or have it destroyed under FDA supervision. Repeated findings against one shipper or product can lead FDA to place them on an Import Alert, which subjects future shipments to detention without physical examination.

Where does this data come from?

The public FDA Import Refusal Report, refetched weekly. Counts are per entry (consignment), so one entry listing several charge codes for the same hazard is counted once.