Other pathogens in US Food Imports — FDA Import Refusals
Other pathogens appeared in 33 FDA import refusals between 2020 and 2026 — 0.2% of the 19,236 refusals that identify a hazard. The origins cited most often are Philippines, India, Mexico. The most-affected product category is Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Unconventional Dietary Specialties for Humans. Volume in 2025 was down 50% on 2024.
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Other pathogens refusals by year
| Year | Refusals | YoY | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 7 | — | |
| 2021 | 6 | -14.3% | |
| 2022 | 8 | +33.3% | |
| 2023 | 3 | -62.5% | |
| 2024 | 4 | +33.3% | |
| 2025 | 2 | -50.0% | |
| 2026 | 3 | — | YTD |
| Total | 33 |
Origins most cited for Other pathogens
| # | Origin country | Refusals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Philippines | 8 |
| 2 | India | 7 |
| 3 | Mexico | 5 |
| 4 | Nicaragua | 3 |
| 5 | El Salvador | 2 |
| 6 | Israel | 2 |
| 7 | United States | 2 |
| 8 | Canada | 1 |
| 9 | Chile | 1 |
| 10 | Indonesia | 1 |
| 11 | Russia | 1 |
Product categories where Other pathogens appears
| # | Product category | Refusals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Unconventional Dietary Specialties for Humans | 12 |
| 2 | Nuts and Edible Seeds | 7 |
| 3 | Cheese and Cheese Products | 6 |
| 4 | Fruit and Fruit Products | 3 |
| 5 | Fishery/Seafood Products | 1 |
| 6 | Milk, Butter, and Dried Milk Products | 1 |
| 7 | Multiple Food Dinners, Gravies, Sauces, and Specialties (Total Diet) | 1 |
| 8 | Spices, Flavors, and Salts | 1 |
| 9 | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 1 |
Recent Other pathogens refusals
- 231-7584417-1 BLUEBERRIES (BERRY)From Chile, Fruit and Fruit Products. E. coli O157:H7
- E84-0121433-1 CHEESE, PASTEURIZED, PROCESS (STANDARDIZED)From Nicaragua, Cheese and Cheese Products. bacterial contamination
- E84-0121403-4 CHEESE, PASTEURIZED, PROCESS (STANDARDIZED)From Nicaragua, Cheese and Cheese Products. bacterial contamination
- E6G-0179468-9 CAPSICUMS (CAYENNE CHILI, HOT PEPPERS), WHOLE (SPICE)From India, Spices, Flavors, and Salts. poisonous or deleterious substanceinsanitary plantinsanitary handlingListeria monocytogenes+2 more
- 826-0243757-4 CHEESE AND CHEESE PRODUCTS, NOT ELSEWHERE MENTIONED, N.E.C.From Nicaragua, Cheese and Cheese Products. bacterial contamination
- 799-0865458-6 VITAMIN, MINERAL, PROTEINS AND UNCONVENTIONAL DIETARY SPECIALITIES FOR HUMANS AND ANIMALS, N.E.C.From Israel, Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Unconventional Dietary Specialties for Humans. E. coli O157:H7
- CCH-0060285-7 GARLIC (HERBAL & BOTANICALS, NOT TEAS)From Mexico, Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Unconventional Dietary Specialties for Humans. E. coli O157:H7insanitary handling
- 799-0117066-3 VITAMIN, MINERAL, PROTEINS AND UNCONVENTIONAL DIETARY SPECIALITIES FOR HUMANS AND ANIMALS, N.E.C.From India, Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Unconventional Dietary Specialties for Humans. E. coli O157:H7
- 799-0120539-4 VITAMIN, MINERAL, PROTEINS AND UNCONVENTIONAL DIETARY SPECIALITIES FOR HUMANS AND ANIMALS, N.E.C.From India, Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Unconventional Dietary Specialties for Humans. E. coli O157:H7
- NS1-0023410-4 KRATOM (HERBAL AND BOTANICALS, NOT TEAS II)From Indonesia, Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Unconventional Dietary Specialties for Humans. insanitary plantE. coli O157:H7Salmonella
- AMN-0088041-5 CHEESE, SPICED (STANDARDIZED)From El Salvador, Cheese and Cheese Products. bacterial contaminationSalmonellanutrition labeling
- K64-1088933-6 COCONUT, SUBTROPICAL AND TROPICAL FRUIT PULPFrom Philippines, Fruit and Fruit Products. Vibrio
- APF-0030426-9 CRABFrom Mexico, Fishery/Seafood Products. E. coli O157:H7
- BDD-0688355-3 COCONUT, SHELLEDFrom Philippines, Nuts and Edible Seeds. Vibrio
- AEK-1012102-6 ASHWAGANDHA (HERBAL & BOTANICALS, NOT TEAS)From India, Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Unconventional Dietary Specialties for Humans. bacterial contaminationsupplement GMP failure
- AEK-1274288-6 VITAMIN, MINERAL, PROTEINS AND UNCONVENTIONAL DIETARY SPECIALITIES FOR HUMANS AND ANIMALS, N.E.C.From India, Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Unconventional Dietary Specialties for Humans. bacterial contaminationsupplement GMP failure
- AEK-1273948-6 VITAMIN, MINERAL, PROTEINS AND UNCONVENTIONAL DIETARY SPECIALITIES FOR HUMANS AND ANIMALS, N.E.C.From India, Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Unconventional Dietary Specialties for Humans. bacterial contamination
- SCS-0815939-7 VITAMIN, N.E.C.From Mexico, Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Unconventional Dietary Specialties for Humans. bacterial contaminationsupplement GMP failure
- AEK-0960228-3 HERBALS & BOTANICALS (NOT TEAS), N.E.C.From Russia, Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Unconventional Dietary Specialties for Humans. E. coli O157:H7
- AEK-1010695-1 ASHWAGANDHA (HERBAL & BOTANICALS, NOT TEAS)From India, Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Unconventional Dietary Specialties for Humans. bacterial contamination
About Other pathogens
This group covers the remaining pathogens charged as poisonous or deleterious substances under Section 402(a)(1): E. coli O157:H7 and other Shiga toxin–producing strains, Shigella, Vibrio cholerae, Hepatitis A virus, and generic bacterial-contamination findings that do not name Salmonella or Listeria specifically. Each is grounds for refusal on its own, without a numeric threshold, because federal law treats their presence as adulteration outright. Refusals span produce, shellfish, spices and other foods where fecal or waterborne contamination can enter before or during processing.
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.