FDA Import Refusals Logged by DNBI
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The DNBI import division logged 3,045 FDA refusals between 2020 and 2026, 11.5% of all US import refusals in the dataset. The origins it rejects most often are Canada, India, China. Its most-rejected product category is Vegetables and Vegetable Products. Volume in 2025 was up 21% on 2024.
What these division codes mean
- DNEI
- Division of Northeast Imports.
- DSEI
- Division of Southeast Imports.
- DWCI
- Division of West Coast Imports.
- DSWI
- Division of Southwest Imports — the Mexican land border.
- DNBI
- Division of North Border Imports — the Canadian land border.
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FDA refusals logged by DNBI, by year
| Year | Refusals | YoY | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 243 | — | |
| 2021 | 343 | +41.2% | |
| 2022 | 362 | +5.5% | |
| 2023 | 444 | +22.7% | |
| 2024 | 545 | +22.7% | |
| 2025 | 660 | +21.1% | |
| 2026 | 448 | — | YTD |
| Total | 3,045 |
Origins most often refused by DNBI
| # | Origin country | Refusals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Canada | 841 |
| 2 | India | 534 |
| 3 | China | 153 |
| 4 | Turkey | 106 |
| 5 | United States | 105 |
| 6 | Pakistan | 73 |
| 7 | Jordan | 72 |
| 8 | Indonesia | 60 |
| 9 | Thailand | 57 |
| 10 | Afghanistan | 54 |
| 11 | Lebanon | 53 |
| 12 | United Kingdom | 45 |
| 13 | Italy | 43 |
| 14 | Vietnam | 43 |
| 15 | Tanzania | 38 |
| 16 | South Korea | 32 |
| 17 | United Arab Emirates | 29 |
| 18 | Egypt | 28 |
| 19 | Poland | 26 |
| 20 | Yemen | 25 |
| 21 | Malaysia | 24 |
| 22 | Spain | 24 |
| 23 | Myanmar | 23 |
| 24 | Australia | 22 |
| 25 | Saudi Arabia | 22 |
| 26 | Senegal | 22 |
| 27 | Sweden | 22 |
| 28 | Taiwan | 20 |
| 29 | Chile | 19 |
| 30 | Morocco | 19 |
Product categories most often refused by DNBI
| # | Product category | Refusals |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 486 |
| 2 | Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Unconventional Dietary Specialties for Humans | 467 |
| 3 | Fruit and Fruit Products | 457 |
| 4 | Fishery/Seafood Products | 232 |
| 5 | Nuts and Edible Seeds | 186 |
| 6 | Candy Without Chocolate, Candy Specialties, and Chewing Gum | 180 |
| 7 | Bakery Products, Doughs, Bakery Mixes, and Icings | 160 |
| 8 | Spices, Flavors, and Salts | 153 |
| 9 | Whole Grains, Milled Grain Products, and Starch | 126 |
| 10 | Soft Drinks and Waters | 80 |
| 11 | Snack Food Items (Flour, Meal, or Vegetable Base) | 73 |
| 12 | Multiple Food Dinners, Gravies, Sauces, and Specialties (Total Diet) | 65 |
| 13 | Chocolate and Cocoa Products | 63 |
| 14 | Macaroni and Noodle Products | 52 |
| 15 | Vegetable Oils (Includes Olive Oil) | 33 |
Recent refusals logged by DNBI
- B3T-2601014-9 TUNA (ALBACORE, YELLOWFIN, BLUEFIN, SKIPJACK, ETC.)From Thailand, Fishery/Seafood Products. histaminenutrition labeling
- EJG-2602155-6 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. false or misleading label
- DP4-1114535-3 YOGURT (PLAIN, FLAVORED OR FRUIT ADDED)From Poland, Milk, Butter, and Dried Milk Products. insanitary conditions
- 442-8673499-9 ANIMAL BY-PRODUCTS AND EXTRACTS, N.E.C.From Canada, Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Unconventional Dietary Specialties for Humans. supplement labelinglabelingunauthorized health claimnutrition labeling+2 more
- SQ4-0628635-2 BURDOCK, GOBO, DRIED OR PASTEFrom China, Vegetables and Vegetable Products. filthno manufacturer nameno net quantity
- J89-0148276-2 SAUCES, N.E.C.From India, Multiple Food Dinners, Gravies, Sauces, and Specialties (Total Diet). filth
- CEY-1044989-8 SOFT DRINK, IMITATION FRUIT FLAVORED, CARBONATEDFrom Canada, Soft Drinks and Waters. unsafe color additiveingredients not listedno net quantitynutrition labeling+1 more
- BLS-9054207-7 SAFFRON, WHOLE (SPICE)From Spain, Spices, Flavors, and Salts. unsafe color additivecolor not declared
- DF4-1647484-2 MINT, GROUND, CRACKED (SPICE)From Turkey, Spices, Flavors, and Salts. Salmonella
- 1FX-7638177-2 POTATO SNACKS (FLAVORED OR UNFLAVORED), VEGETABLE SNACKS (OTHER THAN PULSES) BAKEDFrom Canada, Snack Food Items (Flour, Meal, or Vegetable Base). unsafe color additive
- 024-1695270-9 CAULIFLOWER (LEAF & STEM VEGETABLE)From Turkey, Vegetables and Vegetable Products. no process filing
- KM6-3684279-1 MIXED SPICE AND SEASONINGS, GROUND, CRACKED, WITHOUT SALT, N.E.C.From United Arab Emirates, Spices, Flavors, and Salts. insanitary plantinsanitary handlingSalmonella
- 349-2079592-8 MIXED FRUIT, JAM, JELLY, PRESERVES, MARMALADE, BUTTER OR CANDIED, N.E.C.From Taiwan, Fruit and Fruit Products. unsafe color additiveunfit for foodno process filing
- 9AG-0096274-8 CREAM, SOURFrom Honduras, Milk, Butter, and Dried Milk Products. not to standard of identitybelow standard of qualitylabel not conspicuousno net quantity+1 more
- 823-0227487-1 RAISINS (DRIED GRAPES) (BERRY)From Afghanistan, Fruit and Fruit Products. pesticide residue
- AC1-0011017-3 FLAVORED OR PARTY CRACKERSFrom Thailand, Bakery Products, Doughs, Bakery Mixes, and Icings. not in Englishnutrition labelingno net quantitylabeling+1 more
- KM6-3684693-3 TAMARIND, JAM, JELLY, PRESERVES, MARMALADE, BUTTER OR CANDIEDFrom India, Fruit and Fruit Products. Salmonellafilth
- 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
- SCS-5183735-7 SYRUPS AND MOLASSES, N.E.C.From Canada, Food Sweeteners (Nutritive). filthingredients not listedno process filingno manufacturer name+2 more
- 930-0370472-8 SOFT DRINK, COLA, CARBONATEDFrom India, Soft Drinks and Waters. unsafe color additivenutrition labeling
About FDA import refusals
What is an FDA import refusal?
An FDA import refusal is an entry that FDA examined, or sampled, and refused admission into US commerce — most often because it appeared adulterated or misbranded under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act. It is an entry-level administrative action, not a finding of guilt and not an adjudication; the importer may recondition, re-export or destroy the goods.
What is the difference between the import division and the country of origin?
The import division is one of FDA's own operating divisions that processed the entry and issued the refusal. The country of origin is where the refused product was produced or shipped from. These pages rank import divisions by the number of refusals they issued, separately from the origin-country breakdown.
Do import refusals keep unsafe food out of the United States?
Yes, that is their purpose: refusing an entry at the border stops a non-compliant consignment from reaching US commerce. Not every refusal is a safety finding, though — more than a quarter are labelling or registration failures rather than a hazard in the product itself, which is why this site counts hazard and paperwork refusals separately.