Pakistan: FDA food import refusals, 2020–2025
← All origin reports Pakistan: refusals and rates, last 3 years →
Pakistan was the origin of 364 of 22,158 US food import refusals in 2020–2025 (1.6%), ranking 12th of 146 origins. 88% were hazard findings and 12% paperwork alone. 46% concerned whole grains, milled grain products, and starch; the most-cited safety charge was pesticide residue, and the most-cited paperwork charge nutrition labeling.
Every US food import refusal naming Pakistan as origin, 1 January 2020 to 31 December 2025. A refusal is one import entry, however many product lines it carried. Download every table (CSV).
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By year
| Year | Refusals | Share of US total | Rank among origins |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 37 | 1.4% | 16 |
| 2021 | 29 | 1.0% | 15 |
| 2022 | 37 | 1.1% | 18 |
| 2023 | 95 | 2.7% | 7 |
| 2024 | 71 | 1.8% | 9 |
| 2025 | 95 | 1.7% | 11 |
| 2020–2025 | 364 | 1.6% | 12 |
Year links open that year's refusals, entry by entry.
Tables below show each year 2020–2025; cells are shaded against their row's own peak. Change compares 2025 with 2020 and is shown only where 2020 had at least 10 refusals ("new" where it had none).
Hazard or paperwork
A refusal is a hazard finding when any of its charges is a safety one — filth, pathogens, residues, contaminants, unsafe additives — and paperwork when every charge is labelling, registration or a missing filing. One citing only charge codes FDA has not published is unclassified.
| Year | Hazard findings | Paperwork only | Unclassified | Hazard share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 31 | 6 | 0 | 83.8% |
| 2021 | 23 | 6 | 0 | 79.3% |
| 2022 | 33 | 4 | 0 | 89.2% |
| 2023 | 91 | 4 | 0 | 95.8% |
| 2024 | 65 | 6 | 0 | 91.5% |
| 2025 | 76 | 19 | 0 | 80.0% |
| 2020–2025 | 319 | 45 | 0 | 87.6% |
By industry
| FDA industry | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2020–2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Whole Grains, Milled Grain Products, and Starch rates → Rice |
20 | 5 | 11 | 65 | 24 | 43 | 168 (46.2%) | +115% |
| Fruit and Fruit Products rates → Berries-grapes, Fruit-other, Stone-fruit, Tropical |
4 | 9 | 12 | 13 | 16 | 20 | 74 (20.3%) | — |
| Bakery Products, Doughs, Bakery Mixes, and Icings | 5 | 5 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 19 (5.2%) | — |
| Snack Food Items (Flour, Meal, or Vegetable Base) | 2 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 10 | 2 | 18 (4.9%) | — |
| Multiple Food Dinners, Gravies, Sauces, and Specialties (Total Diet) rates → Sauces-prepared |
0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 11 (3.0%) | — |
| Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Unconventional Dietary Specialties for Humans rates → Herbals-botanicals, Supplements |
1 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 5 | 11 (3.0%) | — |
| Nuts and Edible Seeds | 3 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 9 (2.5%) | — |
| Spices, Flavors, and Salts | 1 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 1 | 9 (2.5%) | — |
| Dressings and Condiments | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 7 (1.9%) | — |
| Fishery/Seafood Products | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 1 | 7 (1.9%) | — |
| Macaroni and Noodle Products | 0 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 (1.9%) | — |
| Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 6 (1.6%) | — |
| Food Sweeteners (Nutritive) | 0 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 5 (1.4%) | — |
| Soft Drinks and Waters | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 0 | 5 (1.4%) | — |
| Candy Without Chocolate, Candy Specialties, and Chewing Gum rates → Candy |
0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 (0.5%) | — |
| Beverage Bases | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 (0.3%) | new |
| Color Additives for Foods, Drugs, and Cosmetics | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 (0.3%) | — |
| Egg and Egg Products | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 (0.3%) | new |
| Gelatin, Rennet, Pudding Mixes, and Pie Fillings | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 (0.3%) | — |
| Ice Cream and Related Products | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 (0.3%) | new |
| Vegetable Oils (Includes Olive Oil) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 (0.3%) | new |
By charge group
A refusal citing charges in two groups counts once in each, so rows can add up to more than the total.
| Charge group | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2020–2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pesticide residues (hazard) | 20 | 6 | 13 | 68 | 25 | 43 | 175 (48.1%) | +115% |
| Labelling (paperwork) | 9 | 11 | 9 | 7 | 12 | 14 | 62 (17.0%) | — |
| Filth and insanitary conditions (hazard) | 3 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 13 | 13 | 54 (14.8%) | — |
| Unsafe additives (hazard) | 3 | 8 | 6 | 10 | 7 | 10 | 44 (12.1%) | — |
| Process and registration (paperwork) | 2 | 2 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 16 | 28 (7.7%) | — |
| Salmonella (hazard) | 4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 27 (7.4%) | — |
| Contaminants (hazard) | 0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 8 | 8 | 20 (5.5%) | — |
| Undeclared allergens (hazard) | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 (1.1%) | — |
| Veterinary drug residues (hazard) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 (0.8%) | — |
| Mycotoxins (hazard) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 (0.3%) | — |
Most-cited charges
FDA's own charge codes, with a plain-English label. Each is counted once per refusal.
Safety charges
| Charge | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2020–2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
pesticide residue PESTICIDE |
20 | 6 | 13 | 68 | 25 | 43 | 175 | +115% |
filth FILTHY |
3 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 12 | 12 | 52 | — |
unsafe color additive UNSAFE COL |
3 | 6 | 4 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 34 | — |
Salmonella SALMONELLA |
4 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 12 | 4 | 27 | — |
poisonous or deleterious substance POISONOUS |
0 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 | 6 | 14 | — |
unsafe food additive UNSAFE ADD |
0 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 5 | 9 | — |
lead PB-FOOD |
0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 0 | 5 | — |
undeclared allergen ALLERGEN |
1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 4 | — |
poisonous substance POISONORD |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 3 | new |
veterinary drug residue VETDRUGRES |
0 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 3 | — |
Paperwork charges
| Charge | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2020–2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
nutrition labeling NUTRIT LBL |
5 | 3 | 7 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 33 | — |
color not declared COLOR LBLG |
1 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 19 | — |
no net quantity LACKS N/C |
1 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 14 | — |
ingredients not listed LIST INGRE |
4 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 13 | — |
unapproved new drug UNAPPROVED |
1 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 10 | — |
not in English NO ENGLISH |
2 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 9 | — |
inadequate process control INADPRCCTL |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 8 | 8 | new |
no manufacturer name LACKS FIRM |
1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 7 | — |
no process filing NO PROCESS |
1 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 6 | — |
unauthorized health claim HEALTH C |
2 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 5 | — |
By month
Pooled across 2020–2025. Each row is shaded against its own peak, so its season shows whatever its size. Hazard findings peak in March; Paperwork only peak in March.
Hazard or paperwork
| Kind | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hazard findings | 32 | 14 | 36 | 21 | 26 | 26 | 29 | 27 | 31 | 24 | 22 | 31 | March |
| Paperwork only | 1 | 3 | 10 | 3 | 8 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | March |
By charge group
| Charge group | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pesticide residues | 15 | 5 | 18 | 7 | 11 | 16 | 21 | 16 | 22 | 16 | 10 | 18 | September |
| Labelling | 2 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 9 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | May |
| Filth and insanitary conditions | 7 | 4 | 9 | 6 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 5 | March |
| Unsafe additives | 3 | 3 | 2 | 6 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 4 | 4 | 1 | 6 | 5 | May |
| Process and registration | 0 | 1 | 8 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 3 | 1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 0 | March |
Import divisions
The FDA division that handled the entry. DSWI and DNBI are the Mexican and Canadian land borders, so this says as much about the route as about the product.
| Division | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2020–2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DNEI — Northeast | 9 | 9 | 11 | 29 | 26 | 50 | 134 | — |
| DWCI — West Coast | 13 | 4 | 3 | 30 | 22 | 18 | 90 | +38% |
| DNBI — North Border, the Canadian land border | 4 | 10 | 12 | 21 | 12 | 10 | 69 | — |
| DSWI — Southwest, the Mexican land border | 7 | 5 | 10 | 13 | 5 | 9 | 49 | — |
| DSEI — Southeast | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 22 | — |
Method
Source: FDA Import Refusal Report (U.S. Food and Drug Administration); every food import refusal dated 2020–2025.
Counts are import entries, not product lines. A refusal naming several origins counts once for each, so origin shares can add up to more than 100%.
Charge groups are this site's grouping of FDA's charge codes; a code belongs to the first group that claims it, the same rule as the hazard pages.
A charge is what FDA cited to refuse the entry, often on appearance or documents rather than a laboratory result. Counts depend on how often each product is examined, so they are not a rate of unsafe food.
Licence: CC-BY-4.0. Cite as "Pakistan: FDA food import refusals, 2020–2025", fruit-risk.com, 2026-11-01, https://fdair.fruit-risk.com/reports/pakistan.html.
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