Taiwan: FDA food import refusals, 2020–2025
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Taiwan was the origin of 269 of 22,156 US food import refusals in 2020–2025 (1.2%), ranking 17th of 146 origins. 73% were hazard findings and 27% paperwork alone. 26% concerned fruit and fruit products; the most-cited safety charge was unsafe color additive, and the most-cited paperwork charge ingredients not listed.
Every US food import refusal naming Taiwan 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 | 50 | 1.8% | 10 |
| 2021 | 27 | 0.9% | 16 |
| 2022 | 42 | 1.2% | 15 |
| 2023 | 52 | 1.5% | 15 |
| 2024 | 34 | 0.9% | 21 |
| 2025 | 64 | 1.1% | 15 |
| 2020–2025 | 269 | 1.2% | 17 |
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 | 30 | 20 | 0 | 60.0% |
| 2021 | 16 | 11 | 0 | 59.3% |
| 2022 | 33 | 9 | 0 | 78.6% |
| 2023 | 42 | 10 | 0 | 80.8% |
| 2024 | 25 | 9 | 0 | 73.5% |
| 2025 | 50 | 14 | 0 | 78.1% |
| 2020–2025 | 196 | 73 | 0 | 72.9% |
By industry
| FDA industry | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2020–2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fruit and Fruit Products rates → Berries-grapes · Citrus · Fruit-other · Stone-fruit · Tropical |
10 | 9 | 14 | 8 | 7 | 21 | 69 (25.7%) | +110% |
| Fishery/Seafood Products | 13 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 4 | 5 | 45 (16.7%) | −62% |
| Vegetables and Vegetable Products | 3 | 1 | 10 | 14 | 9 | 4 | 41 (15.2%) | — |
| Candy Without Chocolate, Candy Specialties, and Chewing Gum | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 11 | 17 (6.3%) | — |
| Vitamins, Minerals, Proteins, and Unconventional Dietary Specialties for Humans | 2 | 0 | 3 | 5 | 2 | 5 | 17 (6.3%) | — |
| Multiple Food Dinners, Gravies, Sauces, and Specialties (Total Diet) | 5 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 3 | 1 | 12 (4.5%) | — |
| Vegetable Protein Products (Simulated Meats) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 1 | 10 (3.7%) | — |
| Coffee and Tea | 7 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 9 (3.3%) | — |
| Bakery Products, Doughs, Bakery Mixes, and Icings | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 8 (3.0%) | — |
| Beverage Bases | 1 | 1 | 0 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 8 (3.0%) | — |
| Gelatin, Rennet, Pudding Mixes, and Pie Fillings | 0 | 0 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 7 (2.6%) | — |
| Soft Drinks and Waters | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 3 | 6 (2.2%) | — |
| Food Sweeteners (Nutritive) rates → | 1 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 1 | 5 (1.9%) | — |
| Whole Grains, Milled Grain Products, and Starch | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 (1.5%) | — |
| Macaroni and Noodle Products | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 2 (0.7%) | — |
| Milk, Butter, and Dried Milk Products | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 (0.7%) | — |
| Nuts and Edible Seeds | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 2 (0.7%) | — |
| Cereal Preparations, Breakfast Foods | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 (0.4%) | — |
| Chocolate and Cocoa Products | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 (0.4%) | — |
| Filled Milk and Imitation Milk Products | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 1 (0.4%) | — |
| Snack Food Items (Flour, Meal, or Vegetable Base) | 0 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 (0.4%) | — |
| Spices, Flavors, and Salts | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 (0.4%) | — |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labelling (paperwork) | 23 | 8 | 10 | 18 | 11 | 12 | 82 (30.5%) | −48% |
| Filth and insanitary conditions (hazard) | 4 | 0 | 5 | 11 | 10 | 33 | 63 (23.4%) | — |
| Process and registration (paperwork) | 7 | 7 | 2 | 7 | 5 | 9 | 37 (13.8%) | — |
| Unsafe additives (hazard) | 5 | 4 | 7 | 9 | 3 | 9 | 37 (13.8%) | — |
| Contaminants (hazard) | 3 | 5 | 8 | 5 | 5 | 8 | 34 (12.6%) | — |
| Salmonella (hazard) | 3 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 25 (9.3%) | — |
| Undeclared allergens (hazard) | 3 | 1 | 0 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 17 (6.3%) | — |
| Listeria monocytogenes (hazard) | 1 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 17 (6.3%) | — |
| Pesticide residues (hazard) | 10 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 15 (5.6%) | −100% |
| Veterinary drug residues (hazard) | 1 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 (0.7%) | — |
| Other charges (no group) | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 1 (0.4%) | new |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
unsafe color additive UNSAFE COL |
3 | 4 | 6 | 9 | 3 | 9 | 34 | — |
Salmonella SALMONELLA |
3 | 3 | 6 | 7 | 3 | 3 | 25 | — |
unfit for food UNFIT4FOOD |
0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 22 | 22 | new |
Listeria monocytogenes LISTERIA |
1 | 0 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 0 | 17 | — |
filth FILTHY |
2 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 5 | 16 | — |
poisonous or deleterious substance POISONOUS |
1 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 4 | 3 | 16 | — |
undeclared allergen ALLERGEN |
3 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 15 | — |
pesticide residue PESTICIDE |
10 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 15 | −100% |
insanitary plant MFR INSAN |
1 | 0 | 1 | 7 | 2 | 2 | 13 | — |
insanitary handling MFR INJ |
0 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 3 | 2 | 11 | — |
Paperwork charges
| Charge | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 | 2025 | 2020–2025 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
ingredients not listed LIST INGRE |
12 | 1 | 4 | 9 | 4 | 3 | 33 | −75% |
nutrition labeling NUTRIT LBL |
13 | 2 | 3 | 6 | 3 | 6 | 33 | −54% |
color not declared COLOR LBLG |
3 | 4 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 2 | 19 | — |
not in English NO ENGLISH |
7 | 0 | 2 | 4 | 3 | 3 | 19 | — |
no process filing NO PROCESS |
5 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 5 | 19 | — |
no net quantity LACKS N/C |
3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 9 | — |
label not conspicuous INCONSPICU |
1 | 0 | 1 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 8 | — |
no manufacturer name LACKS FIRM |
1 | 0 | 1 | 4 | 1 | 1 | 8 | — |
no common name USUAL NAME |
1 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | 8 | — |
FSVP violation FSVP VIO |
0 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 7 | — |
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 September; Paperwork only peak in April.
Hazard or paperwork
| Kind | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hazard findings | 18 | 18 | 12 | 16 | 15 | 18 | 15 | 16 | 21 | 17 | 14 | 16 | September |
| Paperwork only | 9 | 2 | 5 | 14 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 3 | 6 | 4 | 5 | 3 | April |
By charge group
| Charge group | Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec | Peak |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Labelling | 10 | 2 | 6 | 13 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 8 | 5 | 3 | 5 | 5 | April |
| Filth and insanitary conditions | 4 | 3 | 3 | 4 | 6 | 4 | 6 | 3 | 10 | 9 | 5 | 6 | September |
| Process and registration | 3 | 3 | 1 | 7 | 0 | 2 | 7 | 1 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 4 | April |
| Unsafe additives | 2 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 3 | 4 | 3 | 5 | 4 | 2 | 2 | 3 | August |
| Contaminants | 6 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 | 4 | January |
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DWCI — West Coast | 32 | 20 | 26 | 37 | 24 | 35 | 174 | +9% |
| DNEI — Northeast | 11 | 6 | 9 | 5 | 8 | 12 | 51 | +9% |
| DSEI — Southeast | 4 | 0 | 1 | 5 | 1 | 7 | 18 | — |
| DNBI — North Border, the Canadian land border | 2 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 7 | 15 | — |
| DSWI — Southwest, the Mexican land border | 1 | 0 | 4 | 3 | 0 | 3 | 11 | — |
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 "Taiwan: FDA food import refusals, 2020–2025", fruit-risk.com, 2026-09-20, https://fdair.fruit-risk.com/reports/taiwan.html.
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