An apple grower in the United States is familiar with the pesticides approved by the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for use in apples, as well as their treatment rates and preharvest intervals. Similarly, a dairy farmer and his veterinarian can look at an FDA-approved label on a veterinary medicine to see if it can be used safely in cows producing milk and how long the milk must be discarded. FDA Import detained Food producers, warehouses, and farms in the United States are aware that their products may be examined and samples obtained. Domestic producers are concerned about maintaining the integrity and goodwill of their brands. Members of US trade associations are taught about food safety and FDA regulations. When a foodborne outbreak occurs, the FDA and states may investigate quickly and usually identify the source.

Imported foods originate from roughly 200 nations, none of which have the same pesticide, food additive, or veterinary medicine licencing processes as the United States, and many of which have none at all. Foreign producers may be unaware of US food safety regulations or produce for various international markets. Exporting countries' domestic food safety systems might range from excellent to nonexistent. There may not be enough potable water for irrigation, and waste and sewage treatment may be lacking or inadequate. Nonetheless, many exporting countries that lack domestic food safety systems are willing to go to great lengths to ensure export markets for their products, including using food safety measures to meet importing country criteria if doing so would result in complications or a loss of market access.

While no importing country can inspect all imported foods for all possible chemical residues and contaminants, microbiological pathogens, and physical hazards, many importing countries have excellent imported food safety records by focusing resources on higher-risk foods and preventive mechanisms, as well Salmonella analysis as dealing with food-related public health issues when they arise. As mentioned in this appendix, import programmes for food safety can use a variety of approaches to encourage safer imports and provide incentives for foreign producers/food importers to comply with importing country standards. Imported foods face different food safety concerns than domestically produced foods and hence demand a different regulatory framework.

Imported Food Program Concept and Design by the FDA

The FDA's food policies and initiatives were largely shaped by the domestic food sector. The FDA was to check domestic food facilities, with states focusing on retail and intrastate enterprises and the FDA on interstate commerce products. Food sampling was done during firm inspections to uncover faults or confirm a safety hazard if one was suspected. A sampling of items in trade was mostly done on a surveillance basis, and it was generally done close to the farm gate or boat. Food was not transported great distances; only a small percentage of food consumed came from outside the country, and these were conventional imports like bananas and coffee.

Until recently, the FDA applied the same mindset to food imports as it did to its domestic programme. All foods, whether domestic or imported, must meet the same food safety requirements, and foreign enterprises—growers, manufacturers, packers, warehouses—and importers, like domestic companies, are responsible for knowing and complying with applicable laws and regulations. The FDA maintains a comprehensive website that contains all of this information, which is normally only available in English (FDA, 2009b). Although it may be claimed that knowing the importing country's food safety laws should be essential to managing a food export business, it should also be noted that, with a few exceptions, the FDA did not aggressively undertake outreach to other countries until recently. Regarding food safety rules, their industry, or importers Annual meetings on the agency's programmes have been held with Washington embassies (in all FDA product areas). It also held meetings with embassies, regional videoconferences with the help of the World Bank, and question-and-answer sessions at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva a few years ago to promote the execution of its bioterrorism legislation.

Bringing food into the United States

 Food importers destined to enter the United States in interstate commerce have a responsibility to ensure that the products are safe, hygienic, and labelled according to US laws, pursuant to provisions of the US Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.  (All imported foods are considered interstate trade.)

Individual food importers, products, labels, or shipments are not authorised by law to be approved, certified, licenced, or otherwise sanctioned by FDA. Importers can bring food into the United States without FDA approval as long as the facilities they produce, store, or otherwise handle the items are registered with FDA and FDA is given advance notice of impending shipments. 

When offered for import at U.S. ports of entry, imported food goods are subject to FDA inspection. If shipments of products proposed for import are discovered to be in violation of US rules, FDA may delay them. In the United States, both imported and domestically produced foods must meet the same legal criteria.