***"Detention Without Physical Examination of Uneviscerated Fish or Partially Eviscerated Fish that are either Salt-Cured, Dried, Smoked, Pickled, Fermented or Brined (i.e., excluding LACF and Acidified Products Produced in Accordance with 21 CFR part 113 or 114)"***

Why FDA issued it

Note: The revision of this Import Alert (IA) dated 07/16/2026 updates the reason for alert, guidance section, agency contacts, product description and charge section. Changes to the import alert are bracketed by asterisks (***). *** There is a well-documented history of botulism associated with uneviscerated, salt-cured fish. In the United States between 1981 and 1987, kapchunka, an uneviscerated, salt-cured, air-dried, whole fish, which may or may not be smoked, was implicated in three outbreaks causing 3 deaths and 11 illnesses. Usually produced from whitefish, kapchunka is also known as rybetz, ribeyza, or rostov. Two additional outbreaks occurred in 1991, where faseikh was implicated in causing at least 91 illnesses and 18 deaths in Egypt. Faseikh is a traditional product made by fermenting uneviscerated fresh mullet for up to one day and then salt-curing it in barrels, which may be

Quoted from the “Reason for Alert” section of the FDA page for 16-74, mirrored 30 August 2026. The quotation is truncated at the length this copy carries.