Fresh produce that appears to have been prepared, packed or held under insanitary conditions

Why FDA issued it

Note: The revision of this Import Alert (IA) dated 06/22/2026 updates the reason for alert, guidance section including agency contacts, and charge code section. Changes to the import alert are bracketed by asterisks (***). Produce is vulnerable to contamination with pathogenic microorganisms if exposed to insanitary conditions during growing, harvesting, packing, holding, manufacturing, processing, or transportation. Multiple foodborne illness outbreaks have been linked to produce that was likely contaminated as a result of insanitary conditions during growing, harvesting, packing, holding, manufacturing, processing, or transportation. Produce is of special concern because in many instances it is consumed without further treatment to adequately destroy or remove pathogenic microorganisms. FDA may document insanitary conditions that may have resulted in the contamination of produce with h

Quoted from the “Reason for Alert” section of the FDA page for 99-35, mirrored 30 August 2026. The quotation is truncated at the length this copy carries.