Effective immediately, the Taiwan Food and Drug Authority (TFDA) has implemented new requirements for fishery products for human consumption imported into Taiwan. U.S. establishments that have an interest in exporting seafood products to Taiwan must contact U.S. FDA.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced that sufficient laboratory capacity has been reached for mycotoxins testing for food imports under the Laboratory Accreditation for Analyses of Foods (LAAF) program. Owners and consignees of imported food subject to the LAAF regulation must use a LAAF-accredited laboratory to conduct mycotoxins testing beginning December 1, 2024.    

A recent publication from the World Trade Organization (WTO)—written in collaboration with other expert groups that have expertise in food safety and food crime—explores the challenges of combating food fraud and illegal practices in food trade, and how the WTO rulebook can help address these challenges. 

Following a 2022–2023 hepatitis A outbreak linked to contaminated frozen berries, New Zealand has issued new import rules for frozen berries to better ensure food safety.

The UK Food Standards Agency (FSA) has opened a public consultation on amendments to the lists of food and feed that are subject to assimilated Regulation 2019/1793, which applies a temporary increase of official controls and special conditions to high-risk imports of non-animal origin.

FDA's Foreign Supplier Verification Programs (FSVP) require importers to verify that their suppliers are producing food in a way that meets domestic food safety standards. Through continuous monitoring, FDA targets high-risk products and supply chains to ensure the most impactful FSVP inspections. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has released a draft guidance for industry on collecting samples for testing seafood products subject to Detention Without Physical Examination (DWPE).

With regard to the recently recalled, lead-contaminated applesauce packages that have caused lead poisoning among dozens of children, Jim Jones, Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), recently shared that the agency’s leading theory is economically motivated adulteration of cinnamon used in the products.

The UK Government has published guidances for EU and non-EU countries about risk categories and requirements for animals and animal products imported to Great Britain under the new Border Target Operating Model.

As an outbreak of a zoonotic disease in Paraguay has been resolved, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has announced a final rule to allow the importation of fresh beef from the country under certain conditions, beginning December 14, 2023.