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          Guidance for Industry: Refusal of Inspection by a Foreign Food Establishment or Foreign GovernmentSearch for FDA Guidance Documents GUIDANCE DOCUMENT
	Guidance for Industry: Refusal of Inspection by a Foreign Food Establishment or Foreign Government
					
		
		October 2022


	Download the  Final Guidance Document
	    
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    PrintDocket Number:
		    FDA-2017-D-6528
	    	    		    Issued by:
		    Guidance Issuing Office
          Center for Veterinary Medicine
          Office of Regulatory Affairs
          Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition


For questions regarding this document contact the Center for Food Safety and Applied Nutrition at 240-701-5986, or the Center for Veterinary Medicine at 240-402-7001, or the Office of Regulatory Affairs at 202-402-4565.

This guidance provides information for foreign food establishments subject to our inspection, as well as for foreign governments, on how we interpret “refuses to permit entry ... to inspect” a foreign food establishment, pursuant to section 807(b) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) (21 U.S.C. 384c(b)). The examples used in this guidance are not intended to serve as an exhaustive list. Rather, they illustrate situations that we may encounter in preparing for and conducting inspections.

Terms used in this guidance include:

The term “U.S.” refers to the United States.
	The pronouns “we,” “our,” and “us” refer to FDA.
	The term “food” means: (1) articles used for food or drink for man or other animals, (2) chewing gum, and (3) articles used for components of any such article.  (Section 201(f) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. 321(f)).
	The term “foreign food establishment” or “establishment” is used in this guidance to refer to a foreign factory, warehouse, or other establishment that grows, harvests, manufactures, processes, packs, or holds, food.  “Establishments” as used in this guidance include farms (as defined in 21 CFR 1.227 and 112.3).
	The term “owner, operator, or agent in charge” is used in this guidance to refer to the owner, operator, or agent in charge of the foreign food establishment, or an individual authorized by the owner, operator, or agent in charge of the foreign food establishment, to be the contact person for the purposes of our inspection.
	The term “FDA investigators” refers to “United States inspectors or other individuals duly designated by the Secretary.” (Sec. 807(b) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. 384c(b))
	The term “foreign governments” refers to foreign governments and competent authorities of foreign countries.Our guidance documents, including this guidance, do not establish legally enforceable responsibilities.  Instead, guidances describe our current thinking on a topic and should be viewed only as recommendations, unless specific regulatory or statutory requirements are cited.  The use of the word *should*in FDA guidances means that something is suggested or recommended, but not required.

**Download the Guidance**

Related Information

More FSMA Rules & Guidance for IndustrySubmit Comments
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					You can submit online or written comments on any guidance at any time (see 21 CFR 10.115(g)(5))
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						All written comments should be identified with this document's docket number: FDA-2017-D-6528.

                                                                                  Content current as of:
      10/20/2022
         
                  
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