Worldwide Customs & Regulatory Updates
US and Canada Restrict Imported Milk Products from China
We would like to inform you that both the U.S. and Canada have recently announced nationwide restrictions on milk products from China in the wake of the melamine scare.
The new restrictions affect:
- All milk products from China
- Milk-derived ingredients from China
- Finished food products containing milk from China.
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) of U.S Alert:
- Some products may be impounded without examination.
- Shippers or importers can secure the release of an individual shipment of products by providing:
• The results of a third-party laboratory analysis, of a representative sample of the lot, verifying that the product or products do not contain melamine or melamine analogs. Third-party laboratories may use any method that is acceptable to the FDA. Or:
• Documentation (in English) which shows there are no milk or milk-derived ingredients in the product or products. This documentation can include formulation and product labeling. - Shippers or importers can request that a product be exempted from these restrictions.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) Alert:
- The CFIA will require documentation of analytical results indicating that melamine levels do not surpass the interim standards set by Health Canada, which are as follows:
• Infant formula and sole source nutrition products, including meal replacement products: a maximum of 0.5 parts per million* (ppm)
• Other food products containing milk and milk-derived ingredients: a maximum of 2.5 ppm*.
*Please note that these levels will apply to a combined concentration of melamine and cyanuric acid, a chemical generally found with melamine. - Laboratory results must be obtained through a CFIA-recognized lab and must be available to the CFIA upon request. More details can be found at http://www.inspection.gc.ca/english/fssa/invenq/inform/melinstruce.shtml
Note: Products that will be restricted include but are not limited to:
• bakery products/doughs/mixes/icings
• cereal preparations
• breakfast foods – ready to eat
• breakfast foods – quick cook
• snack foods
• milk/butter/dried milk products
• cheese/cheese products
• ice cream products
• filled milk/imitation milk products
• soft drinks, milk-based (chocolate flavored), carbonated and non-carbonated
• non-carbonated soft drinks
• certain soft drinks and waters
• beverage base n/fruit (cola, root beer, etc.)
• beverage base non-fruit liquid
• soft candy with nuts and seeds, without coconut
• soft candy with coconut
• soft candy with /fruit
• soft candy with nuts and fruits
• soft candy without nuts and fruits
• candy specialties
• candy without chocolate, NEC
• chocolate/cocoa products
• pudding mix, custard and non-custard
• baby food products
• iodinated casein
• dairy byproducts for animals
• animal waste feed products
• byproducts for animals, NEC
• cat, dog, fish and other pet foods
• laboratory animal feeds
Should you require more information, please contact your local FedEx Customer Service Team.