Commercial Information Circulars
24-hour hotline : 23 922 922
e-mail address : enquiry@tid.gov.hk
Ref : EIC 111/2/19
14 November 2008
Dear Sirs,
Commercial Information Circular No. 560/2008
US : Detention Without Physical Examination of All Milk Products, Milk-derived Ingredients and Finished Food Products Containing Milk from the Mainland of China
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) posted an Import Alert (#99-30) to its website on 12 November 2008 announcing its countrywide detention without physical examination of imports of all milk products, milk-derived ingredients and finished food products containing milk from the Mainland of China due to the presence of melamine and/or melamine analogs. A copy (pdf format) of the Import Alert (#99-30) downloaded from the website of FDA at http://www.fda.gov/ora/fiars/ora_import_ia9930.html is appended to this circular for reference.
- Products that will be subject to detention without physical examination include the following:
- bakery products/doughs/mixes/icings
- cereal preparations
- breakfast food ready to eat
- breakfast food quick cook
- snack foods
- milk/butter/dried milk products
- cheese/cheese products
- ice cream products
- filled milk/imitation milk products
- soft drink, milk based (chocolate flavoured), non-carbonated
- non-carbonated soft drink, Not Elsewhere Classified (N.E.C.)
- soft drink/waters N.E.C.
- soft drink, milk based (chocolate flavoured, etc.) carbonated
- carbonated soft drink, N.E.C.
- beverage base n/fruit (cola rootbeer, etc.)
- beverage base non-fruit liquid
- soft candy with nut, seeds, without coconut
- soft candy with coconut
- soft candy with fruit
- soft candy with nuts and fruits
- soft candy, without nut/fruit
- candy specialties
- candy without chocolate, N.E.C.
- chocolate/cocoa products
- custard pudding mix
- pudding mix (not custard)
- baby food products
- iodinated casein (Category I, Type A medicated article)
- iodinated casein (Combo Category I & II, type A, medicated)
- iodinated casein (Category I medicated feed)
- iodinated casein (Combo Category I & II, medicated feed)
- dairy by-products for animals
- animal waste feed products
- by-products for animals, N.E.C.
- pet cat foods
- pet dog foods
- pet fish foods
- other pet foods, N.E.C.
- laboratory animal feeds
- pet and laboratory animal foods, N.E.C.
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In order to secure release of an individual shipment detained pursuant to this Import Alert (#99-30), the importer should provide either: (i) results of a third party laboratory analysis, of a representative sample of the lot, which verifies the product does not contain melamine or cyanuric acid. Third party laboratories may use any method that is found acceptable to FDA and which meets the method performance of the liquid chromatography triple quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) methods available at http://www.cfsan.fda.gov/~comm/labmeth.html#melamine; or (ii) documentation supplied in English which shows there are no milk or milk-derived ingredients in the product, to include product formulation and product labelling (for example, process or batch records from the manufacturer, and the actual product labelling or a facsimile of the product labelling).
- If a firm, shipper or importer wishes to request removal from detention without physical examination, they should forward information supporting their request to FDA. Details of the information required are set out in the attached Import Alert (#99-30).
ENQUIRIES
- For enquiries concerning the content of this circular, please contact the undersigned at 2398 5682.
Yours faithfully,
(Miss Bonny CHAO)
for Director-General of Trade and Industry
| Note : | While every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the above information, the Department cannot guarantee this to be so and will not be held liable for any reliance placed on the same. |