The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has announced the latest list of products failing border inspections, including a batch of Vietnamese seasoning sauce that tested positive for Sudan Red I. 

Sudan dyes such as Sudan I, Sudan II, and other derivatives continue to create issues at border inspections. Starting September 2, the FDA implemented strict Sudan Red surveillance inspections for seasoning sauces from Vietnam, and on Tuesday a 640-kilogram shipment of “VIET KHANH” brand crab-flavored seasoning sauce that tested positive for Sudan Red I was destroyed at the border. 

Japanese brand “Seikatsu Ryohin,” exclusively imported by PX Mart, and Chinese-made baking paper were also found to be non-compliant, with excessive levels of evaporative residue. The importer will henceforth be subject to batch-by-batch inspection.

In addition, parasites were again detected in frozen beef tongues imported from the United States. Two batches submitted for inspection by importer Shusen Development Co., Ltd. were again found to contain Sarcocystis parasites. The FDA had already implemented batch-by-batch inspections for this company at the border; since Nov. 2, 2009, the FDA has furthermore subjected all frozen beef tongues imported from the U.S. to border monitoring inspections.

Chinese paper food containers have also repeatedly been found to violate regulations. From the end of February this year through the present, 197 batches have been submitted for inspection, of which eight were found to have excessive evaporative residue, resulting in a 4.1% failure rate. From June 16 through Oct. 7 this year, the FDA has implemented enhanced sampling inspections at the border for paper-related products from China, with a sampling rate of 20 to 50 percent.