"Detention Without Physical Examination of Processed Rice-Based Products Due to Filth"

During a six month period beginning March 21, 1989, San Francisco district detained 27 shipments of rice-based products due to adulteration by filth (involving rat, mouse, insect, bat, bird, cat, and dog filth). During this same period, Los Angeles district detained two shipments of rice-based products due to insect filth.

A review of FY'89 detention data by CFSAN revealed that many of those detentions involved a limited number of firms and that the firms met the criteria for Detention Without Physical Examination.

Rice-based products that had been detained included, but were not limited to, rice noodles, rice sticks, flour (rice) sticks, rice cake mix, glutinous rice mix, rice sauce mix and rice cake. Review of national detention data for FY'95, revealed numerous detentions of processed rice-based products from the listed countries due to filth.

Districts may detain, without physical examination, all shipments of rice-based products from the People's Republic of China, Hong Kong, and Thailand, identified below except for the products from the exempted firms identified on the Green List.

Districts may also detain, without physical examination, the products from the manufacturers, packers, or shippers identified on the red list for this alert.

Increased surveillance of all types of processed rice-based products (e.g. rice sticks,rice vermicelli, rice cakes, treated whole grain rice such as glutinous, fragrant, jasmine rice, etc.) from all countries for filth analysis is indicated.

CHINA, PEOPLES REPUBLIC OF (CN): Rice sticks and rice vermicelli

HONG KONG (HK): Rice flour (powder)

THAILAND (TH): Listed product codes of processed rice based products. Exclude unprocessed whole grain rice and treated whole grain rice such as glutinous rice or scented rice.

PHILIPPINES (PH):
Listed product codes of processed rice based products.
Include treated whole grain rice as glutinous rice or
scented rice. Exclude unprocessed whole grain rice.

"The article is subject to refusal of admission pursuant to Section 801(a)(3) in that it appears to consist in whole or in part of a filthy, putrid, or decomposed substance or is otherwise unfit for food in that it contains insect, rodent, bird, and/or other animal filth [Adulteration, Section 402(a)(3)]."

OASIS charge code - FILTHY