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  5. Greenfield Produce Imports - 629152 - 05/10/2022
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WARNING LETTER

Greenfield Produce Imports MARCS-CMS 629152 —

Delivery Method:
Via Express Delivery
Product:
Food & Beverages
Recipient:
Recipient Name
Peter Chhoeu
Recipient Title
Owner
Greenfield Produce Imports

718 S. Alameda St.
Los Angeles, CA 90021-1616
United States

Issuing Office:
Division of West Coast Imports

United States

WARNING LETTER

May 10, 2022

Re: CMS # 629152

Dear Mr. Chhoeu:

On January 25, 2022 to January 27, 2022, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted a Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) inspection at Greenfield Produce Imports, 718 S. Alameda St., Los Angeles, CA 90021-1616. We also conducted an inspection on March 27, 2020. These inspections were conducted to determine compliance with the requirements of section 805 of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act) (21 U.S.C. 384a) and the implementing FSVP regulation in 21 CFR part 1, subpart L.

The FSVP regulation requires that importers perform certain risk-based activities to verify that human and/or animal food they import into the United States has been produced in a manner that meets applicable U.S. food safety standards. You may find information relating to the FSVP regulation and your responsibilities to comply with the regulation through links in FDA’s FSVP web page at https://www.fda.gov/food/food-safety-modernization-act-fsma/fsma-final-rule-foreign-supplier-verification-programs-fsvp-importers-food-humans-and-animals.

During the most recent inspection, we found that you were not in compliance with the requirements of 21 CFR part 1, subpart L for the foods you import. Because of these significant violations, you are not in compliance with section 805 of the FD&C Act.

At the conclusion of the inspection, our investigator provided you with Form FDA 483a FSVP Observations.

We have not received your response to the Form FDA 483a issued on January 27, 2022.

Your significant violations of the FSVP regulation are as follows:

You did not develop, maintain, and follow an FSVP, as required by section 805 of the FD&C Act and 21 CFR 1.502(a). Specifically, you did not develop, maintain, and follow an FSVP for any foods that you import, including:

  • Perishable and frozen cassava imported from (b)(4);
  • Fresh young coconut without green husk imported from (b)(4); and
  • Fresh turmeric imported from (b)(4).

During our inspection you provided documents you obtained from your foreign suppliers, including audit reports (which are not in English), a HACCP certificate, and a food safety certificate. However, the documents that are relevant to an FSVP are incomplete, and you did not provide a record of your review of the relevant documents or explain how they would apply to your FSVP program. Thus, these documents do not constitute an FSVP as required by section 805 of the FD&C Act and 21 CFR 1.502(a).

The above violations are not intended to be an all-inclusive list of violations of the FSVP requirements. It is your responsibility to ensure that you are in compliance with section 805 of the FD&C Act and the implementing regulation in 21 CFR part 1 subpart L.

This letter notifies you of our concerns and provides you an opportunity to address them. If you do not adequately address this matter may, we may take further action. For instance, we may take action under section 801(a)(3) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. 381(a)(3)) to refuse admission of the food you import for which you appear to be in violation of section 805. We may place the foods you import into the United States on detention without physical examination (DWPE) when you import the foods. You can find DWPE information relating to FSVP in Import Alert # 99-41 at http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/cms_ia/ialist.html. In addition, the importation or offering for importation into the United States of an article of food without the importer having an FSVP that meets the requirements of section 805 of the FD&C Act or the FSVP regulation is prohibited under section 301(zz) of the FD&C Act (21 U.S.C. 331(zz)).

Additionally, we offer the following comment:

You import fresh produce, which is “covered produce” as defined in 21 CFR 112.3. Your FSVP must demonstrate your supplier is in compliance with the requirements of the Standards for the Growing, Harvesting, Packing, and Holding of Produce for Human Consumption (21 CFR part 112).

You should respond in writing within fifteen (15) working days from your receipt of this letter. Your response should address the specific things you are doing to correct these violations. You should include in your response documentation and information that will assist us in evaluating your corrections, (e.g., documentation of changes you made, such as a copy of your FSVP, records to demonstrate implementation of your FSVP), and any additional information that you wish to supply relevant to your compliance with the FSVP regulation. Please provide an English translation of any records that you provide in a language other than English in order to facilitate our review. If you believe that you are not in violation of the FD&C Act, include your reasoning and any supporting information for our consideration. If you cannot complete all corrections within 15 days, you should explain the reason for your delay and state when you will correct any remaining violations.

Please send your reply to Food and Drug Administration, Attention: William Park, Compliance Officer, Division of West Coast Imports, One World Trade Center, Suite 300, Long Beach, CA 90831. If you have any questions regarding this letter, you may contact William Park via email at william.park@fda.hhs.gov.

Please reference CMS # 629152 on any documents or records you provide to us and/ or within the subject line of any email correspondence you send to us.

Sincerely,
/S/

Dr. Kathleen Turner
Program Division Director
Division of West Coast Imports

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