WARNING LETTER
La Aldea Distributors Inc MARCS-CMS 648471 —
- Delivery Method:
- Via Express Delivery
- Product:
- Food & Beverages
- Recipient:
-
Recipient NameRodrigo Magallanes
-
Recipient TitleOwner
- La Aldea Distributors Inc
4911 Country Cv
San Antonio, TX 78249-1755
United States
- Issuing Office:
- Division of Southwest Imports
United States
January 27, 2023
WARNING LETTER
Re: CMS # 648471
Dear Rodrigo Magallanes:
On October 20, 2022, through November 1, 2022, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted a Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) inspection of La Aldea Distributors Inc located at 4911 Country Cv, San Antonio, Texas. We also conducted an inspection on August 10, 2021 through September 14, 2021. 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 a Form FDA 483a FSVP Observations.
We acknowledge receipt of your email responses dated November 1, 2022, November 17, 2022, and November 18, 2022, in which you stated that you were in the process of searching for a third-party company to help you develop an FSVP and you requested additional time to submit FSVP documents. We have not received any additional response from you. We are unable to evaluate the adequacy of your response because you did not provide documentation demonstrating evidence of the specific steps you have taken to develop an FSVP for the food products you import.
Your significant violations of the FSVP regulation are as follows:
1. 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 an FSVP for any of the foods you import, including the following foods:
- Quince paste imported from (b)(4)
- Honey from imported from (b)(4)
- Guava jam imported from (b)(4)
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, 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 https://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)).
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 any violations. You should include in your response documentation and information that would 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. 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 working 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: Melissa G. Gonzalez, Compliance Officer, the Division of Southwest Imports, 216 West Village Blvd, Suite 107, Laredo, Texas 78041. If you have any questions regarding this letter, you may contact Melissa G. Gonzalez via email at melissag.gonzalez@fda.hhs.gov. Please reference CMS # 648471 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/
Todd Cato
Program Division Director
Division of Southwest Imports