Does FDA inspect foreign facilities that export animal feed or human food ingredients into the United States?
FDA is not required to inspect foreign firms that export food or feed products to the United States. As part of our risk-based approach, we do conduct foreign food inspections in a number of targeted program areas, but these inspections are not a prerequisite for firms to export products to the United States. FDA’s risk-based approach means that the agency uses its limited inspection resources to look at products that pose the greatest risk to public health.