Exporting food to the United States

Thursday 13 October 2005

There are restrictions on commercial exporters of food to the United States. Owners, operators or agents in charge of a domestic or foreign facility must register with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). UK companies wishing to export food to the US must have a US registered agent.

This does not apply to food imported solely for personal use.

Registration is now a requirement since the US President signed into law a Public Health Security and Bioterrorism Preparedness and Response Act of 2002 ('the Bioterrorism Act').

Please contact the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) for advice.