The policy of enforcement discretion that allowed registrants to enter “pending unique facility identifier (UFI) Option” has now been terminated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on March 10, 2023. The agency resolved that there has been enough time for facilities to obtain a Data Universal Numbering System (DUNS) number since October 2020. “The FDA is no longer accepting foreign food facility registrations that don’t have UFI and will now cancel registrations and block imports of food from facilities that have not yet provided a UFI,” said U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP).
All facilities that deal with any part of the food supply chains for human or animal consumption in the U.S. must obtain and submit a UFI with their registration submissions. This requirement applies to both new facilities and those renewing registration. The FDA will carefully verify the accuracy of each facility’s UFI before confirmation of registration numbers is provided.
Should the FDA determine that a foreign food facility is not registered, the food currently being imported into the U.S. is subject to detention at the port of entry,—unless, the foreign facility is in cooperation with CBP for the export of the food immediately from the port of arrival. Food held in this circumstance must not be entered and will not be delivered to the importer, owner, or ultimate consignee until the foreign facility is registered appropriately. The FDA will not allow the food to be transferred by any person from the port of entry into the U.S. or from the secure facility. If you have questions about registering for a UFI, reach out to your Mohawk Global representative.
By Clarissa Chiclana