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  5. J&H Imports Services Corp - 649054 - 03/13/2023
  1. Warning Letters

WARNING LETTER

J&H Imports Services Corp MARCS-CMS 649054 —

Delivery Method:
VIA EMAIL AND UNITED PARCEL SERVICE
Product:
Food & Beverages
Recipient:
Recipient Name
Hanle Martinez
Recipient Title
President/Owner
J&H Imports Services Corp

450 W 203rd St.
New York, NY 10034
United States

Issuing Office:
Division of Northeast Imports

United States

WARNING LETTER

03/13/2023

Re: CMS # 649054

Dear Mr. Hanle Martinez,

On November 7 through November 28, 2022 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) conducted a Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) inspection of J&H Imports Services Corp, located at 450 W 203rd St., New York, NY 10034. We also conducted inspections on October 28, 2019, and November 16 - 23, 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 Foreign Supplier Verification Program (FSVP) implementing 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 are not in compliance with the requirements of 21 CFR part 1 subpart L for the foods you import. Because of this significant violation, you are not in compliance with section 805 of the FD&C Act.

At the conclusion of the most recent inspection, our investigator provided you with Form FDA 483a, FSVP Observations. We have not received your response to the Form FDA 483a issued on November 28, 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 part 1.502(a). Specifically, your firm did not develop, maintain, and follow an FSVP for any of the foods you import, including the following foods:

  • Cassava bread from (b)(4), located in (b)(4)
  • Liquid seasoning from (b)(4), located in (b)(4)
  • Crackers manufactured by (b)(4) located in (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 food products you import. 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)).

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 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 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: Tara Carmody, Compliance Officer, Division of Northeast Imports: ORAOEIONEIMPORTSWLResponses@fda.hhs.gov. Please also cc (carbon copy) Tara.Carmody@fda.hhs.gov. If you have any questions regarding this letter, you may contact Compliance Officer Carmody via email at Tara.Carmody@fda.hhs.gov. Please reference CMS # 649054 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/

CDR Joseph Tomao
Program Division Director
Division of Northeast Imports

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