NOTE: The revision to this import alert dated 05/12/2025 updates the Guidance section providing clarification on soft cheeses exempt from DWPE, and updates Agency contacts. Changes are bracketed by asterisks (***). Early in 1986, Listeria monocytogenes was identified in a shipment of brie cheese produced in France. As a result, subsequent shipments of brie cheese produced in the same facility were detained without physical examination (DWPE). Sampling of additional shipments of imported cheeses revealed that cheese from other French manufacturers contained Listeria monocytogenes and, by mid-1986, all brie and other soft-ripened cheeses from France were subject to DWPE. In January 1987, FDA agreed to place firms onto the Green List, that have been accepted by the French Ministry of Agriculture into the French Plant and Product Certification Program, which includes as one of its requirements, the use of pasteurized milk and Listeria testing for soft-ripened cheeses and goat cheeses. CERTIFICATION PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: In 1974, France initiated a certification program which permitted plants (manufacturers) that were certified by the French government to be within compliance of good manufacturing practices to export soft-ripened cheese to the United States. As a result of the FDA findings described above, in January 1987, FDA and the French Government agreed that the requirement for the use of pasteurized milk and Listeria testing would be covered under this program, which was subsequently expanded to certify goat cheeses. The Green List of this Import Alert identifies French plants or manufacturers certified by the French Ministry of Agriculture to export only pasteurized milk soft and soft-ripened cheeses to the United States. ***The approved establishments include soft or soft-ripened cheese made from milk from one or more milk producing animals such as cows, goats, sheep and water buffalo.***
Soft cheese (includes soft and soft ripened) made from pasteurized milk.
The article is subject to refusal of admission pursuant to 801(a)(3), in that the article appears to contain Listeria monocytogenes, a poisonous and deleterious substance, which may render it injurious to health. [ADULTERATION; 402(a)(1)] OASIS Charge code: LISTERIA
Divisions may detain without physical examination soft and soft-ripened cheeses from French manufacturers which are not listed on the Green List of this alert. French plants or manufacturers listed on the Green List of this alert are covered by the French certification program described in the Reason For Alert section of this import alert and are not subject to DWPE. Under the French certification program, all cheeses are approved from the certified establishment. ***Any type of soft or soft-ripened cheese made from milk from one or more milk producing animals such as cows, goats, sheep and water buffalo from the firms listed on the Green List of this import alert are considered exempt from DWPE.*** The FDA updates the Green List periodically as new information is received from the French government. Refer to the Domestic and Imported Cheese and Cheese Products Compliance Program (CP 7303.037) for sampling, analytical, and regulatory guidance. (Please NOTE: samples may also be analyzed for phosphatase and other microorganisms) The following list provides examples of soft and soft-ripened cheeses covered under this import alert. These cheeses are required to be made from pasteurized milk in order to be distributed into domestic commerce in the United States. The scope of this import alert is not limited to only these cheeses. A Filetta Abbaye de la Pierre-qui-vire Ambert Anneau du Vic-Bilh Aperobic Aromes au Vin Blanc Autun Baguette Laonnaise Banon Banon a la feuille Beaujolais pur Chevre Berger Plat Besace de Pur Chevre Bigoton Bilou du Jura Bondard Bonde Bonde de Gatine Bondon Bougon Boule de Moines Boulette d'Avesnes Boulette de Cambrai Boursault Boursin Bouton de Culotte Bouton d'Oc Brebicet Brebis du Lochois Brebis Frais du Caussedou Bressan Breuil Brie Brie de Coulommiers Brie de la Brie Brie de Meaux (AOC) Brie de Melun (AOC) Brie de Montereau Brie de Nangis Brie de Provins Brie fermier Brillat-Savarin Brique Ardechoise Brique du Forez Briquette de Brebis Briquette de Coubon Broccio Broccio Demi-Affine Brocciu (AOC) Brousse du Rove Buche de Chevre Buchette d'Anjou Buchette de Banon Butte Cabecou Cabecou de Gramat Cabecou de Normandie Cabecou de Rocamadour (AOC) Cabri Corolle Cachaille Cachat Calenzana (Le Niolo) Camembert Camembert Affine au Cindre de la Maison Camembert de Normandie (AOC) Capri Lezeen Caprice des Dieux Capricorne de Jarjat Carre de l'Est Cenberona Cendre d'Olivet Cervelle de Canut Chabichou / Chabis Chabichou du Poitou (AOC) Chabis de Gatine Chaource (AOC) Charolais Charolles Chef-Boutonne Chevre A L'Huile d'Olive et a la Sarriette Chevre Fermier Chevre Fermier Alpilles Chevre Fermier du Chateau-Vert Chevre Frais Chevrotin des Aravis Civray Clacbitou Claqueret Lyonnais Clochette Coer d'Avesnes Coeur d'Arras Coeur de Camembert au Calvados Coeur de Chevre Coeur du Berry Confit d'Epoisses Couhe-Verac Coulommiers Cremoulin Boite Crottin d'Ambert Crottin De Chavignol (AOC) Crottin de Pays Crottin du Berry A L'Huile d'Olive Crottin Le Chevrot Croupet Dauphin Delice de Pommard Delice de Saint-Cyr Delice des Fiouves Dreux a la Feuille Epoisses Epoisses de Bourgogne (AOC) Explorateur Faisselle de Chevre Feuille de Dreux Figue Fin-de-Siecle Florette Fondant de Brebis Fontainbleau Fourme de Chevre Ardeche Fourme de Haut Loire Frinault Fromage au Lait de Chevre/Chevre de pays Fromage Blanc Fromage Blanc Fermier Fromage Cendre Fromage Corse Fromage Corse Niolo Fromage de Chevre Ariege Fromage de Chevre de Coin Fromage de Chevre Fermier Fromage de Chevre Larzac Fromage de Monsieur Fromage du Jas Fromage Fermier Fromage Fermier Brebis Fromage Fermier de Chevre de la Tavagna Fromage fermier pur brebis Fromage Fort du Lyonnais Fromage Frais de Nimes Fromagee du Larzac Fromageon fermier au lait cru de brebis Galet de Bigorre Galet Solognot Galette des Monts du Lyonnais Galette du Pauludier Galette Lyonnaise Gardian Gastanberra Goat Camembert Gournay Frais Grand Colombier des Aillons Grand Vatel Grataron d'Areches Gratte-Paille Greuilh Gris de Lille Guerbigny Jean de Brie La Bouille La Fougere La Taupiniere L'Ami du Chambertin Langres (AOC) Le Bouca Le Cathelain Le Caussedou Le Chevrot Blanc Le Cornilly Le Fium'Orbo Le Fougerus Le Lacandou Le Pave Le Pave du Plessis Le Pitchou Le Roule Le Saulxurois Le Venaco Le Vieux Corse L'Ecir de l'Aubrac Lingot Saint Bousquet d'Orb Livarot (AOC) Lucullus Maconnais Maroilles (AOC) Monsieur Fromage Mont d'Or (AOC) Mont d'Or du Lyonnais Mothais a la Feuille Moularen Nantais/Cure Neufchatel Olivet au Foin Olivet Cendre Palet de Babligny Pate de Fromage Patefine Fort Pave Blesois Pave d'Affinois Pave d'Auge Pave de Chirac Pave de la Ginestarie Pelardon des Cevennes Pelardon des Corbieres Perail Persillade de Chevre Petit Quercy Petit Suisse Petit Vatel Picadou Picodon (AOC) Picon de Chevre Pierre-robert Pithiviers au Foin Poivre d'ane or Pevre d'ai Pouligny-Saint-Pierre (AOC) Pourly P'tit Berrichon Pyramide Quatre-Vents Rigotte de Condrieu Rigotte de Sainte-colombe Rigotte d'Echalas Rigotte des Alpes Rocamadour Rogeret de Lamastre Roucoulons Saint Andre Saint Felicien de Lamastre Saint Marcellin Saint Maure de Touraine (AOC) Saint Pancrace Saint Remy Saint Simeon San Petrone Santranges Sechon de Chevre Dromois Segalou Selles-Sur-Cher (AOC) Serac Soumaintrain Tome de Banon Tomme de Romans/Romans Tomme Capra Tomme d'Arles Tomme de Chevre Tomme de L'Aveyron Tomme de Seranon Tommette de l'Aveyron Toucy Rustinu Vache Frais Vacherin d'Abondance Fermie Vacherin des Bauge Vacherin du Haut Doubs (AOC) Valbreso Feta Valencay (AOC) Vendomois Vignelait Vignotte This import alert only covers soft and soft-ripened cheeses from France, made from milk from one or more milk producing animals such as cows, goats, sheep and water buffalo. All other cheeses from France or soft and soft-ripened cheeses from other countries, when found violative for the presence of Listeria monocytogenes, should be recommended for DWPE under import alert #12-10, �Detention Without Physical Examination of Cheese Due to Microbiological Contamination.� Removal from Detention Without Physical Examination (Addition to the Green List): To remove a firm�s product from DWPE, certification from the French Government should be provided to the Agency to adequately demonstrate that the firm has resolved the conditions that gave rise to the appearance of the violation. The purpose of this is so the agency will have confidence that future entries will be in compliance with the Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (i.e., the Act). For guidance on removal from detention without physical examination, refer to FDA�s Regulatory Procedures Manual, Chapter 9-8, "Detention without Physical Examination (DWPE).� If a firm and/or a representative thereof would like to petition for removal from detention without physical examination under this import alert, all relevant information supporting the request should be sent *** via email to: Importalerts2@fda.hhs.gov *** ***Questions or issues involving import operations should be addressed to the Division of Import Operations at (301) 796-0356 or FDAImportsInquiry@fda.hhs.gov. Questions or issues involving science policy, analysis, preparation, or analytical methodology should be addressed to FDAPRIVATELABIMPORTALERTS@fda.hhs.gov. Questions or issues with regard to human food on policy, sample collection recommendations, or any additional questions not directly related to a detained (or live) entry, should be addressed to Human Foods Program Imports Enforcement Branch at HFP-OCE-Imports@fda.hhs.gov. ***
This alert authorizes Detention Without Physical Examination (DWPE) for products matching this alert. Reason: NOTE: The revision to this import alert dated 05/12/2025 updates the Guidance section providing clarification on soft cheeses exempt from DWPE, and updates Agency contacts. Changes are bracketed by asterisks (***). Early in 1986, Listeria monocytogenes was identified in a shipment of brie cheese produced in France. As a result, subsequent shipments of brie cheese produced in the same facility were detained without physical examination (DWPE). Sampling of additional shipments of imported cheeses revealed that cheese from other French manufacturers contained Listeria monocytogenes and, by mid-1986, all brie and other soft-ripened cheeses from France were subject to DWPE. In January 1987, FDA agreed to place firms onto the Green List, that have been accepted by the French Ministry of Agriculture into the French Plant and Product Certification Program, which includes as one of its requirements, the use of pasteurized milk and Listeria testing for soft-ripened cheeses and goat cheeses. CERTIFICATION PROGRAM DESCRIPTION: In 1974, France initiated a certification program which permitted plants (manufacturers) that were certified by the French government to be within compliance of good manufacturing practices to export soft-ripened cheese to the United States. As a result of the FDA findings described above, in January 1987, FDA and the French Government agreed that the requirement for the use of pasteurized milk and Listeria testing would be covered under this program, which was subsequently expanded to certify goat cheeses. The Green List of this Import Alert identifies French plants or manufacturers certified by the French Ministry of Agriculture to export only pasteurized milk soft and soft-ripened cheeses to the United States. ***The approved establishments include soft or soft-ripened cheese made from milk from one or more milk producing animals such as cows, goats, sheep and water buffalo.***
This alert covers products from: FRANCE.
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