Philippines Publishes Import Permit Guidelines on Food Products for Research and Development

On May 7^th, 2024, the Food and Drug Administration released Guidelines for Food Business Operators (FBO) on the Issuance of the “FDA Import Permit as “Samples Only” for Prepackaged Processed Food Products” for Research and Development.

The key points are summarized below:

• To import unregistered food products, FBOs must obtain an import permit from the FDA, 14 days in prior;
• All imported products are prohibited from market testing and from being displayed in commercial facilities;
• Sensory evaluation shall be performed by a team employed by the food establishments;
• The maximum quantity of imported products shall comply with the legal regulation;
• Failure to comply with the Notice of Deficiency (NOD) may result in the issuance of a Letter of Denial within the specified period.

To view the complete regulation, check out the Food News Monitoring System and stay up to date with the latest regulatory information.