FDA Rarely Inspects Imported Fresh Produce, Raising Food Safety Concerns

FDA Rarely Inspects Imported Fresh Produce

Fresh fruits and vegetables imported into the United States are receiving limited inspection from federal regulators, raising questions about whether the country’s food safety system is adequately equipped to identify contamination before produce reaches grocery store shelves.

An investigation published October 27, 2026, found that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) had inspected just 7.6% of major foreign facilities supplying fresh produce to the United States since 2009. The analysis examined overseas facilities responsible for approximately 90% of U.S. fresh produce imports, highlighting a significant gap in federal oversight. The findings have renewed concerns about foodborne illnesses, the inspection of overseas farms and processing facilities, and the resources available to federal regulators responsible for protecting consumers.

Imported Fruits And Vegetables Make Up A Growing Share Of The U.S. Food Supply

Imported produce has become an increasingly important part of the American diet, helping grocery stores supply fruits and vegetables throughout the year. However, the growth in imports has also increased the challenge of monitoring food safety across international supply chains. According to the investigation, imported products account for approximately 34% of fresh vegetables and 59% of fresh fruit consumed in the United States. Roughly two decades ago, those figures were about 17% for fresh vegetables and 46% for fruit.

Mexico is the leading foreign supplier of fresh produce to the United States, followed by countries including Peru, Canada and Chile. The value of fruit and vegetable imports from Mexico reached $16.7 billion in 2025, according to U.S. Department of Agriculture data cited in the investigation. The scale of those imports makes effective food safety oversight particularly important. Fresh produce can become contaminated through irrigation water, harvesting equipment, handling and processing. Because many fruits and vegetables are eaten raw, consumers may not have an opportunity to kill harmful pathogens through cooking.

FDA Inspected Only About 2% Of Mexican Produce Suppliers

The inspection gap is particularly pronounced in Mexico, the largest supplier of imported produce to the United States. The investigation found that the FDA had inspected only about 2% of Mexican facilities shipping produce to the United States since 2009. These figures measure inspections of facilities, not the percentage of individual fruits, vegetables or shipments that have been tested. A facility inspection can evaluate a producer’s operations and compliance with food safety requirements, but it does not establish whether every shipment from that facility is safe.

Imported food is subject to several layers of oversight. The FDA uses risk based screening, inspections, sampling and other regulatory tools to identify potential violations. However, limited physical inspections mean regulators cannot directly examine every overseas supplier or shipment.

Recent Foodborne Illness Outbreaks Raise Concerns

The inspection findings come amid major foodborne illness outbreaks associated with fresh produce. A cyclospora outbreak associated with iceberg lettuce from Taylor Farms de Mexico sickened 12,883 people across 21 states, according to the investigation. At least 570 people were hospitalized, and two deaths in Michigan were associated with the outbreak. The company’s Mexican operations had last been inspected by the FDA seven years earlier, according to the report.

A separate salmonella outbreak linked to jalapeño peppers sickened nearly 500 people. Investigators did not visit the suspected grower, which was located in a region where security concerns complicated travel. The FDA instead visited a distributor, but no jalapeños were available to test at that time. These cases illustrate the challenges of tracing contamination through international supply chains. They do not establish that all imported produce is unsafe, nor do they prove that more frequent inspections alone would have prevented either outbreak.

FDA Foreign Food Inspections Fall Far Below Targets

Federal oversight has faced longstanding resource and staffing challenges. The 2011 Food Safety Modernization Act sought to expand foreign food facility inspections, with the FDA interpreting the law as establishing an annual target of 19,200 inspections. The agency completed 1,024 foreign food inspections in 2025, approximately 5% of that target, according to the October 2026 investigation.

The Government Accountability Office has also documented the gap between inspection targets and the FDA’s available resources. In a 2025 report, the agency said FDA officials did not have the workforce or resources needed to achieve the inspection level that would provide adequate oversight of imported food. The report also found that the FDA had not established an annual foreign inspection performance target based on its own assessment of what was needed to ensure food safety. International inspections can require substantial travel, coordination with foreign governments and investigators who can safely access facilities. Staffing shortages, limited funding and logistical obstacles have further constrained the agency’s ability to inspect foreign producers.

Imported Food Must Still Meet U.S. Safety Standards

Despite the inspection gap, imported fruits and vegetables are not exempt from U.S. food safety requirements. The FDA states that imported and domestically produced foods must meet the same applicable legal standards. Importers are responsible for ensuring that food entering interstate commerce is safe, sanitary and properly labeled. The FDA can detain or refuse food that fails to comply with U.S. requirements.

The agency also uses its Foreign Supplier Verification Programs to require importers to take risk based steps to verify that their foreign suppliers meet applicable U.S. food safety standards. These requirements provide another layer of oversight, although they do not eliminate the need for effective inspections and enforcement. In May 2025, the FDA announced plans to expand the use of unannounced inspections at foreign manufacturing facilities producing food and other regulated products for U.S. consumers.

What This Means For American Consumers

The findings highlight a gap between the amount of fresh produce entering the United States and the FDA’s capacity to inspect overseas facilities. As imports account for a growing share of the nation’s fruit and vegetable supply, regulators face the challenge of identifying potential hazards before contaminated products reach consumers. Importer verification, risk based screening, border testing, enforcement actions and cooperation with foreign regulators all play roles in protecting the food supply. However, the limited number of foreign facility inspections raises questions about whether the current system has sufficient resources to monitor the growing volume of imported food.

Consumers can reduce some food safety risks by washing fresh produce under running water before eating or preparing it, keeping fruits and vegetables separate from raw meat and poultry, and following food storage guidance. Washing produce can reduce some surface contamination, but it does not reliably eliminate all harmful bacteria or parasites. The broader issue is whether federal regulators have sufficient resources and effective systems to verify that foreign suppliers comply with U.S. standards. The findings raise serious questions about the reach of that oversight, particularly as Americans increasingly depend on imported fresh produce.