| U.S. Food and Drug Administration |
FDA Press Release, Dec 16, 2004
FDA Initiates Seizure of Ginseng Because of Potentially Risky Pesticide Residues
At the request of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the U.S. District
Court for the District of New Jersey issued a warrant for the seizure of
imported ginseng, and held for sale at FCC Products, Inc., located in
Livingston, N.J. The U.S. Marshals Service, accompanied by an FDA investigator,
yesterday seized the ginseng. The exact amount and extent of distribution at
this time is unknown, but was probably small in scope. Due to the uncertainty of
the distribution, FDA is issuing a nationwide warning to those who may have used
this product.
The bulk and blended ginseng products held at FCC Products, Inc., are
adulterated under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act because they contain
pesticide chemical residues that are unsafe. The pesticide chemical residues,
procymidone and quintozene, are deemed unsafe because there has been no
tolerance established for residues of procymidone and quintozene in ginseng.
During an inspection of FCC Products, Inc., FDA collected samples of the
firm's ginseng, which the firm uses as an ingredient to blend into dietary
supplements. FDA laboratory analysis determined that the bulk ginseng products
sampled at FCC Products, Inc., contain pesticide chemical residues procymidone
and quintozene.
FDA is responsible for the enforcement of pesticide tolerances and food
additive regulations. A raw agricultural commodity or a processed food or feed
is deemed to be unsafe and adulterated, and subject to FDA enforcement action,
if a pesticide chemical residue for which no tolerance has been set is present
in food.
FDA is committed to promoting and protecting the public health by taking
action against unsafe products, and against products that make claims that are
false and misleading. FDA's mission includes ensuring the safety or safety and
effectiveness of a broad spectrum of regulated products, including food, human
and animal drugs, vaccines, blood products, medical devices, devices that emit
radiation, and cosmetics.
This advisory was prepared by the FDA Office of Public Affairs.