The short answer
Dried fruit is a low-risk food in many ways, but it has one classic US problem: undeclared sulfites. Here is what you need:
| Requirement | What it means | Who |
|---|---|---|
| FDA food facility registration | Every facility that makes, packs or holds the food for the US registers with FDA and renews every two years (Oct–Dec of even years) | Your facility |
| U.S. Agent | Foreign facilities name a U.S. Agent on the registration | Your facility |
| FDA-compliant label | English label, ingredients, Nutrition Facts, allergens, net quantity, responsible business | Your facility / brand |
| Sulfite declaration | Declare added sulfites (10 ppm or more counts as detectable) | Your facility |
| Prior Notice | Filed with FDA before every shipment arrives | Exporter, importer, broker or Orionex |
| FSVP | The US importer verifies your food safety | FSVP importer (your buyer or Orionex) |
Sulfites: the number-one issue
Sulfiting agents (sulfur dioxide, sodium metabisulfite and others) keep dried apricots, mango, raisins and similar fruit bright and stop browning. Some people react badly to sulfites, so FDA requires them to be declared.
- The 10 ppm line: under 21 CFR 101.100(a)(4), a sulfite level of 10 ppm or more in the finished food is a detectable amount — so it cannot be treated as an undeclared “incidental” additive.
- Import Alert 99-21 allows FDA to detain, without physical examination, imported foods with undeclared added sulfiting agents. Dried fruit is the first product the alert names.
- The fix is the label: declare the sulfiting agent by name in the ingredient list (for example “sodium metabisulfite (preservative)”), and keep a lab result on file.
Label points for dried fruit
- Name of the food that matches the product — “dried mango slices”, “sweetened dried cranberries”.
- Ingredients in order of weight, including sugar, oil, acids and preservatives.
- Nutrition Facts, with added sugars where sugar or syrup is added.
- Allergens — for example tree nuts in mixes, or wheat in coated fruit.
- Net quantity in US and metric units, and the name and address of the manufacturer, packer or distributor.
Other things importers check
- Pesticide residues must be within US tolerances, which can differ from your home market.
- Foreign matter and filth — pits, stones, insects — are common reasons for detention.
- Food safety controls — your US importer verifies them under FSVP, often by asking for your food safety plan, certificates or test results.
Example
A dried mango producer in Thailand or the Philippines registers its facility with FDA and names a U.S. Agent. Its label lists “mango, sugar, sodium metabisulfite (preservative)”, and it keeps a sulfite test result for each batch. The US importer gets the food safety documents for its FSVP file, and Prior Notice is filed before each shipment.
Step by step: getting your dried fruit into the US
- 1Register your facility with FDAEvery facility that makes, packs or holds the product for the US registers, and renews between October 1 and December 31 of each even-numbered year. Foreign facilities name a U.S. Agent.
- 2Make the label US-readyEnglish text, the right name, ingredients, the correct facts panel, allergens, net quantity and the responsible business — plus the product-specific points above.
- 3Agree the import roles with your buyerWho is the importer of record, who is the FSVP importer, and which customs broker files the entry. See who does what.
- 4Send your food safety documentsYour FSVP importer needs evidence that hazards are controlled — food safety plan, certificates, test results.
- 5File Prior Notice for every shipmentFDA must receive it before arrival — at least 8 hours by sea, 4 hours by air or rail, and 2 hours by road.
Checklist
- FDA registration and U.S. Agent in place
- Sulfites tested; declared by name if added
- Label: name, ingredients, Nutrition Facts (added sugars), allergens, net quantity, address
- Pesticide residues within US tolerances
- Prior Notice for every shipment; documents ready for your importer's FSVP
Tell us your product — we send your US requirements in writing, free.
🏢 No U.S. company to act as FSVP importer? Orionex offers an FSVP importer service for food and dietary supplements — from $80 per shipment, with the program and Qualified Individual included.
Frequently asked questions
Do I need FDA registration to export dried fruit to the US?
Yes. Facilities that make, pack or hold dried fruit for US consumption must register with FDA, name a U.S. Agent if they are outside the US, and renew every two years.
When must sulfites be declared on dried fruit?
FDA treats 10 ppm or more of sulfite in the finished food as a detectable amount. Sulfites added to dried fruit should be declared in the ingredient list — undeclared added sulfites are the reason for Import Alert 99-21.
Is freeze-dried fruit treated differently?
Not for registration, Prior Notice or FSVP. The label rules are the same: ingredients, Nutrition Facts, allergens and any added sugar or sulfites must be declared.
Can my dried fruit be detained without inspection?
Yes, if your firm or product is placed on an import alert — for example Import Alert 99-21 for undeclared sulfites. Relabeling with the correct declaration is part of getting off such an alert.
Who files Prior Notice for my shipments?
Anyone with the required information can file it — the exporter, the US importer, the customs broker or a consultant such as Orionex. It must reach FDA before the shipment arrives: at least 8 hours by sea, 4 hours by air or rail and 2 hours by road.
Sources
- FDA — Registration of Food Facilities and Other Submissions
- FDA — Prior Notice of Imported Foods
- FDA — FSVP Final Rule At-A-Glance
- FDA — Import Alerts (search by product, country and firm)
- eCFR — 21 CFR 101.100 (sulfiting agents: 10 ppm detectable amount)
- FDA — Import Alert 99-21: Undeclared added sulfiting agents
Dates, fees and regulation numbers checked against FDA and Federal Register sources on November 8, 2026. This article is general information, not legal advice.