On November 28, the Indonesian Food and Drug Supervisory Authority (BPOM) provided written responses to frequently asked questions regarding the scope and implementation of new import certification requirements for spices from certain regions of Indonesia based on the potential risk of contamination with Cesium-137 (Cs-137).

ASTA hosted a member only update presented by FDA Compliance Officer, Mark Esteves, on Import certification (IC) 801(q) Cesium 137 for certain products from certain regions of Indonesia. This is the PDF of FDA's presentation.

The FDA is implementing import certification requirements under Section 801(q) of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (added by FSMA Section 303) for certain foods from certain regions of Indonesia due to Cesium-137 (Cs-137) contamination risks. This was based on information available, including detection of elevated levels of Cs-137 in several shipments, including shrimp and cloves, FDA sample analysis, and known sources of contamination in the region. This one-pager provides what you need to know for shipping products subject to Import Alert (IA) 99-52.

On October 3, 2025, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that it will begin requiring import certifications for shrimp and all spices from certain regions of Indonesia based on the potential risk of contamination with Cesium-137 (Cs-137). This document provides answers to Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) regarding the scope and impact of the new requirements on the spice industry. This is a developing situation and the information may be subject to change. This document was last updated on November 18.

On October 14, ASTA issued a letter to FDA Deputy Commissioner of Human Foods, Kyle Diamantas, requesting additional time for implementation of Import Alert 99-52 (new import certification requirements for spices from certain regions of Indonesia).

This session presented by Jim Jones, Former Deputy Commissioner for Human Foods FDA, will explore early policy signals on pesticides, chemical contaminants, food safety, and nutrition—and what they could mean for the food and agriculture industries. Gain firsthand insights from a former chemical and food regulator on what to expect from the new administration.