Food & Beverage
This article applies to selling in: United States

Food & Beverage

If you list products on Amazon, you must comply with all applicable laws, regulations, standards, and our policies related to those products and product listings.

Organic products

Products that (1) claim to be organic, (2) claim to contain organic ingredients, or (3) use the U.S. Department of Agriculture ("USDA") organic seal must comply with the USDA organic regulations at 7 CFR Part 205. You are responsible for understanding and complying with all requirements of the organic regulations, including production, certification and labeling requirements. For more information, see Organic Products.

Examples of permitted listings

  • Properly prepared and sealed foods and beverages that are appropriately packaged and labeled. Products need to be shipped appropriately to protect the quality and safety of the food, to avoid spoilage, melting, damage, and so on. All food packaging must include the following:
    • Product name
    • Name and address of the packaging company
    • Expiration date
    • Net content quantity and weight (the weight of the contents, not including any packaging)
  • Lot-controlled products with a shelf-life of greater than 90 days.
    • Perishable products must be removed from inventory 50 days before the expiration date.
    • For Amazon-fulfilled orders (FBA), units within 50 days of expiration will be removed for disposal and will not be available for return.
  • Edible birds’ nests, accompanied by federally required import permits or certifications. Please refer to our Animal & Animal-Related Products page for further information.

Examples of prohibited listings

  • Products that do not meet federal food inspection or import requirements, such as:
    • Products sourced from countries not approved by United States Department of Agriculture Food Safety and Inspection Service (USDA FSIS)
    • Products containing horse meat
    • Products containing any meat imported from China
    • Products containing any beef or beef products imported from South Korea
    • Kaffir lime leaves imported from Thailand
    • Edible birds’ nests unaccompanied by the proper federally required import permits/certifications
  • Infant formula products that do not meet Food & Drug Administration (FDA) premarketing requirements, such as:
    • Goat's milk infant formula
    • HIPP formula and milk products
  • Betel nut products or products containing betel nut flavoring
  • Poppy seeds that are not approved brands per Amazon policy or are sold in pack sizes larger than one pound. Approved Brands: 365 Everyday Value, Happy Belly, McCormick, Frontier, Bob’s Red Mill, Spice Islands, Morton & Bassett, Simply Organic, Spicely Organics, Starwest Botanicals, Tone’s. These restrictions do not apply to Amazon Business listings.
  • Products that do not meet California’s Farm Animal Confinement Initiative requirements, such as:

    Eggs that are not cage-free, which may not be sold into the state of California

Shipping and labeling requirements

Each shipment of produce must have: (1) the name and address of the shipper or owner; (2) the name of the person to whom the shipment is being sent; (3) the name of the country, state, or territory where the contents were grown; and (4) a statement of the contents. State and local governments may have additional requirements for both interstate and intrastate shipment and labeling of certain produce.

Examples of shipping and labeling requirements

  • Adhere to all FDA and USDA labeling guidelines
  • Accuracy in country of origin labeling
  • After an incoming shipment has met U.S. Customs and Border Protection and APHIS requirements, the shipment must also be reinspected by USDA FSIS at an approved import inspection facility

Additional useful information

See Selling Custom Variety Packs of Single-Serve Hot Beverage Products for additional Grocery & Gourmet Food guidelines.

Last Updated 05/06/2022

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