The FDA's New AI Software Is Deciding Which Containers Get Stuck at US Ports

MELBOURNE, Fla. - Aug. 23, 2026 - PRLog -- The FDA is refusing more shipments than ever, and new AI-driven software is now flagging containers at US ports before importers even know they are at risk. In a new interview, Tim Forrest, a 28-year veteran of US food, supplement, and cosmetic imports, joins Ares Projects' Lukasz Chmielnicki to explain what is really driving the surge in port refusals and what exporters can do about it.

Forrest says the top mistake is shipping before checking compliance, and he dismantles a common myth: an English label translation is not FDA compliance. He also walks through FSVP, the Foreign Supplier Verification Program, and why missing it remains a leading cause of entry denial. Get flagged, and a shipment can rack up daily storage fees, get re-exported, or get destroyed at the importer's expense.

The interview lays out the exact documents exporters need before their first consultation, a step-by-step path to compliance, and a realistic 8-week timeline to US shelves, plus how to shorten it.

"The AI software is not guessing. It is flagging patterns importers do not even know they are creating," said Tim Forrest. "The exporters who understand FSVP before they ship are the ones who never see their container on that list."

Tim Forrest Consulting has guided food brands and importers through FDA compliance, FSMA regulations, import readiness, and retail strategy since 1997. The firm has helped clients generate over $1 billion in retail revenue and placed 23 brands into Costco.

https://timforrestmarkets.com

https://youtube.com/@timforrestconsulting

Contact: Tim Forrest Consulting | Melbourne, FL | keethe@timforrest.com