---
kind: "section"
citation: "21 U.S.C. § 1037"
title: "21"
title_heading: "Food and Drugs"
number: "1037"
heading: "Prohibited acts"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/21/1037"
units:
  - "Chapter 15 — Egg Products Inspection"
---

# §1037. Prohibited acts

- (a)
  - (1) No [person](/usc/21/1033.md?p=t) shall buy, sell, or transport, or offer to buy or sell, or offer or receive for transportation, in any business in [commerce](/usc/21/1033.md?p=c) any [restricted eggs](/usc/21/1033.md?p=g-8), [capable of use as human food](/usc/21/1033.md?p=b), except as authorized by regulations of the [Secretary](/usc/21/1033.md?p=x) under such conditions as he may prescribe to assure that only [eggs](/usc/21/1033.md?p=g) fit for human food are used for such purpose.
  - (2) No [egg handler](/usc/21/1033.md?p=e) shall possess with intent to use, or use, any [restricted eggs](/usc/21/1033.md?p=g-8) in the preparation of human food for [commerce](/usc/21/1033.md?p=c) except that such [eggs](/usc/21/1033.md?p=g) may be so possessed and used when authorized by regulations of the [Secretary](/usc/21/1033.md?p=x) under such conditions as he may prescribe to assure that only [eggs](/usc/21/1033.md?p=g) fit for human food are used for such purpose.
- (b)
  - (1) No [person](/usc/21/1033.md?p=t) shall process any [egg products](/usc/21/1033.md?p=f) for [commerce](/usc/21/1033.md?p=c) at any [plant](/usc/21/1033.md?p=v) except in compliance with the requirements of this chapter.
  - (2) No [person](/usc/21/1033.md?p=t) shall buy, sell, or transport, or offer to buy or sell, or offer or receive for transportation, in [commerce](/usc/21/1033.md?p=c) any [egg products](/usc/21/1033.md?p=f) required to be inspected under this chapter unless they have been so inspected and are labeled and packaged in accordance with the requirements of [section 1036 of this title](/usc/21/1036.md).
  - (3) No operator of any [official plant](/usc/21/1033.md?p=q) shall fail to comply with any requirements of [section 1035(a) of this title](/usc/21/1035.md?p=a) or the regulations thereunder.
  - (4) No operator of any [official plant](/usc/21/1033.md?p=q) shall allow any [egg products](/usc/21/1033.md?p=f) to be moved from such [plant](/usc/21/1033.md?p=v) if they are [adulterated](/usc/21/1033.md?p=a) or [misbranded](/usc/21/1033.md?p=l) and [capable of use as human food](/usc/21/1033.md?p=b).
- (c) No [egg handler](/usc/21/1033.md?p=e) shall possess any [eggs](/usc/21/1033.md?p=g) after the [eggs](/usc/21/1033.md?p=g) have been packed into a [container](/usc/21/1033.md?p=d) that is destined for the ultimate consumer unless the [eggs](/usc/21/1033.md?p=g) are stored and transported under refrigeration at an ambient temperature of no greater than 45 degrees Fahrenheit, as prescribed by rules and regulations promulgated by the [Secretary](/usc/21/1033.md?p=x).
- (d) No [person](/usc/21/1033.md?p=t) shall violate any provision of section [1039](/usc/21/1039.md), [1040](/usc/21/1040.md) or [1046](/usc/21/1046.md) of this title.
- (e) No [person](/usc/21/1033.md?p=t) shall—
  - (1) manufacture, cast, print, lithograph, or otherwise make any device containing any [official mark](/usc/21/1033.md?p=p) or simulation thereof, or any label bearing any such mark or simulation, or any form of [official certificate](/usc/21/1033.md?p=m) or simulation thereof, except as authorized by the [Secretary](/usc/21/1033.md?p=x);
  - (2) forge or alter any [official device](/usc/21/1033.md?p=n), mark, or certificate;
  - (3) without authorization from the [Secretary](/usc/21/1033.md?p=x), use any [official device](/usc/21/1033.md?p=n), mark, or certificate, or simulation thereof, or detach, deface, or destroy any [official device](/usc/21/1033.md?p=n) or mark; or use any labeling or [container](/usc/21/1033.md?p=d) ordered to be withheld from use under [section 1036 of this title](/usc/21/1036.md) after final judicial affirmance of such order or expiration of the time for appeal if no appeal is taken under said section;
  - (4) contrary to the regulations prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/21/1033.md?p=x), fail to use, or to detach, deface, or destroy any [official device](/usc/21/1033.md?p=n), mark, or certificate;
  - (5) knowingly possess, without promptly notifying the [Secretary](/usc/21/1033.md?p=x) or his representative, any [official device](/usc/21/1033.md?p=n) or any counterfeit, simulated, forged, or improperly altered [official certificate](/usc/21/1033.md?p=m) or any device or label, or any [eggs](/usc/21/1033.md?p=g) or [egg products](/usc/21/1033.md?p=f) bearing any counterfeit, simulated, forged, or improperly altered [official mark](/usc/21/1033.md?p=p);
  - (6) knowingly make any false statement in any shipper’s certificate or other nonofficial or [official certificate](/usc/21/1033.md?p=m) provided for in the regulations prescribed by the [Secretary](/usc/21/1033.md?p=x);
  - (7) knowingly represent that any article has been inspected or exempted, under this chapter, when, in fact, it has, respectively, not been so inspected or exempted; and
  - (8) refuse access, at any reasonable time, to any representative of the [Secretary](/usc/21/1033.md?p=x) of Agriculture or the [Secretary](/usc/21/1033.md?p=x) of Health and Human Services, to any [plant](/usc/21/1033.md?p=v) or other place of business subject to [inspection](/usc/21/1033.md?p=j) under any provisions of this chapter.
- (f) No [person](/usc/21/1033.md?p=t), while an official or employee of the [United States](/usc/21/1033.md?p=z) Government or any [State](/usc/21/1033.md?p=y) or local governmental agency, or thereafter, shall use to his own advantage, or reveal other than to the authorized representatives of the [United States](/usc/21/1033.md?p=z) Government or any [State](/usc/21/1033.md?p=y) or other government in their official capacity, or as ordered by a court in a judicial proceeding, any information acquired under the authority of this chapter concerning any matter which is entitled to protection as a trade secret.

## Source credit

(Pub. L. 91–597, § 8, Dec. 29, 1970, 84 Stat. 1626; Pub. L. 96–88, title V, § 509(b), Oct. 17, 1979, 93 Stat. 695; Pub. L. 102–237, title X, § 1012(c), Dec. 13, 1991, 105 Stat. 1899.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in subsecs. (b)(1), (2), (e)(7), (8), and (f), was in the original “this Act”, meaning Pub. L. 91–597, Dec. 29, 1970, 84 Stat. 1620, which is classified principally to this chapter. For complete classification of this Act to the Code, see Short Title note set out under section 1031 of this title and Tables.

### Amendments

1991—Subsecs. (c) to (f). Pub. L. 102–237 added subsec. (c) and redesignated former subsecs. (c) to (e) as (d) to (f), respectively.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### Change of Name

“Secretary of Health and Human Services” substituted for “Secretary of Health, Education, and Welfare” in subsec. (e)(8) pursuant to section 509(b) of Pub. L. 96–88, which is classified to section 3508(b) of Title 20, Education.

### Effective Date of 1991 Amendment

Amendment by Pub. L. 102–237 effective 12 months after promulgation of final implementing regulations, see section 1012(h) of Pub. L. 102–237, set out as a note under section 1034 of this title.

### Effective Date

For effective date of this section, see section 29 of Pub. L. 91–597, set out as a note under section 1031 of this title.