---
kind: "section"
citation: "21 U.S.C. § 1048"
title: "21"
title_heading: "Food and Drugs"
number: "1048"
heading: "Administrative detention of violative articles; duration; release; removal of official marks"
release: "119-102"
date: "2026-07-12"
url: "https://uscodex.org/usc/21/1048"
units:
  - "Chapter 15 — Egg Products Inspection"
---

# §1048. Administrative detention of violative articles; duration; release; removal of official marks


Whenever any [eggs](/usc/21/1033.md?p=g) or [egg products](/usc/21/1033.md?p=f) subject to this chapter, are found by any authorized representative of the [Secretary](/usc/21/1033.md?p=x) upon any premises and there is reason to believe that they are or have been processed, bought, sold, possessed, used, transported, or offered or received for sale or transportation in violation of this chapter or that they are in any other way in violation of this chapter, or whenever any [restricted eggs](/usc/21/1033.md?p=g-8) [capable of use as human food](/usc/21/1033.md?p=b) are found by such a representative in the possession of any [person](/usc/21/1033.md?p=t) not authorized to acquire such [eggs](/usc/21/1033.md?p=g) under the regulations of the [Secretary](/usc/21/1033.md?p=x), such articles may be detained by such representative for a reasonable period but not to exceed twenty days, pending action under [section 1049 of this title](/usc/21/1049.md) or notification of any Federal, [State](/usc/21/1033.md?p=y), or other governmental authorities having jurisdiction over such articles and shall not be moved by any [person](/usc/21/1033.md?p=t) from the place at which they are located when so detained until released by such representative. All [official marks](/usc/21/1033.md?p=p) may be required by such representative to be removed from such articles before they are released unless it appears to the satisfaction of the [Secretary](/usc/21/1033.md?p=x) that the articles are eligible to retain such marks.


## Source credit

(Pub. L. 91–597, § 19, Dec. 29, 1970, 84 Stat. 1631.)

## Notes

### Editorial Notes

### References in Text

This chapter, referred to in text, 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.

### Statutory Notes and Related Subsidiaries

### 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.