Blue-veined cheese and other cheese containing veins produced by Penicillium roqueforti

Blue-veined cheese produced by Penicillium roqueforti

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 0406 40 00 (Blue-veined cheese and other cheese containing veins produced by Penicillium roqueforti) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence and mandatory foreign-manufacturer registration under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) Sanitary Import Permit clearance applies concurrently, and consignments are permitted only through 79 designated food-import ports effective 1 March 2023.

What this is

HSN code

0406 40 00

Chapter

04 · Dairy produce; birds' eggs; natural honey; edible products of animal origin

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (high-risk milk and milk products regime)

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Sanitary Import Permit from AQCS
Veterinary Health Certificate from exporting country

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

FSSAIFSSAI·Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

AQCSAQCS·Animal Quarantine and Certification Services

Procedural directions for customs clearance are issued by: Directorate General of Foreign Trade, Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs.

Compliance steps

1
Confirm that the foreign manufacturing facility is registered with FSSAI under the high-risk milk-and-milk-products regime before shipment. The FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001), specimen copy of label (document code 0110FS), and Health Certificate (document code 6360AQ) must all be uploaded in e-Sanchit before the bill of entry is filed.
CBIC Instruction 30/2022-Cus dated 14-11-2022 · FSSAI order dated 10-10-2022
2
Upload the veterinary health certificate issued by the exporting country (document code 853AQ1) and laboratory reports or Certificate of Analysis (document code 001AQ1) in e-Sanchit. Quote the e-Sanchit IRN of the AQCS-issued Sanitary Import Permit (document code 911DF1) on the bill of entry to obtain the AQCS NOC.
CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
3
Route the consignment only through one of the 79 designated food-import ports per General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of ITC (HS) 2022, and verify that imports of milk and milk products from China are not attempted, as such imports remain prohibited pending laboratory-capacity upgrades for melamine testing.
CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023 · DGFT Notification 01/2015-20 dated 23-04-2019 · General Note 4(D) of ITC (HS) Schedule I

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating the FSSAI Import Licence as the sole clearance requirement and overlooking the AQCS document cluster — veterinary health certificate (853AQ1), Certificate of Analysis (001AQ1), and Sanitary Import Permit (911DF1) — each of which must be separately uploaded in e-Sanchit with its specific document code before out-of-charge is granted. A missing or misquoted IRN for the Sanitary Import Permit is sufficient ground for consignment detention and demurrage at the designated port, regardless of FSSAI clearance status.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 0406 40 00 require BIS certification?

No, blue-veined cheese falls outside the BIS Quality Control Order regime; no BIS QCO covers this product family. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with concurrent AQCS Sanitary Import Permit requirements and the 79-designated-port restriction.

Which document codes must be uploaded in e-Sanchit for this tariff line?

Five documents are mandatory at the bill of entry: FSSAI Import Licence (911001), specimen copy of label (0110FS), Health Certificate (6360AQ), veterinary health certificate from the exporting country (853AQ1), laboratory reports or Certificate of Analysis (001AQ1), and AQCS Sanitary Import Permit (911DF1) with its IRN quoted on the bill of entry.

Are imports of blue-veined cheese from China permitted?

No. Imports of milk and milk products, including cheese, from China remain prohibited under DGFT Notification 01/2015-20 dated 23-04-2019, pending adequate laboratory capacity at ports of entry for melamine testing.

Last verified against gazette notifications: 2026-05-16. Source: FSSAI / AQCS / DGFT / CBIC / Indian Customs CUSDATA.