Other

Mixed condiments, seasonings and other sauce preparations

FSSAI CLEARANCE · AQCS CLEARANCE

HSN 2103 90 90 (Other mixed condiments, seasonings, and sauce preparations) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence requirements under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006. Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS) health and veterinary clearances apply as concurrent overlays, and all food consignments must enter through designated ports under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022.

What this is

HSN code

2103 90 90

Chapter

21 · Miscellaneous edible preparations

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Health Certificate from AQCS
Specimen copy of label from FSSAI

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
Obtain and upload in e-Sanchit the FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) and a specimen copy of the product label (document code 0110FS) before filing the bill of entry. The authorised officer will verify label compliance against FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020 requirements, and limited rectification of specified labelling deficiencies is permitted at customs bonded warehouses before inspection.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022 · FSS (Import) Regulations, 2017
2
Upload the AQCS Health Certificate (document code 6360AQ), the Veterinary Health Certificate issued by the exporting country (document code 853AQ1), and the laboratory report or Certificate of Analysis (document code 001AQ1) in e-Sanchit. Quote the relevant e-Sanchit IRN on the bill of entry to obtain AQCS NOC clearance for CTIs listed in Annexure A of CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus.
CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 under F.No.Import/TFM/Apex/2022-FSSAI
3
Note that imports of milk-based products, chocolates, confectioneries, and food preparations containing milk or milk solids as an ingredient originating from China are prohibited until port laboratory capacity for melamine testing is certified as adequate. If the product contains any milk solids and originates from China, the consignment will be refused entry.
DGFT Notification 01/2015-20 dated 23-04-2019

A word of counsel

The most frequent error on this tariff line is failing to upload all three AQCS document codes — the Health Certificate (6360AQ), the Veterinary Health Certificate (853AQ1), and the Certificate of Analysis (001AQ1) — treating them as interchangeable when each satisfies a distinct clearance requirement. A consignment with one or two of these documents uploaded but not all three will be detained pending the missing PGA clearance, accruing demurrage and ground rent. Rectifiable labelling deficiencies cannot offset a missing AQCS document.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 2103 90 90 require BIS certification?

No, mixed condiments and sauce preparations are not covered by any BIS Quality Control Order. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with concurrent AQCS veterinary and health clearances required at the bill-of-entry stage.

Are all three AQCS document codes mandatory, or do they depend on the product type?

All three — Health Certificate (6360AQ), Veterinary Health Certificate (853AQ1), and Certificate of Analysis (001AQ1) — are required for CTIs listed in the respective Annexure A sub-lists of CBIC Circular 24/2022-Cus dated 28-11-2022, as confirmed by CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023.

Does the prohibition on milk-containing food from China apply to condiments that contain only a trace of milk solids?

Yes. DGFT Notification 01/2015-20 dated 23-04-2019 prohibits import of food preparations with milk or milk solids as an ingredient from China, regardless of the proportion, until port laboratory melamine-testing capacity is certified as upgraded.

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