Brewed vinegar

Brewed vinegar for food import clearance

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 2209 00 10 (Brewed vinegar) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence requirements under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, and import is permitted only through designated food-import entry points under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. The Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) administers the ITC (HS) policy condition, and the Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) oversees customs-level labelling compliance as additional clearance requirements.

What this is

HSN code

2209 00 10

Chapter

22 · Beverages, spirits and vinegar

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Specimen copy of label from FSSAI
Designated-port declaration to CBIC

Applicable Partner Government Agencies

FSSAIFSSAI·Food Safety and Standards Authority of India

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

Compliance steps

1
Obtain a valid FSSAI Import Licence and upload it in e-Sanchit under document code 911001 before filing the bill of entry. Also upload the Specimen Copy of Label under document code 0110FS; both documents must be present before customs out-of-charge is granted.
FSSAI Import Licence document code 911001 · Specimen Copy of Label document code 0110FS · CCR PGA-facilitated bills requirement
2
Route the consignment exclusively through one of the designated food-import entry points mandated under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Diverting to a non-designated port renders the consignment liable to detention pending transfer or re-export.
General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022 · CBIC Instruction 05/2023-Cus dated 08-02-2023
3
Ensure labelling on the imported brewed vinegar consignment complies with FSS (Labelling and Display) Regulations, 2020. Rectifiable deficiencies — including per-serve dietary allowance contribution and expiry date — may be corrected at customs bonded warehouses by affixing a single non-detachable sticker prior to inspection, per the dispensation under CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs.
CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs dated 28-06-2022 · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023 · FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022 · FSSAI Letter 1828/Misc Matters/FSSAI/Imports-2021 dated 17-06-2022

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is assuming that the FSSAI Import Licence alone completes the clearance. Labelling non-compliance — specifically missing per-serve dietary allowance percentages or absent expiry information — triggers a hold at the customs bonded warehouse even when the licence is current and uploaded. Only deficiencies expressly listed as rectifiable under CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs and the FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 may be corrected at port; all other labelling failures result in re-inspection delay, demurrage, and potential confiscation.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 2209 00 10 require BIS certification?

No, brewed vinegar 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 FSSAI Import Licence and Specimen Copy of Label mandatory at the bill-of-entry stage.

Which document codes must be uploaded in e-Sanchit for brewed vinegar at the bill of entry?

Two documents are mandatory: the FSSAI Import Licence under document code 911001 and the Specimen Copy of Label under document code 0110FS; both must be uploaded before customs out-of-charge is granted.

Can labelling deficiencies on imported brewed vinegar be rectified at the port?

Yes, but only for deficiencies expressly listed as rectifiable — such as per-serve dietary allowance contribution and expiry date — per CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Customs and the FSSAI clarification order dated 18-11-2022; rectification must occur at a customs bonded warehouse before inspection, using a single non-detachable sticker that does not alter the original label.

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