Sodium alginate

Sodium alginate, alginic acid salts and esters

FSSAI CLEARANCE

HSN 3913 10 10 (Sodium alginate) is subject to Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI) Import Licence requirements under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with designated food-import port restrictions operative 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 overlay, and Central Board of Indirect Taxes and Customs (CBIC) mandatory Chapter 39 additional qualifiers apply at the bill-of-entry stage from 15 October 2023.

What this is

HSN code

3913 10 10

Chapter

39 · Plastics and articles thereof

Primary regulator

FSSAI · Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006 (food additive import regime)

Customs documentation

Import Licence from FSSAI
Certificate of Analysis from FSSAI
Specimen copy of label from FSSAI

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 and upload the FSSAI Import Licence (document code 911001) in e-Sanchit before filing the bill of entry. Also upload the Certificate of Analysis (document code 0010dc), Batch Release Certificate (document code 0030dc), Label of Consignment (document code 0110dc), and Specimen Copy of Label (document code 0110FS). The proper officer will verify all five documents before granting out-of-charge.
e-Sanchit document codes 911001, 0010dc, 0030dc, 0110dc, 0110FS · CBIC Instruction 09/2023-Cus dated 07-03-2023
2
Route the consignment through one of the designated food-import entry points notified under General Note 4(D) of Schedule I of the ITC (HS) 2022. Confirm compliance with the FSSAI rectifiable-labelling regime — labelling deficiencies permissible for rectification at customs-bonded warehouses include per-serve RDA percentages and expiry date information, per CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022 and FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022.
General Note 4(D), Schedule I, ITC (HS) 2022 · CBIC Instruction 10/2022-Cus dated 28-06-2022 · FSSAI order dated 18-11-2022 under F.No. Import/TFM/Apex/2022-FSSAI
3
Include mandatory additional qualifiers in the import declaration for Chapter 39 commodities as stipulated in paragraphs 4.1 and 4.2 of CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus dated 30-09-2023, operative from 15 October 2023. Additionally, verify registration proof on the Centralised EPR Portal for Plastic Packaging in compliance with CBIC Instruction 21/2025-Cus dated 02-07-2025.
CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus dated 30-09-2023 · CBIC Instruction 21/2025-Cus dated 02-07-2025

A word of counsel

The most common error on this tariff line is treating sodium alginate solely as an industrial chemical under Chapter 39 and overlooking the concurrent FSSAI food-additive import regime. When imported for use as a food additive or food-grade ingredient, all five e-Sanchit documents — including the Batch Release Certificate and Specimen Copy of Label — must be uploaded before out-of-charge; the absence of any single document is sufficient grounds for consignment detention, regardless of whether the Chapter 39 additional qualifiers under CBIC Circular 23/2023-Cus have been correctly declared.

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Frequently asked

Does HSN 3913 10 10 require BIS certification?

No, no BIS Quality Control Order covers sodium alginate or alginic acid salts. Import is governed by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India under the Food Safety and Standards Act, 2006, with CBIC policy overlays including mandatory Chapter 39 additional qualifiers and EPR portal registration verification.

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

Five documents are mandatory: FSSAI Import Licence (911001), Certificate of Analysis (0010dc), Batch Release Certificate (0030dc), Label of Consignment (0110dc), and Specimen Copy of Label (0110FS); all must be uploaded before customs out-of-charge.

Does the EPR portal registration requirement under CBIC Instruction 21/2025-Cus apply to sodium alginate imports?

Yes. CBIC Instruction 21/2025-Cus dated 02-07-2025 requires verification of proof of registration on the Centralised EPR Portal for Plastic Packaging, which applies to Chapter 39 commodities including this tariff line at the bill-of-entry stage.

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