Video Tutorials・Customs Compliance・2025-09-10・Last updated:
In September 2025, the founder of HowBridge made this video to remind consumers that Taiwan Customs, at the request of the Taiwan FDA, was stepping up enforcement against food, food additives, food utensils, and food containers imported from mainland China. Many people know that "food requires inspection," but do not realize that glass bowls, ceramic plates, fruit knives, kitchenware, and even salt, sugar, vitamin C, and yeast purchased from Pinduoduo or Taobao are all "food and related products" regulated under the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation. By law, they must be submitted to the Taiwan FDA for import inspection. If they are not inspected, they must fall within the personal-use inspection-exemption limits; otherwise, the penalties can be severe. This guide matches the four product categories discussed in the video with the applicable rules, explains how the exemption limits are calculated, identifies which tariff classifications cannot use simplified declarations, and shows you what to check before placing an order.
Key points in 30 seconds: ① Under Article 30 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation, any announced food, food additives, food utensils, food containers or packaging, and food cleansers must be submitted to the Taiwan FDA for import inspection—bowls, plates, knives, and kitchenware must be declared for inspection just like cookies and snacks. ② Personal-use import inspection exemptions: General food must have a combined daily value of no more than US$1,000 and weigh no more than 6 kg, excluding Chinese mitten crabs and beef products whose importation is prohibited. For ceramic tableware or kitchenware, a single declaration item must have a value of no more than US$1,000 and contain no more than four items of the same specification, or it may exceed US$1,000 if the quantity is only one item. For food in tablet or capsule form, the limit is 12 bottles of each type and 36 bottles in total. ③ Exempt from inspection does not mean eligible for shipping: Meat, eggs, and fresh produce are all prohibited. Food classified as mainland Chinese goods not permitted for importation (MW0), such as green and black tea, still cannot be imported, and items subject to quarantine requirements remain restricted. ④ Goods whose tariff classifications carry F01/F02 Taiwan FDA import-inspection requirements cannot use simplified declarations. If they exceed the exemption limits, they require formal customs clearance and inspection. ⑤ Importing goods without the required inspection and then selling them violates Article 30 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation and may result in a fine of NT$30,000 to NT$3,000,000.
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Taiwan Customs is stepping up enforcement against the smuggling of food, food additives, food utensils, and food containers at the request of the Taiwan FDA. Importing them without inspection constitutes smuggling. #TaiwanShippingLine #HowBridge
The video was filmed on September 10, 2025. The founder identifies four categories: food; food additives—including salt, sugar, vitamins C and D used to prevent oxidation, as well as yeast used to ferment food; food utensils—whether automatic or manual, such as fruit knives and kitchen utensils used to cut fruit; and food containers—including bowls and plates made of glass, ceramic, or crystal glass. These products are now popular purchases on Pinduoduo and Taobao, and all of them fall under the Taiwan FDA's jurisdiction.
His conclusion is that there are two options: Either have the goods inspected or ensure they meet the personal-use inspection-exemption rules, including the limit of no more than 6 kg mentioned in the video. This helps prevent accidental violations, as the penalties can be severe. Below, we match these four categories with the relevant rules and explain all the exemption requirements—not only the 6 kg limit, but also the value and quantity limits.
Article 30 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation provides that announced food, raw materials of genetically modified food, food additives, food utensils, food containers or packaging, and food cleansers must be submitted to the Taiwan FDA for inspection upon importation, together with the relevant product information. The Regulations Governing the Inspection of Imported Foods and Related Products, amended on 2025-08-21, provide the implementing rules. Each of the four categories discussed in the video therefore has a specific regulatory classification:
| Item Discussed in the Video | Regulatory Classification | Common Online Purchase Examples | Import Requirement Code |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cookies, snacks, and seasonings | Food | Pinduoduo snacks, hot pot soup bases, and sauces | F01 |
| Salt, sugar, vitamins C/D, and yeast | Food additives (or food) | Baking yeast, antioxidants, and powdered nutritional supplements | F01 |
| Fruit knives and kitchenware | Food utensils | Stainless-steel knives, peelers, and cooking tools | F02 |
| Glass, ceramic, and crystal-glass bowls and plates | Food containers or packaging | Ceramic plates, drinking glasses, and crystal-glass bowls | F02 |
Why Are Containers and Utensils Regulated Too?：Because they come into direct contact with food. Heavy metals leaching from ceramic glazes, plasticizers in plastic utensils, and the materials used in metal knives are all food-safety concerns. This is also why the site's tariff database contains 2,300 tariff classifications with F01/F02 codes—far more than just items people eat. Enter the product name in the HowBridge Smart Tariff Lookup. If you see F01/F02, these rules apply.
The video says that goods not submitted for inspection must qualify for the personal-use exemption by weighing no more than 6 kg. The complete requirements are set out in the Ministry of Health and Welfare's announced quantity limits for personal-use imports exempt from an import inspection application. There are three categories, and both value and quantity limits must be considered:
Inspection Exemption ≠ Eligible for Shipping: Check Three Separate Requirements：An inspection exemption only clears the Taiwan FDA requirement. Imports of meat, eggs, and fresh fruit and vegetables are all prohibited under animal disease prevention rules. Agricultural and food products in Chapters 1–24 that are classified as mainland Chinese goods not permitted for importation (MW0)—such as green and black tea—cannot be shipped from mainland China, although Pu'er tea is permitted. Goods subject to animal or plant quarantine requirements (B01) must still undergo quarantine. Check each tariff classification individually rather than making assumptions based on the general product category. See the complete list at Can Food Be Shipped to Taiwan? The 2026 Legal Food-Forwarding List.
This is the mechanism behind the video's warning that the penalties are severe. According to a notice issued by Taipei Customs, goods subject to import requirements may not be declared using a simplified declaration. Once goods with an F01/F02 tariff requirement exceed the personal-use inspection-exemption limits, they must undergo formal customs clearance using a general declaration and be submitted to the Taiwan FDA for import inspection. They can be released only after passing inspection. If the goods have already entered an express cargo warehouse, they must first be transferred to a general warehouse before the procedures can be completed.
Conversely, placing goods that require inspection on a simplified declaration and attempting to pass them through as "personal-use" imports constitutes a false declaration if discovered. Customs may refuse release, return the goods, or confiscate them. If the goods are sold after importation, violating Article 30 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation may result in a fine of NT$30,000 to NT$3,000,000. Starting 2026-03-01, tapping "Declaration Matches" in EZ WAY means you have personally confirmed the declaration. For an explanation of how liability is determined, see Stop and Check Before Tapping "Declaration Matches" in EZ WAY.
Three Misconceptions About "Anything Under 6 kg Is Fine"：① Checking the weight but not the value: A 5 kg shipment valued at US$1,200 is not exempt. ② Checking only one package instead of the combined daily total: Three packages weighing 3 kg each that arrive on the same day have a combined weight of 9 kg. ③ Treating ceramics as general food: Ceramic tableware is limited to four items of the same specification, not 6 kg.
Turn the video's reminder into a practical checklist:
How HowBridge Handles It：The Shenzhen warehouse verifies product names upon receipt. Members shipping food, food utensils, or food containers are reminded of the personal-use inspection-exemption limits. Goods that exceed the limits or require inspection are processed through formal customs clearance rather than being placed on a simplified declaration. When you tap "Declaration Matches," you are confirming a declaration that can withstand scrutiny.
Ceramic bowls and plates are food containers. Under Article 30 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation, they must be submitted to the Taiwan FDA for inspection upon importation. To qualify for the personal-use inspection exemption, a single declaration item must have a value of no more than US$1,000 and contain no more than four items of the same specification, or it may exceed US$1,000 if the quantity is only one item. A six-person plate set exceeds the four-item limit and requires formal customs clearance and inspection.
Yes. Knives, peelers, and cooking tools that come into direct contact with food are food utensils. Their tariff classifications commonly carry F02 import requirements. If they exceed the personal-use inspection-exemption limits, you must apply for import inspection and cannot use a simplified declaration.
Both requirements apply at the same time: The combined daily value must be no more than US$1,000, "and" the weight must be no more than 6 kg. The food must be for personal use and not for sale, and Chinese mitten crabs and beef products whose importation is prohibited are excluded. Multiple packages arriving on the same day are added together.
The video groups them under food additives. Under the regulations, vitamins in tablet or capsule form have an inspection-exemption limit of 12 bottles of each type and 36 bottles in total. Yeast, antioxidants, and other products imported as food additives also fall within the Taiwan FDA's inspection scope and must be declared for inspection if they exceed the personal-use exemption limits.
No. The exemption only addresses the Taiwan FDA inspection requirement. Imports of meat, eggs, and fresh fruit and vegetables are all prohibited. Agricultural and food products classified as mainland Chinese goods not permitted for importation (MW0), such as green and black tea, cannot be shipped from mainland China, although Pu'er tea is permitted. Goods subject to animal or plant quarantine requirements must still undergo quarantine. Check each tariff classification individually.
Customs will not release the goods, which may be returned or confiscated. Using a simplified declaration or claiming personal use to bring in goods that should have been declared for inspection constitutes a false declaration. Selling imported food that has not undergone the required inspection violates Article 30 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation and may result in a fine of NT$30,000 to NT$3,000,000.
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This article is based on Article 30 of the Act Governing Food Safety and Sanitation, the Regulations Governing the Inspection of Imported Foods and Related Products as amended on 2025-08-21, Ministry of Health and Welfare announcements and press releases concerning quantity limits for personal-use imports exempt from an import inspection application, Taipei Customs' Notes and Compliance Requirements for Simplified Declarations of Imported Express Consignments, and statistics compiled from the HowBridge tariff database. For current inspection-exemption limits, prohibited and restricted items, and penalties, refer to the latest announcements from the Taiwan Food and Drug Administration under the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Customs Administration under the Ministry of Finance. This article is provided for general reference only and does not constitute customs-clearance or legal advice for any individual case.
Shipping Food, Tableware, or Knives to Taiwan? Check the Tariff Classification Before Ordering The HowBridge Smart Tariff Lookup is free to use. Enter a product name to view F01/F02, MW0, B01, and other import requirements. Our Shenzhen warehouse verifies product names upon receipt. Goods that exceed the limits or require inspection undergo formal customs clearance, while other eligible items can be consolidated to save on shipping and truthfully declared for worry-free importation into Taiwan. Register Free · Get Your Shenzhen Forwarding Warehouse Address