---
title: "How to Operate Imported Food Agency? Full Process Operation Points from Italian Food Customs Clearance - Zhongshen Trading China"
description: "The scale of China's imported food market continues to expand in 2026，with strong demand for products such as Italian red wine and olive oil. Imported food agency involves complex links including document pre-review，port customs declaration，commodity inspection and quarantine，which may lead to cargo detention risks if any error occurs. Zhongshen has been deeply engaged in the industry for more than 20 years，focusing on core links such as customs declaration and inspection，international tran..."
url: "https://www.sh-zhongshen.com/en/food-wine/import-food-agent-guide-italian-customs-clearance-process.html"
language: "en"
type: "Article"
category: "Food and beverages"
datePublished: "2026-07-04"
dateModified: "2026-07-04"
brand: "Zhongshen Trading China"
image: "https://cndpic.sh-zhongshen.com/uploads/tradepics/food/WDPOooZZgtGP3.webp"
---

# How to Operate Imported Food Agency? Full Process Operation Points from Italian Food Customs Clearance

## How Many Agents Are Stuck by These Difficulties When Importing Food from Italy

In the first quarter of 2026,the import volume of Italian food at Shanghai Port increased by 17% year-on-year,with red wine,pasta and olive oil ranking the top three.Ms.Cheng purchased a batch of DOCG-grade red wine and extra virgin olive oil from Milan at the beginning of the year,but the goods were detained for two full weeks in the customs declaration link after arriving at the port.The problem lay in label compliance: the acidity value of olive oil was not marked on the Chinese back label,and the format of the red wine certificate of origin did not meet the latest requirements.Such situations are not rare in the imported food agency field.Many agents focus on front-end procurement and sales,ignoring the complexity of back-end customs clearance,resulting in cargo detention,sharp cost increase,and even risk of return.

![Imported Food Always Detained by Customs? Clear Customs Easily After Understanding These Quarantine Requirements](https://cndpic.sh-zhongshen.com/uploads/tradepics/food/WDPOooZZgtGP3.webp)

Zhongshen has handled more than 3,000 batches of Italian food import business in the past two decades,and has accumulated a complete operation system.From document pre-review to final delivery,each link has clear compliance standards and emergency plans.Imported food agency is not simple document transfer,but a professional service that requires in-depth understanding of multi-dimensional rules such as HS code classification,national food safety standards,animal and plant quarantine requirements,etc.

## Document Pre-review Stage: Keep Problems Outside the Border

The first step of importing Italian food is not shipping,but document pre-review.This stage determines whether the goods can smoothly enter the customs declaration process.Zhongshen’s operation team will launch the pre-review process immediately after the customer signs the procurement contract.

### Core Document List and Compliance Points

Documents required for Italian food import include: certificate of origin,health certificate,component analysis report,production date certificate,label samples and Chinese translation versions.In 2026,customs audit of food labels tends to be stricter,especially for the format of nutrition fact tables,the marking method of allergen information,and the specification of generic names of food additives.

Zhongshen’s document review team will check item by item: whether the HS code on the certificate of origin is consistent with the declaration,whether the health certificate contains the signature and specific number of the EU official veterinarian,whether the component analysis report covers all ingredients and their content ratios.Last month,the olive oil test report provided by Ms.Cheng lacked UV absorption value data,we required the Italian exporter to supplement it in advance,avoiding sample re-inspection caused by incomplete test items after the goods arrived at the port.

### Label Compliance Pre-review

Chinese labels are a high-risk area for imported food.Zhongshen has established a label pre-review database,covering all clauses of the 2026 edition of *National Food Safety Standard: General Rules for Labels of Prepackaged Food*.We will check whether the font height reaches more than 1.8 mm,whether the sorting of the ingredient list conforms to the principle of descending content,and whether the storage conditions use standard terms.

![How to Operate Imported Food Agency? Full Process Operation Points from Italian Food Customs Clearance](https://cndpic.sh-zhongshen.com/uploads/tradepics/1asNW0bsUJqRz.webp)

For Italian red wine,special attention should be paid to: the marking method of alcohol content,the translation accuracy of production area names,and whether there is a warning label for sulfur dioxide.A batch of Barolo red wine was required to be rectified by customs because the Chinese back label mistranslated "dry" as "semi-dry",which delayed the launch time.Zhongshen found this problem in the pre-review stage and promptly notified the Italian winery to reprint the labels.

## Port Customs Declaration Stage: Accurate Classification and Tariff Application

After the goods arrive at the port,they enter the customs declaration link.The difficulties in this stage lie in the accurate classification of HS codes and reasonable declaration of dutiable value.There are a wide variety of Italian food products,and the same product may apply different tariff rates due to different processing techniques and packaging specifications.

### HS Code Classification Strategy

Italian pasta products are classified into different tariff codes 1902,1904 or 1905 according to whether they contain eggs,whether they are cooked,and whether they are filled with stuffing,with a tariff difference of up to 8 percentage points.Zhongshen’s classifiers will check the product formula and process flow chart,and submit a pre-classification application to customs when necessary,to ensure the accuracy of one-time declaration.

In 2026,customs has intensified its inspection on price fraud.Zhongshen assists customers to prepare complete pricing basis,including official quotations from Italian exporters,international freight invoices,insurance premium vouchers,etc.to build a complete evidence chain.For Ms.Cheng’s batch of red wine,we provided the export guide price published on the winery’s official website,the bill of lading issued by the transportation company,and the price certificate issued by the industry association,which successfully passed the customs price review.

## Commodity Inspection and Sampling Test: Key Node of Time Cost

Food import must go through the commodity inspection procedure,which is the most uncertain link in the whole process.In 2026,the sampling inspection rate for Italian food at Shanghai Port is about 15%,and the test items cover heavy metals,pesticide residues,mycotoxins,microbial indicators,etc.

### Matching of Test Items and Standards

Different food categories correspond to different test standards.Italian olive oil needs to be tested for acidity,peroxide value and solvent residue; red wine needs to be tested for sulfur dioxide,iron and copper content; cheese products need to be tested for melamine and aflatoxin M1.Zhongshen will predict test items in advance according to product characteristics,and suggest customers to choose reputable laboratories for pre-test.

We have established a port test time limit database to track the scheduling of different laboratories.For goods that are urgently needed to be launched,we can coordinate the expedited test channel,shortening the time for issuing reports from the conventional 7 working days to 3 working days.Last year,for a batch of Italian mozzarella cheese that the customer required to be put on shelves before Mother’s Day,we completed all test and release procedures within 5 days through the expedited channel.

## Warehousing Management and Distribution: Temperature Control and Batch Traceability

Food has strict requirements for storage environment,especially red wine needs constant temperature and humidity,olive oil needs to be protected from light,and cheese needs to be refrigerated.Zhongshen has a bonded warehouse in Shanghai Free Trade Zone that meets food storage standards,equipped with a 24-hour temperature control system and real-time monitoring.

### Temperature and Humidity Control and Cargo Damage Prevention

The storage temperature of red wine is strictly controlled at 12-18,with humidity of 60-70%; the temperature of olive oil warehouse shall not exceed 25,and direct sunlight shall be avoided.Our system will record the storage environment data of each batch in real time,forming a complete traceability file.Once abnormal temperature is found,it will automatically alarm and start the emergency plan.

During the storage of Ms.Cheng’s red wine in the bonded warehouse,we provided a monthly tasting service to monitor the change of wine body state and ensure stable quality.When leaving the warehouse,we sort,label and repack according to customer orders,and directly deliver to sales outlets all over the country.

## Foreign Exchange Receipt and Payment and Tax Optimization

Imported food agency involves foreign exchange payment and payment of value-added tax and customs duty.In 2026,the RMB exchange rate fluctuates greatly,and Zhongshen provides forward foreign exchange lock service to help customers avoid exchange rate risks.At the same time,we assist customers to apply for the special payment receipt of import value-added tax for subsequent deduction.

For imported food that meets the requirements,we can also assist in applying for tariff quotas or preferential tariff rates.As a member of the EU,Italy can enjoy agreed tariff rates for some products.Zhongshen’s customs affairs team will review the format of the certificate of origin to ensure that it meets the preference requirements,saving tariff costs for customers.

## Practical Case: Customs Clearance Record of a Batch of Italian Truffle Sauce

In March 2026,Ms.Cheng purchased 5,000 bottles of Italian white truffle sauce with a value of 80,000 euros.This batch of goods faced several special challenges: truffles are wild edible fungi,so a collection place certificate is required; the product contains truffle fragments,which are visible solids,so the sorting of the label ingredient list requires accurate calculation; the customer required to complete customs clearance and deliver to the Guangzhou exhibition site within 20 days.

After receiving the entrustment,Zhongshen immediately launched the emergency plan:

- First,coordinate the Italian exporter to provide the wild edible fungus collection permit issued by the local forestry department,and complete the notarization and certification procedures;
- Second,require the factory to provide an accurate test report on the truffle content of each batch to ensure the compliance of the ingredient list sorting;
- Third,submit the label samples to customs for pre-review in advance,and arrange printing after obtaining approval;
- Fourth,complete all document preparation before the goods arrive at the port,declare on the day of arrival,and coordinate the commodity inspection department to give priority to sampling;
- Fifth,take advantage of the bonded warehouse in the free trade zone,arrange cold chain transportation directly to Guangzhou overnight after completing customs clearance.

Finally,this batch of truffle sauce was delivered to the exhibition site on the 18th day,in time for the opening of the exhibition.Ms.Cheng signed three provincial agency agreements during the exhibition,and will entrust Zhongshen to handle import affairs on a long-term basis in the future.

## Core Logic of Risk Avoidance and Efficiency Improvement

The risks of imported food agency are mainly concentrated in three levels: compliance risk,time risk and cost risk.Zhongshen controls risks in the bud through pre-audit,standardized processes and data-based decision-making.

In terms of compliance risk,we have established a dynamically updated regulation database to track the latest policies issued by the General Administration of Customs and the State Administration for Market Regulation.In terms of time risk,by predicting test items,coordinating port resources and optimizing logistics paths,we have shortened the average customs clearance cycle from the industry average of 15 days to 8 days.In terms of cost risk,through accurate classification,reasonable pricing and tariff optimization,we save 5-12% of comprehensive costs for customers.

In the 2026 imported food market,consumers have higher and higher requirements for quality and safety,and the audit standards of regulatory authorities are also getting stricter.If agents only operate based on experience,it is difficult to cope with the complex and changing policy environment.The value of Zhongshen lies in transforming 20 years of practical experience into implementable operation standards,and precipitating solutions for individual cases into systematic service capabilities.

From the perspective of Italian food import,professional agency services are not simple document handling,but providing customers with deterministic results based on in-depth understanding of regulations,fine control of processes,and effective integration of resources.Ms.Cheng’s experience proves that with the right agency partner,imported food agency business can become efficient,controllable and predictable.

| Food Category | Core Test Items | Average Test Cycle | Common Compliance Issues | Zhongshen’s Solution |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Italian Red Wine | Sulfur dioxide,iron,copper,heavy metals | 5-7 working days | Wrong translation of production area on Chinese back label | Automatic comparison by label pre-review database |
| Extra Virgin Olive Oil | Acidity,peroxide value,UV absorption | 7-10 working days | Acidity value not marked or marked incorrectly | Require exporters to provide official test reports |
| Italian Pasta Products | Deoxynivalenol,heavy metals | 5 working days | Egg content inconsistent with declaration | Review formula and process flow chart |
| Cheese Products | Aflatoxin M1,microorganisms,melamine | 7 working days | Access permit for animal-derived products missing | Check access list and registered factory number in advance |
| Truffle and Related Products | Heavy metals,pesticide residues | 7-10 working days | Wild edible fungus collection certificate missing | Coordinate exporters to handle official certification |

The imported food agency business seems to be process operation on the surface,but its essence is risk management.Zhongshen has established a full-process risk control system from documents to distribution through 20 years of practice.Each link has a clear check list,each decision is supported by data,and each problem has a pre-plan.The accumulation of such professional capabilities is ultimately transformed into efficiency improvement and cost savings for customers.In the 2026 market environment with stricter supervision and intensified competition,professional agency services are no longer an optional item,but a necessary partner for imported food agents.

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