You can import dehydrated onion and garlic from India into the UK, and the Food Standards Agency (FSA), working with local port health authorities, is responsible for imported food safety in England, Wales and Northern Ireland, with Food Standards Scotland covering Scotland. What usually stops a shipment is a residue problem, such as a pesticide above the GB limit or ethylene oxide, a microbiology failure, or paperwork that cannot be tied to the lot in the container.
Since Brexit, Great Britain runs its own import rules, residue limits and tariff, even where the law still resembles EU law.
Who checks the goods
The importer is legally responsible for the safety of the food. At the border, checks are carried out by the port health authority for the port of entry. The London Port Health Authority, run by the City of London Corporation, covers London Gateway and Tilbury. Felixstowe, Southampton and Liverpool each have their own port health teams.
Some foods from some countries are listed as high-risk food not of animal origin. Listed products need pre-notification through IPAFFS, the UK import notification system, and sometimes an official certificate and lab results from the exporting country. The FSA has applied extra controls to spices from India since 2024 because of ethylene oxide findings, and a new list of Indian spices needing official certificates applied from 1 January 2026. At the time of writing, dehydrated onion and garlic do not appear to be the main focus of those measures, but the list changes, so check the current FSA guidance on high-risk food not of animal origin by commodity code before you order.
Tests that matter for the UK
UK retailers and large manufacturers often also ask for a certified plant, commonly BRCGS. Why UK retailers ask for BRCGS explains the point. Reports from an NABL-accredited lab in India are widely used, as covered in which lab reports UK buyers accept. Labels must be in English and follow UK food labelling law, including allergen rules for blends.
- Pesticide residues against GB maximum residue levels, which the Health and Safety Executive publishes in the GB MRL statutory register. These limits can now differ from EU limits, so ask the lab to report against GB values. See pesticide residue testing for dehydrated onion for the method side.
- Ethylene oxide and 2-chloroethanol. Ethylene oxide is not authorised for use on food in the UK. Read why 2-chloroethanol is tested.
- Salmonella, total plate count, yeast and mould, and E. coli. Many UK food manufacturers ask for steam-sterilised product for ready-to-eat use; see whether steam sterilisation changes flavour.
- Moisture and foreign matter, set in your specification.
Documents
Your customs agent will ask for all of this before arrival. Send copies to the agent as soon as the ship sails.
- Commercial invoice and packing list, with lot numbers that match the bags.
- Bill of lading.
- Certificate of origin, or the origin declaration needed to claim preference under the India-UK trade agreement (see below).
- Lab reports for each lot, against GB limits.
- Phytosanitary or official certificates only where the current rules for your product require them. Check with the Animal and Plant Health Agency and the FSA, and see whether dehydrated vegetables need a phytosanitary certificate.
Duty and the India-UK trade agreement
Duty is set by the UK Global Tariff and is found in the UK Trade Tariff tool on GOV.UK, by commodity code. We do not quote rates.
The India-UK Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement (CETA) was announced to enter into force on 15 July 2026, and HMRC and Indian customs both issued notices for that date. To claim preferential duty, the goods must meet the agreement's rules of origin and you need valid proof of origin. At the time of writing, check the commodity line and the accepted proof of origin in the Trade Tariff before you rely on a lower rate. How the India-UK and India-EU agreements affect duty has more background.
What the UK buys and how it arrives
UK demand is broad: powder and granules for seasoning blends, crisps and snacks, sauces, gravy and stock products, and processed meat, plus minced and chopped onion for ready meals, soups and food service. Garlic powder and granules go into the same channels. The large South Asian food sector also uses onion and garlic in curry pastes and spice mixes.
Containers from Mundra, Pipavav or Nhava Sheva usually reach Felixstowe, London Gateway or Southampton, sometimes after transhipment. Transit is commonly several weeks, and longer when ships route around the Cape of Good Hope, so plan with a margin and confirm with your forwarder. From the port, rail and road move containers to the Midlands and the North.
Cities
- London: arrival through London Gateway and Tilbury under the London Port Health Authority, and a dense food service and spice blending market.
- Manchester: containers by rail to Trafford Park or by sea through Liverpool, serving snack, meat and ready meal makers in the North West.
- Birmingham: an inland distribution centre fed by rail terminals near the city, with a strong South Asian food industry.
How Creston & Co helps
We find and audit processing plants, have every lot tested at an NABL-accredited lab against GB limits, supervise loading and check the documents before the ship sails, for one written fee agreed in advance. You buy directly from the plant. See our dehydrated onion and dehydrated garlic pages, or book a free sourcing review.