Coriander powder specification for export: limits, EU rules and a sheet format

Key takeaways

• Volatile oil is the number that shows quality. The FSSAI minimum is low, so a real figure sets you apart [1].
• Powder and seed have separate standards. Keep them on separate sheets [1].
• EU lots still need an official certificate for ethylene oxide [4].
• Grind matters to buyers. FSSAI allows rough or fine powder, so state which you supply [1].

What are the limits for coriander powder?

FSSAI clause 2.9.7 covers coriander powder. It defines it as the powder obtained by grinding clean, sound, dried mature fruits of Coriandrum sativum L., in rough or fine form [1].

The clause also sets what must be absent. The powder must be free from mustiness, mould, living and dead insects, insect fragments and rodent contamination. It must also be free from added colour, starch, bleach and preservatives [1].

Microbiological limits apply too. For ground spices, Appendix B includes Salmonella absent in 25 g [2].

How is powder different from coriander seed?

The seed clause has extra physical limits, and they don't carry over [1]:

Their HS lines differ as well. Spices Board's list gives 0909 22 00 for crushed or ground coriander, and 0909 21 lines for seed [3].

What should you state beyond the limits?

The legal limits only show a lot is legal. Buyers choose between legal lots, so add:

• Your volatile oil result, with the method and date. Test recent stock, not last season's.
• Your grind, as rough or fine, with the mesh size you supply.
• Your colour, described plainly, with a reference sample if the buyer needs one.
• Your source seed and origin, if the buyer asks where it was grown.

Don't copy the legal limit onto your sheet. Use a figure your lots actually meet, because a buyer's lab will test your sample against it.

What do export markets add?

The EU is the strictest common case. After the June 2026 update, coriander from India (0909 21 00 and 0909 22 00 in the EU's codes) stays in Annex II for ethylene oxide. That means laboratory analysis and an official certificate with each consignment, and checks on 20% of consignments at the border [4]. The limit for coriander seed is 0.10 mg/kg [5]. Our guide to ethylene oxide in Indian spices has the full picture.

Know where the volume goes. In 2025-26, India exported 60,211 tonnes of coriander [6]. These were the largest destinations, for seed and powder combined:

Ask each buyer for their own specification. Their limits can be tighter than any of these, so get them in writing before you quote.

What should a coriander powder spec sheet include?

Keep it to one page. Use this order:

Product: Coriander powder, [rough / fine], [mesh size]
Botanical name: Coriandrum sativum L.
Origin: [State, India]
HS code: 0909 22 00 (confirm with your CHA)
Moisture: max [__]%
Volatile oil: [__]% v/w, dry basis, [method]
Total ash: max [__]%, dry basis
Acid-insoluble ash: max [__]%, dry basis
Added colour, starch, preservatives: none, [lab, report number]
Salmonella: absent in 25 g, [lab, report number]
Ethylene oxide: [result], [lab, report number]
Packing: [bag type, liner, net weight]
Shelf life and storage: [your tested claim]
Version: [date], Lot: [number]

Protect the powder in transit. Spices Board's guidelines call for non-porous bags, recommend new bags for food contact and warn against moisture pick-up [5].

Which mistakes cost the most?

• Sending the seed sheet for powder. The limits and the HS line differ.
• Giving no volatile oil figure. The buyer can't judge aroma from a sheet without it.
• Saying "fine powder" with no mesh size. Two suppliers can mean very different things.
• Quoting an old test. Date every result and tie it to a lot.

Next step. Our guide to what a buyer-grade spec sheet contains covers the layout. Then check what a buyer finds about you. Our free Buyer Check is a 1-page report on your Google listing, website and spec gaps, with the 3 fixes that matter most, within 24 hours.