Sourcing acesulfame potassium from China

Acesulfame potassium duty and classification

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, acesulfame potassium under 2934 99 90 21 carried 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied line lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no tariff suspension. Heading 2934 covers nucleic acids and their salts and other heterocyclic compounds. The table shows purchasing uses of the same acesulfame potassium line, rather than separate tariff subdivisions.

The supplied tariff line attaches export controls on dangerous chemicals and waste. These entries concern exports; confirm their relevance to your transaction with your customs broker. Do not treat them as evidence that a food-use consignment needs an import licence, or that food-use checks can be omitted.

Give your broker the substance name, chemical identity number 55589-62-3, composition and intended use to confirm the commodity code. For other compounds within the heading, see the sucralose and furan chemicals guide.

Specify acesulfame potassium for your formulation

Specify acesulfame potassium itself, its intended use and whether the order is the single substance or a blend. For food use, only use an approved additive in line with its conditions of use, and ensure it complies with the applicable specification requirements. Consult the Great Britain food-additive register before approving your formulation.

Agree batch acceptance criteria for identity, assay, impurities, moisture, particle size and dissolution in your actual formulation. Ask for a batch certificate of analysis with methods and results, rather than a generic specification sheet. Specify sealed inner liners, outer packaging, storage instructions and supplier notification before changes to production or packing.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: A small trial consignment of acesulfame potassium; values are illustrative under 2934 99 90 21, invoiced at £1,500 free on board, with £990 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £2,490. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £2,490, so it is £498. With no duty, the only import tax is the VAT, which a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: match the substance name and chemical identity number on the purchase order, certificate and packaging. Test a representative sample against the agreed identity method.

Batch analysis: check assay, moisture and impurity results against your agreed specification and food-use specification requirements. Arrange independent testing and certification support where needed.

Physical performance: check particle size, caking and dissolution against the approved sample. Trial the material in your formulation before releasing it for production.

Packaging: inspect seals, liners and outer containers for damage or contamination. Match batch identifiers across the delivered containers, certificate and delivery records.

What goes wrong

A certificate can describe a different batch, a blend can be offered against a single-substance order, or a satisfactory assay can distract from missing impurity results. Treat mismatched documents and incomplete analysis as unresolved acceptance issues.

Damaged liners, caking or a changed particle size can undermine handling and dosing. Hold affected material apart while investigating. A supplier's description of the product as food grade does not establish that your proposed food use meets the applicable additive conditions.

Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification. For repeat volumes, see container programmes.