Sourcing albumins from China
Albumins from China carry 0% or 6% UK duty, or £13 to £103 per 100 kg for edible egg and milk albumin. Veterinary controls apply, and a tariff code does not establish permission to import. Chinese food-grade dairy products, including milk albumin, are prohibited in Great Britain. Cambridge China Bridge sources albumins.
Percentage duty and weight-based duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 2 October 2026, heading 3502 covers albumins, albuminates and other albumin derivatives. It includes concentrates of two or more whey proteins containing more than 80% whey proteins by weight on the dry matter. Distinguish egg, milk and other albumins, dried and other forms, and whether the goods are unfit, or to be rendered unfit, for human consumption.
The supplied China tariff lines show 0% for the unfit-for-human-consumption categories, 6% for other edible albumins and albumin derivatives, £103 per 100 kg for dried edible egg and milk albumin, and £13 per 100 kg for their other edible forms. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty or suspension is listed. Every line carries veterinary control requiring a common health entry document for animal products. For non-food grades, confirm the exact requirement with your customs broker.
The derivatives line also carries a Home Office controlled-drugs export flag. This does not establish that ordinary albumin needs an import licence: confirm applicability with your broker; controlled drugs or precursor chemicals require a licence. Confirm the commodity code using composition, physical form and intended use. The table records classification and duty, not permission to import prohibited goods.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dried egg albumin unfit for human consumption | 3502 11 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Milk albumin unfit for human consumption | 3502 20 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Other albumins unfit for human consumption | 3502 90 20 00 | 0% | None |
| Albuminates and other albumin derivatives | 3502 90 90 00 | 6% | None |
Specify the protein and establish the import route
For food imports into Great Britain, Chinese dairy products are prohibited, including food-grade milk albumin and whey protein concentrates. Do not place a food-grade dairy order on the strength of the tariff rate. Food egg albumin must come from an establishment approved to export to Great Britain. Ask your broker to confirm eligibility for the exact Chinese product and factory before ordering.
For direct food animal-product consignments from China, arrange advance notification through the import notification system, the relevant health certificate and entry through an authorised border control post for checks. For laboratory or industrial albumin, the tariff attaches veterinary control; ask your broker to confirm the applicable documents and import route before dispatch.
Specify animal source, protein identity, intended use, dry-matter protein assay, moisture, solubility and packing. For egg albumin, agree whipping performance or gel strength using your own production method. For laboratory albumin, agree purity, assay method and suitability for the intended experiment. Request a batch certificate of analysis and a retained sample.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative only: 20 kg of laboratory albumin unfit for human consumption, conditional on confirmation of the import route under 3502 90 20 00, invoiced at £16,000 free on board, with £2,000 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £18,000. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £18,000, so it is £3,600. 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 animal source, grade and batch number across the specification, certificate of analysis and containers.
Performance: test protein and moisture against the agreed methods; compare dissolution, foaming or gel formation with the approved sample.
Packing: check seals, moisture damage, powder caking, odour and evidence of contamination; review recorded storage conditions against the contract.
Food information: for permitted prepacked foods sold to consumers, check the ingredients list and emphasised allergens. Keep the egg or milk source clear in specifications. Plan sampling with the inspection guide.
What goes wrong
A supplier's food-grade certificate does not resolve import eligibility. Chinese food-grade milk albumin is prohibited in Great Britain; an egg albumin order also needs the approved establishment check. A quoted tariff rate can conceal this distinction. Establish the route before paying for manufacture or freight.
Protein results can differ when suppliers use different assay methods or report on different moisture bases. A powder may meet the protein specification yet foam poorly, dissolve slowly or arrive caked. Agree methods and functional acceptance with the factory, then test a retained sample against the arriving batch.
Cambridge China Bridge sources these products for UK businesses, checking the factory and the documents before shipment. See factory verification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on albumin from China?
The supplied tariff lines show 0% or 6%, with edible egg and milk albumin charged at £103 per 100 kg when dried and £13 per 100 kg otherwise. No trade remedy or suspension is listed.
Can I import Chinese whey protein for food use?
Chinese dairy products for human consumption are prohibited in Great Britain. This includes food-grade milk albumin and whey protein concentrates; a tariff line does not override the prohibition.
Does laboratory albumin need veterinary paperwork?
Every supplied line carries veterinary control. Ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable documents and import route for the exact animal source, processing and laboratory use.
What should I test in egg albumin powder?
Check protein on the agreed moisture basis, moisture, microbiology and performance in your process. Compare whipping or gel formation with the approved sample and inspect for caking or damaged seals.