Sourcing alpha-lactalbumin powder from China
UK duty on alpha-lactalbumin powder from China is £103 per 100 kg for food grade or 0% when unfit for human consumption. Chinese food-grade dairy is prohibited in Great Britain; non-food imports need their route confirmed. Cambridge China Bridge checks whether a product can be imported before any order is placed.
Powder duty and the dairy import restriction
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 3502 covers albumins, albuminates and other albumin derivatives. Alpha-lactalbumin powder belongs within the milk-albumin family. Distinguish unmodified powder from derivatives and distinguish food grade from goods unfit, or to be rendered unfit, for human consumption. The other-form and derivative rows are classification comparisons, not alternative codes for ordinary food-grade powder.
The supplied China rates are £103 per 100 kg for dried food-grade milk albumin and 0% for milk albumin unfit for human consumption. Other milk-albumin forms carry £13 per 100 kg; derivatives carry 6%. No anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty or suspension is listed. Veterinary control is attached: ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable documents and route for non-food powder. Chinese food-grade dairy products are prohibited in Great Britain regardless of where their milk originated.
Confirm the commodity code using protein identity, composition, processing and intended use. The derivatives comparison line also carries a Home Office controlled-drugs export flag; ask your broker to confirm applicability if the product is a derivative. A tariff rate does not establish import permission. See the whey protein isolate guide for the wider heading.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dried milk albumin, including food-grade alpha-lactalbumin powder | 3502 20 91 00 | £103.00 per 100 kg | None |
| Milk albumin powder unfit, or to be rendered unfit, for human consumption | 3502 20 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Other milk albumin forms, for comparison with dried powder | 3502 20 99 00 | £13.00 per 100 kg | None |
| Albuminates and albumin derivatives, for comparison with unmodified powder | 3502 90 90 00 | 6% | None |
Specify alpha-lactalbumin identity and use
Establish the destination and intended use before ordering. Food-grade alpha-lactalbumin from China cannot be imported into Great Britain as a dairy ingredient. For non-food powder, obtain confirmation of the exact import route. For research samples, consult the Animal and Plant Health Agency about authorisation; where no appropriate general authorisation exists, apply for a specific one. Research and diagnostic samples cannot be used commercially.
Specify alpha-lactalbumin content separately from total protein. Ask the supplier to identify the animal source, whether the powder is an isolated protein or a whey-protein blend, and the assay method and reporting basis. Agree moisture, solubility under your process conditions, microbiological acceptance criteria, storage conditions and moisture-resistant packing. Request a batch certificate of analysis and a retained sample. Use factory verification to check the manufacturer's testing capability.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative only: 20 kg of alpha-lactalbumin powder unfit for human consumption for industrial process trials, conditional on confirmation of a lawful non-food import route under 3502 20 10 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 protein name, animal source, intended grade and batch number across the specification, analysis certificate and containers.
Assay: check alpha-lactalbumin content and total protein separately, using the agreed methods and moisture basis.
Performance: compare dissolution, sediment and behaviour in your intended process with the approved sample.
Packing: check seals, inner liners, caking, odour and moisture damage; compare storage records with the contract. Plan sampling with the inspection guide.
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What goes wrong
A food-grade certificate or a listed tariff code can be mistaken for permission to import. Neither resolves the prohibition on Chinese food-grade dairy entering Great Britain. Calling a food ingredient a laboratory powder does not establish a lawful non-food route. Confirm the actual use and import eligibility before committing to manufacture or freight.
A supplier may report total protein where the buyer expected alpha-lactalbumin content, or quote results on a different moisture basis. This can conceal a whey-protein blend or an unsuitable assay comparison. Powder can also arrive caked or dissolve differently from the sample. Agree identity testing and process acceptance criteria, then compare the arriving batch with the retained sample.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on alpha-lactalbumin powder from China?
The supplied tariff lists £103 per 100 kg for dried food-grade milk albumin and 0% when unfit for human consumption. No trade remedy or suspension is listed. The food-grade import prohibition still applies in Great Britain.
Can I import Chinese alpha-lactalbumin for food manufacture?
No, as a food-grade dairy ingredient entering Great Britain. Official guidance prohibits dairy products from China, including products made there using milk originating elsewhere.
Can I import alpha-lactalbumin powder for laboratory use?
Confirm the exact route with your broker and the Animal and Plant Health Agency. A non-food description alone is insufficient. Research and diagnostic samples cannot be used commercially.
Is total protein enough to verify alpha-lactalbumin powder?
No. Specify alpha-lactalbumin content separately, with an agreed identity assay and reporting basis. Check total protein, moisture and dissolution as additional acceptance measures.