Sourcing avidin from China
The relevant comparison lines in heading 3502 carry UK duty of 0% to 6% for goods from China. They do not identify avidin by name. Confirm classification and the animal-product import route before ordering; laboratory use does not settle either question. Cambridge China Bridge sources avidin.
Avidin classification and duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 3502 covers albumins, albuminates and other albumin derivatives. The table compares egg albumin, other albumins and derivatives that may need consideration when classifying an avidin product. These are classification options, not confirmed codes for every avidin preparation. For the wider heading, see sourcing albumins from China.
The listed non-food albumin categories carry 0% duty for goods from China; the other-albumin and derivative lines carry 6%. No anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty or suspension is listed. Every supplied line carries veterinary control. The derivatives line also carries a Home Office controlled-drugs export flag. Ask your customs broker to confirm the applicable veterinary documents and whether that export flag has any relevance to the exact goods.
Confirm the commodity code using protein identity, source, processing, composition, physical form and intended use. Do not select the egg-albumin category solely because the source material is egg, or assume a laboratory label establishes the non-food classification. The illustrative order assumes the other-albumin non-food line only after confirmation.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dried egg albumin unfit for human consumption | 3502 11 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Other egg albumin unfit for human consumption | 3502 19 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Other albumins unfit for human consumption | 3502 90 20 00 | 0% | None |
| Other albumins, excluding egg and milk albumin | 3502 90 70 00 | 6% | None |
| Albuminates and other albumin derivatives | 3502 90 90 00 | 6% | None |
Specify avidin identity and binding performance
Specify native or modified avidin, source material, powder or solution, purity method and biotin-binding activity measured by an agreed method. For solutions, record protein concentration, buffer, preservatives and storage conditions. For modified material, describe the modification and its intended function. Agree a batch certificate of analysis and test the approval sample in your own assay.
For China-origin animal-derived avidin, ask the Animal and Plant Health Agency to confirm whether the laboratory-reagent or research-sample route applies. Where a specific laboratory-reagent import authorisation is needed, country eligibility is assessed case by case. Research and diagnostic samples require prior authorisation. Ask your broker to confirm the resulting documents before dispatch.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative batch of sealed laboratory avidin vials, conditional on confirmation of this classification and 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 native or modified form, source, batch reference and formulation across the order, containers and certificate of analysis.
Activity: compare biotin-binding results with the agreed method and approval sample; protein purity alone does not demonstrate assay performance.
Condition: check seals, leakage, powder caking and transport-condition records against the supplier's agreed storage instructions.
Traceability: retain a batch sample and record receipt, storage and test results. Use the inspection guide to plan checks.
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What goes wrong
A quotation may describe everything as avidin while the supplied material has a different modification, buffer or preservative. It may meet the stated purity yet give unacceptable binding or background in your assay. Compare batches using the same method and distinguish protein concentration from functional activity.
A supplier's laboratory label can leave classification and import paperwork unresolved. Confirm the route for the actual formulation and intended use before paying for shipment. Keep the agreed transport conditions with the purchase specification so that a damaged or poorly performing batch can be assessed against recorded evidence.
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 avidin from China?
The relevant heading 3502 comparison lines carry 0% or 6%. The supplied tariff facts do not name avidin, so confirm the exact code. No anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty or suspension is listed.
Does laboratory avidin need veterinary paperwork?
The supplied lines carry veterinary control. Ask your broker and the Animal and Plant Health Agency to confirm the route and documents for the source, processing and intended use.
Can avidin enter as a research sample?
Confirm that the proposed use qualifies for that route. Official research-sample guidance requires prior authorisation from the Animal and Plant Health Agency; a supplier's sample label is insufficient.
What should I test when avidin arrives?
Check identity, formulation, purity and biotin-binding activity against agreed methods. Compare performance in your assay with the approval sample, and inspect seals and transport-condition records.