Sourcing gelatin from China

Zero duty with a veterinary control

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, gelatin and gelatin derivatives (3503 00 10 00) and other lines of the heading, such as isinglass and glues of animal origin (3503 00 80 00), carried 0% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping measure. Both lines carry a veterinary control.

Gelatin for human consumption is a product of animal origin, so it must come from a country and establishment approved to export it to Great Britain, travel with the matching health certificate and be pre-notified before arrival; check the [GOV.UK guidance on importing animal products](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/import-of-products-animals-food-and-feed-system) with your broker before ordering. Technical gelatin for photography, glue or capsules for non-food use has its own animal by-product documents.

Grades and specifications

Gelatin is sold by Bloom strength, the gel firmness measured under the method of ISO 9665, and by viscosity, particle size and colour. Food gelatin also needs limits for heavy metals and microbiology, pharmaceutical gelatin is bought to the gelatin monograph of the European Pharmacopoeia, and capsule makers add limits for peroxide and conductivity.

Customers often need to know the source animal for halal, kosher or vegetarian labelling, and bovine gelatin needs evidence on the raw material for BSE controls, so ask for species declarations and certificates per batch. Gelatin sold as a food ingredient is usually zero-rated for VAT, while technical grades are standard-rated; see [Notice 701/14](https://www.gov.uk/guidance/food-products-and-vat-notice-70114).

Worked duty example

Take a hypothetical order of 10 tonnes of 240 Bloom food-grade pig skin gelatin under 3503 00 10 00: £48,000 free on board plus £2,400 of freight and insurance gives a customs value of £50,400. The duty is nil. As a food ingredient it is usually zero-rated, so no import VAT is due; the same value of technical gelatin would carry import VAT of 20% of £50,400, or £10,080, which a VAT-registered importer normally reclaims. Step by step: UK import duty and VAT.

What goes wrong

Gelatin lots fail on strength, species and paperwork. Bloom and viscosity come in below the grade, so desserts and capsules do not set; lots are blended from different species, which breaks halal or kosher claims; microbial counts are high in poorly dried lots; and food gelatin arrives without an approved establishment number and health certificate, so it cannot be released.

Test Bloom strength, viscosity, moisture, ash, heavy metals and microbiology at an accredited laboratory on each lot, ask for a species test where the source animal matters, confirm the establishment approval and health certificate before loading, and check that bags are lined and sealed.

Cambridge China Bridge sources food, pharmaceutical and technical gelatin for manufacturers, with species, grade and health documents confirmed first. See how we verify suppliers.