Sourcing gum arabic from China

Gum arabic duty and organic import checks

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 5 November 2026, gum arabic under 1301 20 00 00 carries 0% duty for goods from China. No anti-dumping or countervailing duty or suspension is listed. The supplied tariff data contains only this commodity line for gum arabic, so the table contains a single entry.

The UK Trade Tariff attaches an organic products import control. For organic food from China entering Great Britain, obtain a certificate of inspection for each consignment and check the exporter’s control body and export country against the non-UK organic registers. Arrange these checks before shipment with your organic control body and customs broker.

Heading 1301 also covers lac and other natural gums and resins. See the wider heading guide. Confirm the commodity code against the actual composition and processing, especially where gum arabic is supplied as a blend.

Specify gum identity and performance

State the botanical source, whether the material is pure gum arabic or a blend, its physical form and its intended food or technical use. Agree colour, moisture, ash, insoluble matter and a viscosity test method. Test solubility and emulsifying performance in your own formulation against an approved sample.

For food use, gum arabic is food additive E 414; confirm the applicable purity criteria with the Food Standards Agency. Ask for a batch certificate of analysis and agree laboratory checks for heavy metals and microbiology. A supplier’s food-grade description should be supported by results for the material being shipped.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2 tonnes of gum arabic under 1301 20 00 00, invoiced at £16,000 free on board, with £900 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £16,900. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £16,900, so it is £3,380. 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: compare the batch with the approved sample and check the botanical source and declared composition.

Function: prepare a solution using the agreed method and check dissolution, viscosity, colour and emulsifying performance.

Purity: check moisture, ash and insoluble matter; examine for bark, sand and other foreign material, and review food-grade laboratory results.

Packaging: inspect seals, dampness and caking, and match bag batch references to the certificate of analysis and retained samples.

What goes wrong

Blending with cheaper gums can change viscosity and emulsifying performance. Residual bark, sand or insoluble matter can spoil processing, while excessive microbial contamination can make a food-grade batch unsuitable. A sample that works in water may still perform poorly in the buyer’s actual formulation.

Agree acceptance tests before ordering and compare arrival samples with the approved material. Investigate differences before using the batch. For organic orders, settle certification and consignment documentation before dispatch rather than relying on an organic statement printed on the bags.

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.