Sourcing leaf gelatin from China

Zero duty and veterinary controls

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 6 November 2026, heading 3503 includes gelatin in rectangular or square sheets. Leaf gelatin falls within gelatin and its derivatives under 3503 00 10 00, carrying 0% duty for goods from China. No anti-dumping or countervailing measure or suspension is listed. The supplied facts contain only this relevant commodity line for leaf gelatin.

The tariff attaches veterinary control. Food gelatin must come from an approved country and establishment and travel with the appropriate health certificate; confirm pre-notification requirements with your customs broker. Confirm eligibility for the declared animal source before ordering. Goods must enter Great Britain through a point of entry with a relevant border control post. The tariff also attaches import and export waste controls; ask your customs broker to confirm their application to your consignment.

Give your broker the composition, animal source, food use and sheet format to confirm the commodity code. For other products within this heading, see the gelatin guide.

Specify sheet weight and gel strength together

Specify the source animal, food grade, Bloom strength, viscosity, sheet weight, dimensions, colour and pack contents. Agree how sheets are counted and weighed. Ask for a batch certificate of analysis covering the agreed microbiological and chemical limits.

Approve a sample in your own recipe using an agreed soaking and dissolving method. Compare clarity, odour and the chilled set. Record the weight used rather than relying on a supplier's colour or grade name as a substitute for the specification.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 240 kg of food-grade leaf gelatin under 3503 00 10 00, invoiced at £2,400 free on board, with £240 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £2,640. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £2,640, so it is £528. 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

Sheets: check weight, dimensions, count and consistency against the approved sample; record broken or stuck sheets.

Performance: check batch Bloom strength and viscosity results, then repeat the agreed recipe trial with an arrival sample.

Packing: check seals, moisture protection, odour and batch identification. Gelatin packaging must indicate minimum durability and carry the prescribed wording identifying it as fit for human consumption.

Documents: match the factory, animal source and batch to the order and analysis report; confirm establishment approval and the appropriate health certificate before dispatch.

What goes wrong

Replacing sheets by count without checking weight and strength can change the set. Uneven sheets, breakage and sheets stuck together make portioning difficult. Damp packing and unexpected odour are reasons to hold the batch for investigation.

A satisfactory sample does not establish import eligibility. Check the actual producing establishment before loading and match the shipment documents to it. Agree the inspection checks before production.

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.