Sourcing locust bean gum from China

Locust bean gum duty and organic controls

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 September 2026, locust bean gum under 1302 32 10 00 carries 0% duty for goods from China. No anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty or suspension is listed. Heading 1302 covers vegetable saps, extracts and plant-derived thickeners; this guide covers only thickeners derived from locust beans or their seeds, whether or not modified.

The tariff attaches an organic-products import control. For organic food-grade gum shipped from China into Great Britain, obtain a Great Britain certificate of inspection for each consignment, including samples. Your business must be certified by an approved UK organic control body. Check the recognised non-UK organic registers for the applicable country and control body before ordering.

The supplied tariff facts contain only one locust bean gum line, so the table contains that line alone. Confirm the commodity code using the composition and processing details, especially for blends. For another gum within the wider heading, see the guar gum guide.

Specify identity, viscosity and food-grade purity

Ask the supplier to identify the botanical source, seed material, processing method and any modification. Specify whether the product is pure locust bean gum or a blend, and disclose all added ingredients. Agree powder colour, particle size, moisture, packaging and storage instructions.

Define the viscosity test method, including preparation, concentration, temperature and measurement conditions. Trial the sample in your actual recipe and processing equipment. For food use, confirm the applicable food-additive purity criteria with the relevant food authority, including whether heavy-metal and microbiological limits apply. Request a batch certificate of analysis and agree independent testing through testing and certification.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: 2 tonnes of food-grade locust bean gum powder; illustrative order only under 1302 32 10 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: match the delivered material, supplier specification and batch certificate; check for undeclared blending or substitution.

Performance: compare viscosity and dispersion with the approved sample using the agreed preparation and test method.

Purity: review batch results for moisture, insoluble matter, heavy metals, microbiology and pesticide residues, including ethylene oxide.

Packaging: check sealed liners, dry bags, batch identification and consistency between labels and documents; separate damaged or damp stock pending assessment.

What goes wrong

A viscosity result is difficult to compare when the supplier changes the preparation or measurement conditions. Undeclared blending can change recipe performance, while moisture ingress can leave caked powder. Retain approved and delivered samples, record the test method and investigate differences before releasing a batch.

A generic analysis certificate may describe a different batch. Match the certificate to the delivered labels and arrange testing where evidence is incomplete. Keep organic certification and consignment documents separate from ordinary quality reports; an analysis certificate does not establish compliance with the organic import requirements.

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.