Modified starch and dextrins from China
Modified starches from China pay UK duty of 6% for esterified or etherified starches, 8% plus £14 per 100 kg for dextrins and other modified starches such as pregelatinised starch, and 8% for starch-based glues, with no anti-dumping duty. Two listed starches are suspended to 0%. Food-grade starches must meet the FSA register of authorised additives.
Dextrins, pregelatinised and esterified starches and starch glues from China pay 6% to 8% UK duty, some plus a specific duty. Food and grade checks explained.
6% to 8% duty
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, heading 3505 covers dextrins and other modified starches, such as pregelatinised or esterified starches, and glues based on starches, dextrins or other modified starches. On goods from China, dextrins and other modified starches carried 8% plus £14 per 100 kg, esterified or etherified starches 6%, and starch glues 8% whatever their starch content. There is no anti-dumping measure.
Two suspensions apply: hydroxypropylated and thinned tapioca starch within 3505 10 50 00 is 0% until 31 December 2026, and pregelatinised maize starch of 70% purity or more within 3505 10 90 00 is 0% until 31 December 2028. Native, unmodified starches are heading 1108 and adhesives not based on starch are 3506 (see our glues guide), so confirm the commodity code.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dextrins | 3505 10 10 00 | 8% + £14 per 100 kg | None |
| Starches, esterified or etherified | 3505 10 50 00 | 6%; listed hydroxypropylated tapioca starch 0% to 31 Dec 2026 | None |
| Other modified starches (e.g. pregelatinised) | 3505 10 90 00 | 8% + £14 per 100 kg; listed pregelatinised maize starch 0% to 31 Dec 2028 | None |
| Starch-based glues (four lines by starch content) | 3505 20 10 00 to 3505 20 90 00 | 8% | None |
Food grade and labels
Modified starches used in food are additives with E numbers in the E 14xx range, so they must meet the purity specifications on the FSA register of authorised food additives, and be labelled by name or E number in the finished food. Ask for the grade and a certificate of analysis per batch.
Industrial starches for paper, textiles, adhesives and drilling do not need food-grade certification but are bought on viscosity, degree of substitution and solubility.
Specifying modified starch
Specify the base starch (maize, tapioca, potato, wheat), modification type, degree of substitution, viscosity at a stated concentration and temperature, moisture, pH, whiteness, microbiological limits for food grade, and bag or bulk packing.
Worked duty example
An invented example rather than a quote: 20 tonnes of pregelatinised tapioca starch in 25 kg bags, commodity code 3505 10 90 00, bought for £16,000 free on board with £2,000 of freight and insurance, so the customs value is £18,000. The duty is compound: 8% of the value, £1,440, plus £14 per 100 kg on 20,000 kg, £2,800, so £4,240. The suspension on this line covers only pregelatinised maize starch of 70% purity or more, so tapioca starch pays the full rate. If the starch is sold for industrial use and standard-rated, import VAT is 20% of £22,240, or £4,448; starch sold as a food ingredient is generally zero-rated. The duty and VAT guide walks through the calculation.
Inspection checklist
Grade: check the certificate of analysis for viscosity, moisture and pH against the specification, and run viscosity on a retained sample.
Food safety: for food grade, check the additive specification, microbiology and the absence of the wrong base starch where allergens or claims depend on it.
Packing: check bag integrity, lot marking and moisture protection in transit.
What goes wrong
Starch orders fail on grade, base and classification. Viscosity varies between lots, a wheat starch is supplied where a gluten-free maize or tapioca base was specified, and the specific duty is missed in the costing or a suspension is claimed for a starch it does not cover.
Test viscosity per lot, confirm the base starch and check the suspension text before claiming it. See our quality inspection guide.
Cambridge China Bridge sources modified starches for UK food manufacturers and industrial users, checking the plant's laboratory first. See factory verification.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on modified starch from China?
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 27 September 2026, other modified starches under 3505 10 90 00 carried 8% plus £14 per 100 kg from China, with no anti-dumping duty.
Are any modified starches suspended?
Hydroxypropylated thinned tapioca starch to the end of 2026 and pregelatinised maize starch of 70% purity or more to the end of 2028.
Is native starch in heading 3505?
No. Native, unmodified starches are heading 1108.
Do food starches need certification?
They must meet the additive specifications on the FSA register of authorised food additives.