Sourcing natural beta-carotene from China

0% duty on the vegetable-origin line

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 4 October 2026, code 3203 00 10 00 carried 0% duty on goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty or suspension shown. Heading 3203 covers vegetable- or animal-origin colouring matter and preparations based on it. Only the vegetable-origin line supplied is relevant to this table; confirm the source and composition of your natural beta-carotene colourant.

The tariff attaches veterinary, CITES and waste import controls, plus CITES and waste export controls. Confirm applicability with your customs broker before shipping from China. Animal products requiring veterinary checks must enter through an approved border control post. Check whether the botanical source is CITES-listed and needs permits. For waste entering England under notification controls, consent from the destination, dispatch and transit authorities is needed before shipment.

Give your broker the production route, source material, carrier ingredients and intended use when confirming the commodity code. See natural colours and dyes for the wider heading.

Specify the source, strength and dispersion

Ask the factory to identify the source organism or plant, production route and extraction solvents. Specify beta-carotene content separately from the amount of carrier oil, starch or other ingredients. State whether you need an oil dispersion, a water-dispersible powder or an emulsion. Agree the test method and compare colour at the intended addition level in your own recipe.

For food use in Great Britain, the colour must be authorised for the intended food; confirm applicable purity specifications with the relevant food authority. Most additives are permitted only in certain foods and specific quantities. Ask for the applicable additive specification and batch evidence against it. A supplier's description of the colour as natural does not establish suitability for your food.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2 tonnes of a diluted natural beta-carotene colourant preparation under 3203 00 10 00, invoiced at £24,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £25,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £25,500, so it is £5,100. 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 and source: compare the production records, ingredient declaration and batch certificate with the agreed natural source and formulation.

Strength and performance: test beta-carotene content and hue against the approved sample; check dispersion, sediment and colour stability through your actual heating and storage process.

Purity: compare laboratory results for residual extraction solvents, contaminants and microbiological quality with the applicable food-additive specification and purchase specification.

Packing and records: check seals, light protection, leaks and powder caking; match batch numbers and shelf-life information to the certificate and agreed storage instructions.

What goes wrong

A colour can match the sample initially yet fade during processing or storage. Poor dispersion can leave specks or sediment, while a changed carrier can alter performance in a drink or bakery mixture. Comparing the weight of preparations without comparing beta-carotene content can hide a weaker batch.

Undeclared carriers or a different production route can leave the goods outside the agreed specification. Keep an approved reference sample, require agreement before formulation changes and test the shipment batch in your product. Use the inspection guide to define the release checks.

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.