Sourcing pasteurised egg albumen from China
Relevant liquid egg albumen lines range from 0% for non-food grades to £13 per 100 kg for food-grade albumen. Food imports into Great Britain need an approved origin and China's residue-testing declaration; confirm factory approval and veterinary paperwork requirements with the relevant import authority or customs broker. Cambridge China Bridge sources pasteurised liquid egg albumen.
Weight-based duty on food-grade liquid albumen
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 29 September 2026, heading 3502 covers albumins, albuminates and other albumin derivatives. For pasteurised liquid egg albumen intended for food, the relevant starting point is the non-dried edible egg albumin line, 3502 19 90 00. Specify separated egg white rather than whole egg or yolk.
Goods from China under 3502 19 90 00 carry £13 per 100 kg. The non-food liquid category carries 0%; dried edible egg albumen carries £103 per 100 kg. No anti-dumping duty, countervailing duty or suspension is listed for the selected lines. Each carries veterinary control requiring a common health entry document for animal products. Confirm the applicable import route with your customs broker.
Confirm the commodity code against composition, physical form and intended use. The dried rows are comparisons; see the wider egg albumen powder guide. The percentage-duty illustration uses liquid albumen unfit for human consumption. Its classification must not be used for edible stock.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food-grade liquid egg albumen | 3502 19 90 00 | £13.00 per 100 kg | None |
| Non-dried egg albumen unfit, or to be rendered unfit, for human consumption | 3502 19 10 00 | 0% | None |
| Food-grade egg albumen powder, for comparison | 3502 11 90 90 | £103.00 per 100 kg | None |
| Dried egg albumen unfit for human consumption, for comparison | 3502 11 10 00 | 0% | None |
Specify pasteurisation, cold storage and whipping
Before ordering food-grade liquid albumen, have your broker confirm the approved-country conditions and residue-control eligibility, and check factory approval requirements with the relevant import authority. Confirm any advance notification, health certificate and border control post requirements with that authority or your customs broker before arranging shipment. Use factory verification to check the actual processing premises.
Chinese egg products also fall under additional chemical-testing controls. Each consignment needs testing before dispatch for chloramphenicol and nitrofuran and its metabolites, with a declaration from the Chinese competent authority containing the test results. A supplier's ordinary batch analysis certificate does not replace that declaration.
Specify bird species, liquid egg white composition, protein and solids, any added ingredients, pasteurisation records, microbiological acceptance criteria and test methods. Agree chilled or frozen supply, storage conditions, remaining shelf life on arrival, pack size and resealing arrangements. Test whipping volume, foam stability and gel formation in your own recipe before approving the sample.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative only: 100 kg of liquid egg albumen unfit for human consumption, for industrial use, subject to confirmation of the import route under 3502 19 10 00, invoiced at £1,440 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £2,940. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £2,940, so it is £588. 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
Batch: match factory identity, batch markings and production records to the specification, health paperwork and Chinese authority declaration.
Cold chain: review transport temperature records against the agreed storage conditions; check arrival condition, remaining shelf life, seals and leakage.
Performance: compare protein, solids and microbiological results with the agreed methods; test whipping and gel formation against the approved sample.
Food information: for prepacked consumer sales, check the ingredients list and emphasised allergens. Keep the egg source clear in specifications. Plan batch sampling with the inspection guide.
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What goes wrong
A pasteurised product can still arrive with leaking packs, an interrupted cold chain or too little usable shelf life. Agree how temperature excursions and damaged containers will be assessed before shipment. Separate affected stock for investigation rather than accepting it on appearance alone.
A batch may meet the protein specification yet whip poorly in the buyer's recipe. Yolk carry-over, formulation changes and processing differences are points to investigate. Missing factory approval or the Chinese authority declaration can also undermine the import plan. Check documents before dispatch and compare each arriving batch with the approved sample.
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.
Frequently asked questions
What is the UK import duty on pasteurised liquid egg albumen from China?
Food-grade liquid egg albumen under 3502 19 90 00 carries £13 per 100 kg. The non-food liquid category carries 0%. No trade remedy or suspension is listed for these lines.
Can I import Chinese liquid egg white into Great Britain?
Have your broker confirm country and factory eligibility before ordering. Food consignments need veterinary paperwork and border controls, plus China's pre-dispatch chemical testing and authority declaration.
Does pasteurisation replace the Chinese authority declaration?
No. The additional controls require pre-dispatch chemical testing and a Chinese competent authority declaration containing the results. Pasteurisation records and a supplier's batch analysis serve different purposes.
What should I check when liquid egg albumen arrives?
Check temperature records, seals, leakage, batch identity and remaining shelf life. Compare batch analysis with the specification and test whipping or gel formation in your own process.