Sourcing riboflavin powder from China

Zero duty on unmixed riboflavin powder

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 30 October 2026, unmixed vitamin B2 and its derivatives under 2936 23 00 00 carry 0% duty for goods from China. The supplied tariff record shows no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension. The table shows different buying specifications within this same commodity line.

The tariff record attaches an export waste control. The importer should confirm with their customs broker whether any waste-related requirement affects the proposed shipment, particularly material supplied as waste or returned for recovery.

Heading 2936 covers vitamins, their derivatives and certain concentrates and mixtures. Confirm the exact composition and presentation through finding your commodity code. Finished tablets and capsules are usually food preparations or medicines. See the wider vitamins guide for the rest of the heading.

Specify riboflavin form, grade and use

State whether you want unmixed riboflavin or a derivative, and disclose carriers, coatings and other ingredients. Specify food, feed or pharmacopoeia grade, assay basis, particle size and the test methods used for acceptance. Ask for a certificate of analysis for the batch being shipped, rather than a generic product sheet.

For supplements, check the chemical form against the permitted vitamin forms before ordering. Confirm feed-additive authorisation requirements with the relevant feed authority before ordering vitamins for animal feed. If importing the powder as a supplement, you are legally responsible for its composition, safety and labelling. Agree sealed, light-proof packing, storage instructions and stability evidence supporting the retest or expiry date.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative consignment of unmixed riboflavin powder; values reused from the published vitamins example under 2936 23 00 00, invoiced at £32,000 free on board, with £2,500 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £34,500. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £34,500, so it is £6,900. 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 assay: check the declared chemical form and laboratory identity result, then compare the batch assay with the agreed specification and certificate.

Contaminants: arrange batch testing for heavy metals and microbiology; include residual solvents where used in manufacture, against the agreed grade specification.

Powder condition: check for moisture, caking and foreign matter, and compare particle size and mixing behaviour with the approved sample.

Packing and records: check seals, liners, batch labels, weights and retest or expiry information against the certificate. Use quality inspection to organise sampling.

What goes wrong

A derivative or diluted preparation supplied against an unmixed riboflavin specification changes the material you are buying. An assay reported on a different basis can also conceal a mismatch. Agree the chemical form, composition and assay basis together, then test the shipped batch before releasing it into production.

A generic certificate does not establish the condition of the delivered powder. Investigate broken seals, moisture, caking or batch numbers that do not match the paperwork. Hold questionable stock while checking identity, assay and contaminants, and ask for stability evidence rather than accepting an unsupported shelf-life statement.

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.