Sourcing savoury flavour concentrates from China
Savoury food flavour concentrates classified as food-industry flavour mixtures carry 0% UK duty from China. Food flavourings must use permitted ingredients; animal-derived content needs a separate import-control check. Agree flavour strength and performance in the finished food before ordering. Cambridge China Bridge sources savoury food flavour concentrates.
UK duty on savoury flavour concentrates
Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 7 November 2026, heading 3302 covers mixtures based on odoriferous substances used as industrial raw materials. The food-industry line 3302 10 90 00 carries 0% duty for goods from China, with no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension listed. The table shows different uses of the same commodity line.
The UK Trade Tariff attaches veterinary control to this line. For animal-derived formulations, ask your customs broker to confirm admissibility and the applicable health-entry documentation before shipment. Animal products may only enter Great Britain from approved countries and establishments. The data also lists mercury and torture-related export restrictions; ask the broker to confirm their relevance to any onward export.
Give your broker the formulation and intended food use to confirm the commodity code. The flavour-mixture description should match the actual goods. For the wider heading and drink-industry distinctions, see beverage flavour concentrates.
| Goods | Commodity code | Duty | Anti-dumping or countervailing duty on China |
|---|---|---|---|
| Savoury flavour mixtures for sauces | 3302 10 90 00 | 0% | None |
Specify the flavour in the finished food
Describe the required profile, such as roasted onion, mushroom, cheese-style or cooked-meat flavour. Agree powder, paste or liquid form, carrier ingredients, solubility, salt contribution and application method. Compare samples in your actual soup, sauce or snack coating after the intended heating and storage process.
Confirm with the relevant food authority whether the proposed flavouring substances and preparations are permitted for the intended food use. Obtain a specification, batch certificate of analysis and allergen information from the factory. Ask for the origin of animal-derived ingredients rather than relying on the flavour name. If the formula contains smoke flavourings, these need authorisation before being placed on the Great Britain market.
Worked duty example
Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: 2 tonnes of savoury flavour concentrate in 25 kg drums under 3302 10 90 00, invoiced at £28,000 free on board, with £1,600 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £29,600. Duty at 0% is £0. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £29,600, so it is £5,920. 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
Flavour: compare a batch sample with the retained approved sample in the same food base and at the agreed addition rate.
Physical condition: check powders for caking, liquids for separation and pastes for consistency against the agreed specification.
Batch documents: match the certificate of analysis, ingredient declaration and allergen information to the formulation and batch supplied.
Packaging: check seals, leaks, net contents and batch identification; compare storage instructions with the purchase specification.
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What goes wrong
A concentrate can smell correct in its container but lose its roasted note during cooking or produce a bitter aftertaste in the finished food. A different carrier can change dispersion or make a powder cake. Approve the application trial and retain a reference sample before accepting bulk production.
A meat-style or cheese-style name does not explain whether the formula contains animal ingredients. Treat missing ingredient origins, changed allergen information or documents for a different formula as unresolved issues. Ask the supplier to explain substitutions before shipment and keep the affected batch separate while checking it.
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 savoury flavour concentrates from China?
The food-industry flavour-mixture line 3302 10 90 00 carries 0% duty from China. The supplied tariff data lists no anti-dumping or countervailing duty and no suspension.
Can I import meat-flavoured concentrates from China?
Check the actual ingredients. A meat-style flavour name does not establish animal content. For animal-derived formulas, have your broker confirm admissibility and veterinary documentation before ordering.
What paperwork should I request from the flavour factory?
Request the formulation specification, batch certificate of analysis, allergen information and ingredient origins. Match these documents to the exact formula and batch being supplied.
How do I check savoury flavour samples?
Test them in your actual food base using the intended mixing and heating process. Compare flavour strength, aftertaste, dispersion and stored performance with a retained approved sample.