Stevia, rutin and other glycosides from China

Rates and suspensions

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 26 September 2026, glycosides of heading 2938 carried 0% for listed pharmaceutical substances and 6% otherwise on rutin (2938 10 00 00), digitalis glycosides and the residual line; 4% on glycyrrhizin and glycyrrhizates; and 6% on hesperidin, ethylvanillin glucoside and rebaudioside A. No line had an anti-dumping measure.

Whole-line suspensions to 31 December 2028 set 0% for ammonium glycyrrhizate (2938 90 30 10), hesperidin (2938 90 90 10), ethylvanillin beta-D-glucopyranoside (2938 90 90 20) and rebaudioside A (2938 90 90 30), and a listed purified steviol glycoside high in rebaudioside M for drinks manufacture is suspended on the residual line. None covers mixtures, so a blended tabletop sweetener is classified elsewhere.

Other sweeteners are covered in our sucralose guide and plant extracts in our plant extracts guide; confirm the commodity code with the CAS number and purity.

Food, supplement and medicine rules

Steviol glycosides used as a sweetener are food additive E 960 and must meet the specification on the FSA register of authorised food additives, which also names the permitted production methods; a steviol glycoside made by a new route, such as fermentation or enzyme conversion, needs its own authorisation, see novel foods guidance.

Rutin and hesperidin sold in food supplements fall under the supplement and food information rules, digitalis glycosides are prescription medicine actives, and glycyrrhizates in cosmetics fall under the cosmetics regulation. Importing one tonne or more a year of a substance needs a UK REACH position.

Specifying grades

Stevia extracts are bought on total steviol glycosides and the share of rebaudioside A or M, which set sweetness and aftertaste; rutin and hesperidin on assay, loss on drying and particle size; glycyrrhizates on assay, pH of solution and colour. Ask which method the certificate uses, because assays by different HPLC methods do not compare.

Worked duty example

An invented example rather than a quote: 3 tonnes of monoammonium glycyrrhizinate for cosmetics, commodity code 2938 90 30 90, bought for £60,000 free on board, with £1,500 of freight and insurance, so £61,500 is the value customs works from. Duty at the 4% rate for glycyrrhizin salts is £2,460. VAT at 20% applies to £63,960, so £12,792. A VAT-registered buyer usually recovers the VAT, so the border adds £2,460 to the landed cost. See calculating UK import duty and VAT for the method.

Inspection checklist

Assay: test each lot by HPLC by the method in the relevant specification, such as the E 960 specification for steviol glycosides, and compare total glycosides and the individual rebaudioside content with the certificate.

Contaminants: test lead, arsenic and other metals, residual solvents such as methanol and ethanol, and microbiology on food grades against the specification, in a UK laboratory for the first lot.

Packing and records: check fibre drums or foil bags are sealed and lined, labels show the product name, E number where it applies, lot and best-before date, and certificates of analysis match the lot numbers.

What goes wrong

Glycosides fail on assay, identity and method. Stevia sold as 95% total steviol glycosides tests lower, a cheaper blend replaces high rebaudioside A grade, a product made by bioconversion is sold as a standard extract without authorisation, and rutin or hesperidin arrives with high moisture or residual solvent.

Fix the assay method in the contract, test the first lot in a UK laboratory, and check the production method against the authorisation. See our quality inspection guide.

Cambridge China Bridge sources stevia extracts, rutin, hesperidin and glycyrrhizates for food, supplement and cosmetic makers, checking the extraction plant and its laboratory before an order. See factory verification.