Sourcing Trisodium Citrate from China

Trisodium citrate duty and suspension

Heading 2918 covers carboxylic acids with additional oxygen function and their derivatives. Within it, the supplied trisodium citrate line is 2918 15 00 19 for trisodium citrate dihydrate, other consignments. The table repeats this tariff line for different purchasing specifications; these are not separate commodity codes. For neighbouring substances, see citric acid and food acids.

Read from the UK Trade Tariff on 1 October 2026, the base duty for goods from China is 6%, with an autonomous suspension of 0.00 % for qualifying trisodium citrate dihydrate. The suspension excludes mixtures, preparations and products containing different components. The supplied record shows no anti-dumping or countervailing duty. Confirm eligibility and the declaration document code before claiming the suspension.

The UK Trade Tariff also attaches an export control for waste. Waste shipment controls apply only where the material is waste; ask your customs broker to confirm the requirement for your consignment, particularly recovered material or returns. Confirm the commodity code using the substance identity, hydrated form and composition. Do not assume the dihydrate line covers anhydrous material or blends.

Specify the hydrated form and intended use

Write trisodium citrate dihydrate on the purchase specification rather than simply sodium citrate. Agree food, technical or laboratory grade, assay basis, water content, particle size, impurity tests and the methods used. Ask for a certificate of analysis for each production batch, linked to the bag labels, and test a sample in your actual blending or dissolving process.

For food use in Great Britain, confirm the applicable sodium citrate purity criteria with the Food Standards Agency. Check the permitted conditions of use for the intended food application as well. A supplier's food-grade description does not establish that your intended use is permitted. Agree batch testing for heavy metals, chloride and sulphate against the applicable specification.

For non-food uses, confirm the UK REACH registration position with HSE. Ask HSE whether any exemption applies to the proposed food use, and settle the intended use and registration position before ordering. Arrange testing and certification support where you need help defining the evidence.

Worked duty example

Illustrative example, not a quote: Illustrative order: one tonne of food-grade trisodium citrate dihydrate under 2918 15 00 19, invoiced at £2,500 free on board, with £980 of freight and insurance to the UK. The customs value is £3,480. Duty at 6% is £208.80. Import VAT at 20% is charged on the customs value plus duty, £3,688.80, so it is £737.76. Import taxes total £946.56; a VAT-registered importer can usually reclaim the VAT, so the lasting cost is the £208.80 of duty. The import duty and VAT guide explains each step.

Inspection checklist

Identity: compare the ordered dihydrate form and grade with the certificate, bag labels and sample test results; check whether assay is stated on a dry basis or as supplied.

Batch results: check that the certificate identifies the actual lot and reports the agreed assay, water content and impurity results with named test methods.

Powder and packing: inspect opened samples for caking, contamination and particle size differences; check sealed liners, bag damage, pallet wrapping and signs of water exposure.

Traceability: match bag lot numbers to certificates and shipping documents, record discrepancies and retain a representative sample. Use quality inspection to organise these checks before dispatch.

What goes wrong

An order described only as sodium citrate leaves room for a different form, grade or particle size. Comparing assay figures without their moisture basis can also hide a specification mismatch. Technical-grade paperwork supplied for a food order, certificates unrelated to the delivered lot and damp or damaged liners are reasons to hold the affected stock while it is checked.

Avoid treating a citrate blend as pure trisodium citrate dihydrate when budgeting duty: the listed suspension excludes mixtures. Agree the composition and evidence before shipment, and check any change of formulation with your broker. Use the duty and VAT guide when building the landed-cost calculation.

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.