U.S. imports of Lactic Acid, Its Salts and Esters (HS 291811) totaled $7.1M in August 2026, imported from 19 countries.
Importers of Lactic Acid, Its Salts and Esters paid $835K in duties in August 2026, an average duty rate of 11.81% — duty actually collected as a share of the imports that cleared customs, not the published tariff schedule.
Last updated: August 2026 dataFermentation-derived lactic acid and its downstream salts and esters serve as multifunctional inputs across food preservation, biodegradable polymer (PLA) production, personal care formulations, and pharmaceutical manufacturing. The Netherlands and Spain are the primary US import sources, reflecting the concentration of large-scale fermentation capacity in Western Europe. The US schedule distinguishes lactic acid itself (2918111000) from its salts and esters (2918115100), a split that matters when the same supplier ships mixed product streams. Because lactic acid and certain of its salts are used as food additives and in pharmaceutical preparations, shipments intended for those end uses may be subject to FDA review at entry.
AI-written summary of the official U.S. Census Bureau trade figures on this page — verify before relying on it.
169 import shipments a month
FDA's oversight is triggered by the intended use. Industrial-grade lactic acid destined for polymer or chemical manufacturing typically does not require FDA admissibility review, but food-additive or pharmaceutical-grade material is subject to FDA entry review. Importers should declare end use accurately and ensure the supplier holds appropriate certifications; consulting a licensed customs broker or regulatory counsel is advisable for food or pharma applications.
Large integrated fermentation and purification facilities in the Netherlands and Belgium — home to major global lactic acid producers — give Western European suppliers significant scale and quality-consistency advantages. This concentration means US buyers face meaningful supply-chain risk if European production is disrupted, making supplier diversification an active consideration.
Subheading 6 of 17 in heading 2918
Subheading 291811 · $7.1M of $109.7M
ImportsExports
Imports
$7.1MYoY · free account
Exports
$3.4MYoY · free account
12-mo low · imports
Low · free accountOver the twelve months to August 2026, the U.S. imported $84.5M of Lactic Acid, Its Salts and Esters and exported $35.2M.
Through August 2026. Source: U.S. Census Bureau.
HS10 import codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule.
| Code | Description | Imports for consumption | Average duty rate | Dutiable Share | Duty Collected |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2918115100 | Salts and Esters of Lactic Acid | $4.9M | 10.55% | 83.40% | $518K |
| 2918111000 | Lactic Acid | $2.2M | 14.67% | 100.00% | $317K |
HS10 export codes under this HS6 parent, each with its own page. Source: U.S. Schedule B export classification.
| Code | Description | Export Value |
|---|---|---|
| 2918110002 | Lactic Acid, Its Salts and Esters | $3.4M |
Import lines come from the U.S. Harmonized Tariff Schedule and export lines from Schedule B. The two are numbered by different agencies, so the same 10-digit code can appear in both tables describing a different product.
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Imports · August 2026
origin
Netherlands and Spain together supply 50% of it. China pays 40.6% duty; Spain 5.3%.
customs district
destination
entry
rate provision · imports
11.5% enters free of duty; duty collected equals 11.81% of imports for consumption.