U.S. Finds Malaysia Circumventing MSG Antidumping Order on China
Estimated reading time: 3–5 minutes
On May 29, 2025, the U.S. Department of Commerce announced its final decision that imports of monosodium glutamate (MSG) completed in Malaysia using glutamic acid from China are circumventing the U.S. antidumping duty (AD) order on MSG from China.
This decision is based on a detailed investigation. The Department published a preliminary determination in February 2025. The Department then notified the U.S. International Trade Commission. The ITC did not request consultations.
Case briefs were submitted by CPF Legacy, LLC, JEFI Enterprise (USA) Inc., and Ajinomoto Health & Nutrition North America, Inc. on April 28, 2025. Rebuttal letters were filed by these parties on May 5, 2025. The deadline for the final determination was extended to May 22, 2025.
The Department found that MSG finished in Malaysia using Chinese-origin glutamic acid, and then exported to the U.S., is covered by the scope of the 2015 antidumping duty order on MSG from China. This includes MSG “blended or in solution with other products” at 15 percent or more MSG by dry weight, in various forms and packaging. A full description of the product scope is in Appendix I of the notice.
The Department used facts available, with adverse inferences, especially for Ajinoriki MSG Sdn Bhd, because Ajinoriki did not participate in required on-site verification. As a result, Ajinoriki is no longer eligible to certify that its shipments to the U.S. do not contain Chinese-origin glutamic acid. The Department also applied findings to all other non-responsive Malaysian companies listed in the notice.
The Department is making this determination on a country-wide basis. The earlier certification process, which allowed verification of product origin, is now removed.
Customs and Border Protection will suspend liquidation and require a cash deposit of estimated duties on all covered MSG from Malaysia that uses Chinese glutamic acid. This applies to entries imported since November 4, 2021, the date new circumvention regulations became effective, and also on or after May 15, 2024, the date this inquiry started.
The antidumping cash deposit rate for affected MSG entries from Malaysia will be 56.54 percent, which is the China-wide rate. The Department created a new case number for these entries: Malaysia A-557-992-000.
These requirements will stay in effect until further notice. Companies may request administrative reviews in each anniversary month of the AD order, with the next window in November 2025.
This final country-wide finding is published under the authority granted by U.S. federal law and regulations.
For further details or questions, contact Thomas Cloyd, U.S. Department of Commerce, Office of Enforcement and Compliance. The Issues and Decision Memorandum is available online at https://access.trade.gov.
The written description in the official notice is controlling for the merchandise covered by this order.
Legal Disclaimer
This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. For case-specific consultation, please contact us. Read our full Legal Disclaimer, which also includes information on translation accuracy.
