HS Code for Cooking fat blends

Cooking fat blends are classified under HS code 1517.90, which serves as the residual category for edible mixtures or preparations of animal, vegetable, or microbial fats and oils. Chapter 15 of the Harmonized System governs animal or vegetable fats and oils and their cleavage products. Heading 1517 specifically addresses margarine and other edible mixtures. The classification under 1517.90 is appropriate when the product is a blend of different fats or oils that have been processed together to achieve specific culinary properties, such as a specific smoke point or texture. This subheading is distinguished from 1517.10, which is strictly for margarine in solid form (typically a water-in-oil emulsion). To fall under 1517.90, the blend must be an edible preparation. If the oils were merely refined but not blended, they would stay under their respective single-source headings (e.g., 1512 for sunflower oil). However, once a vegetable oil is mixed with an animal fat or another vegetable oil to create a "shortening" or a "frying blend," it moves to 1517.90. This code is essential for industrial food manufacturers and commercial kitchens that utilize specialized fat compositions for baking and deep-frying applications.

Products Included

• Vegetable shortening blends
• Blends of vegetable oils and animal fats (e.g., lard and soybean oil)
• Compound cooking fats
• Liquid frying oil blends containing multiple oil types
• Vanaspati (vegetable ghee)

Common Misclassification

This product is often misclassified under 1517.10, which is reserved exclusively for margarine. While both are fat preparations, margarine has a specific emulsified structure that cooking fat blends lack. Another common error is using 1516.20, which covers vegetable fats that have been hydrogenated or solidified but not blended. If the product is a mixture of two different hydrogenated oils, it must be classified under 1517.90 rather than 1516.20. Finally, pure ghee is classified under 0405.90, not 1517.90.

FAQ

What is the HS code for cooking fat blends?

The HS code for edible mixtures of fats and oils used for cooking, other than margarine, is 1517.90.

Is vegetable shortening classified here?

Yes, most commercial vegetable shortenings are blends of different hydrogenated oils and are classified under 1517.90.