## Common ground
All options are pre-packaged food products intended for immediate consumption or minimal preparation.
## Options at a glance
**0910.91 – Spices with plants**
- **Defining trait:** Based on spice mixtures combined with non-spice plant materials (e.g., herbs, roots).
- **Typical examples:** Garam masala blends with dried vegetables, spice rubs with onion flakes.
- **Best fit when:** The product is primarily a spice blend with added plant-based ingredients.
**0910.99 – Spices alone**
- **Defining trait:** Based solely on spices like thyme, curry, or bay leaves—no significant non-spice plant content.
- **Typical examples:** Pure ground turmeric, dried bay leaf flakes, curry powder.
- **Best fit when:** The product is a pure spice or spice blend without added plant matter.
**1601.00 – Sausage-based**
- **Defining trait:** Centered around sausages as the primary ingredient.
- **Typical examples:** Pre-cooked sausage rolls, ready-to-eat frankfurters.
- **Best fit when:** The product’s main component is a sausage or sausage-like item.
**1602 – Meat-heavy meals (>20% meat/offal/blood)**
- **Defining trait:** Contains more than 20% meat, offal, or blood by weight.
- **Typical examples:** Beef stew in a pouch, chicken curry with large meat chunks.
- **Best fit when:** The product is clearly meat-focused and exceeds the 20% threshold.
**1604.20 – Fish-based meals**
- **Defining trait:** Contains fish as the primary ingredient (e.g., canned or cooked fish).
- **Typical examples:** Tuna salad pouches, smoked salmon spreads.
- **Best fit when:** Fish is the dominant ingredient.
**1901.90 – Flour/groats/starch-based**
- **Defining trait:** Built on flour, groats, meal, starch, or malt extract as the base.
- **Typical examples:** Instant porridge, pancake mix, pasta dishes with pre-cooked noodles.
- **Best fit when:** The product’s core is a grain or starchy base.
**2101.12 – Coffee-based extracts/concentrates**
- **Defining trait:** Uses coffee extract, essence, or concentrate as the primary ingredient.
- **Typical examples:** Instant coffee granules, concentrated espresso shots.
- **Best fit when:** The product is a coffee drink base.
**2101.20 – Tea/maté-based extracts/concentrates**
- **Defining trait:** Based on tea or maté extracts, essences, or concentrates.
- **Typical examples:** Instant tea powder, ready-to-drink tea concentrate.
- **Best fit when:** The product is a tea or maté drink base.
**2106.90 – Other unspecified preparations**
- **Defining trait:** Does not fit into any of the above categories.
- **Typical examples:** Sauces without meat/fish, plant-based protein meals, novelty food mixes.
- **Best fit when:** No other category applies.
## Key differences
| HS Code | Primary Base | Key Ingredient | % Threshold | Special Feature |
|--------|----------------|------------------|--------------|------------------|
| 0910.91 | Spices + plants | Mixed plant matter | — | Contains non-spice plants |
| 0910.99 | Spices only | Pure spices | — | No added plants |
| 1601.00 | Sausage | Sausage product | — | Sausage is core |
| 1602 | Meat | Meat/offal/blood | >20% | High meat content |
| 1604.20 | Fish | Fish | — | Fish-based |
| 1901.90 | Starch/flour | Flour/groats/starch | — | Grain/starchy base |
| 2101.12 | Coffee | Coffee extract | — | Coffee concentrate |
| 2101.20 | Tea/maté | Tea/maté extract | — | Tea/mate concentrate |
| 2106.90 | — | — | — | Not elsewhere classified |
## How to choose
- Is the product primarily a spice blend with added plants? → 0910.91
- Is it pure spices only (no added plant matter)? → 0910.99
- Is sausage the main ingredient? → 1601.00
- Does it contain over 20% meat, offal, or blood? → 1602
- Is fish the dominant ingredient? → 1604.20
- Is it based on flour, starch, or groats? → 1901.90
- Is it a coffee concentrate or extract? → 2101.12
- Is it a tea or maté concentrate? → 2101.20
- Does it not fit any of the above? → 2106.90
## Overlaps & pitfalls
- A spice blend with herbs (e.g., thyme + onion) may fall under both 0910.91 and 0910.99—use **0910.91** if non-spice plants are present.
- A meat stew with 25% meat fits both 1602 and 1604.20 only if fish is involved—otherwise, 1602 takes priority.
- If a product contains multiple ingredients (e.g., fish + spices), prioritize the **main ingredient** or **highest percentage component**.
- No clear hierarchy given—user must decide based on **primary function or dominant ingredient**