## Common ground
All options involve tartaric acid or its derivatives, used primarily in chemical or industrial applications.
## Options at a glance
**2918.12 – Natural tartaric acid**
- **Defining trait:** Pure, naturally occurring tartaric acid, typically extracted from grapes or wine byproducts.
- **Typical examples:** Crystalline tartaric acid from winemaking residue, food-grade natural form.
- **Best fit when:** The product is unmodified, derived directly from natural sources, and not chemically altered.
**2918.13 – Salts and esters of tartaric acid**
- **Defining trait:** Chemically modified forms where tartaric acid bonds with metals (salts) or organic groups (esters).
- **Typical examples:** Dibenzoyl-D-tartaric acid, potassium bitartrate (cream of tartar), sodium tartrate.
- **Best fit when:** The product is a derivative (salt or ester) with altered chemical structure and function.
**3824.99 – Preparations for sweetening, not foodstuffs**
- **Defining trait:** Formulated mixtures containing tartaric acid, intended for non-food use as a sweetener (e.g., in cosmetics, cleaning agents).
- **Typical examples:** Tartaric acid tablets used in industrial cleaning or pH adjustment, not for consumption.
- **Best fit when:** The product is a ready-to-use formulation, not pure acid, and meant for non-edible purposes.
## Key differences
| Feature | 2918.12 (Natural) | 2918.13 (Salts/Esters) | 3824.99 (Preparations) |
|-----------------------|-------------------|------------------------|------------------------|
| Chemical form | Pure acid | Modified (salt/ester) | Mixed formulation |
| Use case | Food, lab, industry | Industrial, pharmaceutical | Non-food applications |
| Processing level | Minimal | High | High (formulated) |
## How to choose
- Is the product pure tartaric acid from natural sources? → 2918.12
- Is it a salt or ester (e.g., with metals or organic groups)? → 2918.13
- Is it a tablet or mixture, not meant for eating, used as a sweetener elsewhere? → 3824.99
## Overlaps & pitfalls
- A natural tartaric acid tablet used in cleaning could fit both 2918.12 and 3824.99. In such cases, prioritize **use**: if it's for non-food purposes, use 3824.99.
- "Sweetening" in 3824.99 refers to taste function, not food; avoid confusion with edible sweeteners.
- If the product is a salt or ester *in a tablet form*, it may fit both 2918.13 and 3824.99 — choose based on **main function**: chemical modification (2918.13) vs. ready-to-use formulation (3824.99)