Section IV · Foodstuffs, Beverages & Tobacco · Chapter 21
Miscellaneous edible preparations
About chapter 21
Chapter 21 is a catch-all for miscellaneous edible preparations that don't fit neatly elsewhere: sauces, soups, yeast, food supplements, ice cream and flavoured extracts. It's a common landing spot for newer packaged-food products that blend ingredients from multiple other food chapters.
Classification tip: Composite food products (a sauce with meat, a supplement with pharmaceutical-grade ingredients) can straddle this chapter and chapter 16 or chapter 30: classify by the ingredient that gives the product its essential character, not by marketing name.
16 six-digit codes
Extracts, essences, concentrates of coffee, tea or mate; preparations with a basis of these products or with a basis of coffee, tea or mate; roasted chicory and other roasted coffee substitutes and extracts, essences and concentrates thereof
4 codes2101.11Extracts, essences and concentrates; of coffee, and preparations with a basis of these extracts, essences or concentrates or with a basis of coffee2101.12Preparations with a basis of extracts, essences or concentrates or with a basis of coffee2101.20Extracts, essences and concentrates; of tea or mate, and preparations with a basis of these extracts, essences or concentrates or with a basis of tea or mate2101.30Chicory, roasted and other roasted coffee substitutes; extracts, essences and concentrates thereof
Yeasts (active or inactive); other single-cell micro-organisms, dead (but not including vaccines of heading no. 3002); prepared baking powders
3 codes2102.10Yeasts; active2102.20Yeasts; inactive, other single-cell micro-organisms, dead2102.30Baking powders; prepared
Sauces and preparations therefor; mixed condiments and mixed seasonings, mustard flour and meal and prepared mustard
4 codes2103.10Sauces; soya2103.20Sauces; tomato ketchup and other tomato sauces2103.30Mustard flour and meal and prepared mustard2103.90Sauces and preparations therefor; mixed condiments and mixed seasonings
Soups and broths and preparations therefor; homogenised composite food preparations
2 codes2104.10Soups and broths and preparations therefor2104.20Homogenised composite food preparations
Ice cream and other edible ice; whether or not containing cocoa
1 code2105.00Ice cream and other edible ice; whether or not containing cocoa
Food preparations not elsewhere specified or included
2 codes2106.10Protein; concentrates and textured protein substances2106.90Food preparations; n.e.c. in item no. 2106.10
More chapters in section IV: Foodstuffs, Beverages & Tobacco
- 16Meat, fish, crustaceans, molluscs or other…
- 17Sugars and sugar confectionery
- 18Cocoa and cocoa preparations
- 19Preparations of cereals, flour, starch or…
- 20Preparations of vegetables, fruit, nuts or…
- 22Beverages, spirits and vinegar
- 23Food industries, residues and wastes thereof
- 24Tobacco and manufactured tobacco substitutes
Codes and descriptions follow the WCO six-digit Harmonized System nomenclature. National tariff schedules extend these to 8–13 digits and set the actual duty rate, so confirm the full code for your destination country with your customs broker before filing. To copy a code, hover a row and use the copy button; every code has 2101-style dot notation ready for your commercial invoice.
Chapter 21 FAQ
What does HS code chapter 21 cover?
Chapter 21 of the Harmonized System covers: miscellaneous edible preparations. It belongs to section IV (Foodstuffs, Beverages & Tobacco) and contains 6 four-digit headings, 2101–2106.
How many HS codes are in chapter 21?
Chapter 21 contains 6 four-digit headings and 16 six-digit subheadings. Countries subdivide these further (8–13 digits) in their national tariff schedules, so the full national count is larger.
Is HS code 2101 the same in every country?
Yes. The six-digit level of every code in this chapter is harmonised by the World Customs Organization and identical in all member countries. Digits beyond the sixth (for example the US 10-digit HTS or the EU 8-digit CN) are national and set the actual duty rate.
How do I choose the right code within chapter 21?
Work from the four-digit heading down: pick the heading that best matches your product, then the six-digit subheading that matches its material, form or processing. If two codes seem to fit, customs rules (the General Rules of Interpretation) decide, and when in doubt, confirm with your customs broker before filing.