Chapter 09 covers coffee, tea, maté and spices. It includes coffee beans, ground coffee, tea leaves, maté, pepper, chili, vanilla, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, star anise, fennel, coriander, cumin, ginger, turmeric, bay leaves, thyme, saffron, curry, etc. These products may be unprocessed, primary processed or mixed, but are limited to plant-based spices used for seasoning or food preparation. It does not include chemically synthesized seasonings (Chapter 29) or mustard powder (Chapter 12). Heading 0910 covers ginger, saffron, turmeric, thyme, bay leaves, curry and other spices. Among these, 0910.91 is a subheading that includes other mixed seasonings, i.e., mixed spices not falling under other subheadings from 0910.10 to 0910.99. These mixtures are usually composed of multiple spices, used for food seasoning, and may be used directly or further processed. First 2 digits 09: belongs to Chapter 9, covering coffee, tea, maté and spices. Digits 3-4: 10: heading 0910, specifically ginger, saffron, turmeric, thyme, bay leaves, curry and other spices. Digits 5-6: 91: subheading 0910.91, indicating other mixed seasonings. This subheading is a residual subheading covering mixed seasonings not specified in other subheadings, such as seasoning powder made from a mixture of multiple spices, curry powder (but if curry powder meets 0910.99, it is classified under that subheading), five-spice powder, mixed chili powder, etc. This product is a mixed seasoning, not a single spice (such as pepper or chili powder), nor does it belong to specific subheadings such as 0910.10 ginger or 0910.20 saffron. If it is curry powder, note that 0910.99 is curry, but curry powder is usually made by mixing multiple spices; if it does not meet other subheadings, it is classified under 0910.91. Therefore, mixed seasonings are generally classified under 0910.91, unless they are a single spice or goods specified under a particular subheading.

Product name: The specific name of the declared goods, such as "mixed seasoning", "five-spice powder", "mixed chili powder", etc., and it must be consistent with the commercial invoice. Ingredients: List all spice ingredients and proportions (such as chili, Sichuan pepper, star anise, etc.), and they must be consistent with the ingredient list. Use: Explain that it is used for food seasoning, cooking, etc., such as "used for meat marinating", "ready to eat", etc. Packaging specifications: Such as "100 g/bag", "25 kg/carton", which affects classification and regulatory conditions. Brand: If there is a brand, the brand name must be declared; if there is no brand, indicate "none". Processing method: Such as "dried, crushed, mixed", indicating whether further processing has been carried out. Retail packaging or not: Indicate whether it is for direct retail, such as "yes" or "no", which affects classification and tax rates. Product name: five-spice powder; Ingredients: star anise 30%, Sichuan pepper 25%, cassia bark 20%, fennel 15%, cloves 10%; Use: for cooking seasoning; Packaging specifications: 100 g/bag; Brand: Wang Shouyi; Processing method: dried, crushed, mixed; Retail packaging or not: yes. Confusing mixed seasonings with single spices, such as mistakenly declaring pure pepper powder as mixed seasoning. Failure to provide complete ingredient proportions, resulting in customs being unable to determine classification. Ignoring packaging specifications and mistakenly declaring large industrial packaging as retail packaging, affecting regulatory conditions.

The core basis for classification is whether the goods are made by mixing two or more spices and do not belong to goods specifically listed under other subheadings. If it is a single spice, classify according to the specific subheading (such as 0904 pepper, 0905 vanilla, etc.). If it is a mixed seasoning and is not listed under other subheadings, classify under 0910.91. Note that if curry powder meets the definition of 0910.99, it should be classified under that subheading, but curry powder is usually a mixture; if it does not meet other subheadings, it is still classified under 0910.91. 0910.99 Curry: Curry is a specific mixed spice; if it meets the description of subheading 0910.99, it is classified under that subheading; other mixed seasonings that do not meet the definition of curry are classified under 0910.91. 0904.20 Chili powder: Chili powder is a single spice (Capsicum genus); even if ground, it is classified under 0904, whereas mixed seasonings contain multiple spices and are classified under 0910.91. 2103.90 Other seasonings: Seasonings of Chapter 21 usually contain non-spice ingredients (such as salt, monosodium glutamate, starch), whereas 0910.91 contains only spice mixtures and no other additives. 0910.10 Ginger: Ginger is a single spice; even if a small amount of other spices is mixed in, if the main ingredient is ginger, it may still be classified under 0910.10, but if multiple spices are mixed, it is classified under 0910.91. 1211.90 Other plant products: Plant products of Chapter 12 are usually unprocessed or primary processed, whereas 0910.91 is a seasoning spice mixture that has undergone mixing processing. Is it made by mixing two or more spices? Does it contain no non-spice ingredients (such as salt, monosodium glutamate)? Is it not specifically listed under other subheadings? Is it used for seasoning rather than other purposes? Does packaging affect classification?

How can it be determined whether a mixed seasoning should be classified under 0910.91 or 2103.90? The key is the ingredients: if it is made only by mixing spices and contains no non-spice ingredients such as salt, monosodium glutamate or starch, classify under 0910.91; if it contains non-spice ingredients, classify under 2103.90. For example, pure five-spice powder is classified under 0910.91, while chicken essence seasoning is classified under 2103.90. Should curry powder be classified under 0910.91 or 0910.99? If curry powder meets the description of subheading 0910.99 "curry", it should be classified under 0910.99. However, if curry powder is a simple mixture of multiple spices and does not meet the specific definition of curry, it may be classified under 0910.91. It is recommended to determine based on the ingredients and local customs interpretation. If a mixed seasoning contains a small amount of salt, does it affect classification? Yes. If salt is added, it does not belong to 0910.91, because that subheading covers only spice mixtures. In this case, classification under 2103.90 (other seasonings) should be considered. However, if salt is only used as a carrier and the content is extremely low, it must be determined based on the specific ingredients and customs judgment. Must ingredient proportions be provided when declaring? Yes. Ingredient proportions are key to determining classification, especially for mixed seasonings; customs may require detailed proportions to confirm whether it belongs to 0910.91. If they cannot be provided, it may lead to classification disputes or delays. Is there a difference in classification between retail packaging and industrial packaging? There is no difference in classification; both are classified under 0910.91. However, packaging may affect regulatory conditions (such as whether food labels are required) and tax rates (such as additional retail packaging taxes in some countries), and must be truthfully filled in when declaring. Through which channel can the tax rate for 0910.91 be queried? You can consult the Import and Export Tariff published by the General Administration of Customs of China or use the "Customs Classification Pre-ruling" system. Tax rates change, so it is recommended to rely on the latest tariff or consult a professional customs broker. If a mixed seasoning contains additives (such as anti-caking agents), is it still classified under 0910.91? If the additive is only necessary for processing and does not affect the seasoning function, it may still be classified under 0910.91; but if the additive changes the basic characteristics of the product, it may be classified under 2103.90. This must be determined based on the specific ingredients and customs ruling. What is the key point for distinguishing 0910.91 from 0910.99? 0910.99 specifically refers to "curry", while 0910.91 is other mixed seasonings. If the product is clearly curry, classify under 0910.99; otherwise classify under 0910.91. However, the definition of curry may vary by country, so it is recommended to refer to customs interpretation.