Classifying edible fruit and nuts

The edible fruit and nuts are classified in the European Classification of Goods (CN) according to

• their 'genus' or plant family - for example citrus fruit such as oranges and grapefruit
• their state - they may be fresh, chilled, frozen, dried or provisionally preserved

Definitions

• genus - a group of similar plant types. The term forms the first part of the plant's Latin or botanical name
• genera - the plural of genus
• oleaginous - oil producing, for example groundnuts
• species - a subdivision of a plant family or genus. It forms the second part of the Latin or botanical name
• vaccinium - plant family of berry-bearing shrubs, including cranberries, bilberries and blueberries
• variety (var.) - this indicates a subdivision of a species

Frozen fruit and nuts

Frozen fruit and nuts are classified under heading code 0811. They can be either uncooked, or cooked by steaming or boiling in water before being frozen. They may or may not have sugar or other sweeteners added. 'Frozen' means that the product has been cooled to below its freezing point until it is frozen right the way through.

If a fruit product covered by Chapter 8 isn't frozen throughout then it can't be classified under heading code 0811. Soft frozen or partially frozen fruit must be classified as chilled.

The following types of fruit and nut are specifically listed under heading code 0811

• strawberries
• raspberries, blackberries, mulberries, loganberries, blackcurrants, white currants, redcurrants and gooseberries
• cranberries, bilberries and blueberries
• tropical fruit
• tropical nuts

Dried fruit and nuts

Chapter 8 covers a variety of dried fruit and nuts. Provided that they still keep the characteristics of dried fruit or dried nuts, these can have absorbed some fluid so that they have become partially re-hydrated. They can also have been treated for one of the following purposes

• to preserve or stabilise the product - for example by moderate heat treatment, sulphuring or adding sorbic acid or potassium sorbate
• to improve or maintain the product's appearance - for example by adding vegetable oil or small quantities of glucose syrup

Frozen tropical fruit

Frozen fruit is covered by the subheadings

• 0811 90 11
• 0811 90 31
• 0811 90 85

This includes tropical fruit, with or without added sugar or other sweeteners. For classification purposes, for all of these subheading codes 'tropical fruit' means

• carambola
• cashew apples
• guavas
• jack fruit
• lychees
• mangoes
• mangosteens
• passion fruit
• pawpaws (or papayas)
• pitahaya
• sapodilla plums
• tamarinds

Tropical nuts

Frozen nuts are covered by the subheading codes

• 0811 90 11
• 0811 90 31
• 0811 90 85

This includes tropical nuts, with or without added sugar or other sweeteners. Tropical nuts that are provisionally preserved are covered under subheading code 0812 90 70. Subheading code 0813 50 31 covers mixtures of tropical nuts. For classification purposes for all of these subheading codes, 'tropical nuts' means

• areca (or betel nut)
• brazil nuts
• cashew nuts
• coconuts
• cola nuts
• macadamia nuts

Fresh or dried tropical nuts that aren't mixed are covered under heading code 0801.

Provisionally preserved fruit and nuts

Provisionally preserved fruit and nuts are classified under heading code 0812. They must not be suitable for eating immediately. They're generally preserved in a solution like sulphur dioxide gas, brine or sulphur water just for transport and storage purposes before being used in the food industry - mainly for making jam. They must stay in that state and remain unsuitable for immediate consumption.

So fruit items that have been preserved but that can be eaten straight from the jar, like glace cherries or strawberry jam, are not provisionally preserved and are classified elsewhere. If they can be eaten with no further treatment or processing they're classified in Chapter 20.

Classification and Latin names for edible fruit and nuts