2008.97.10.20 - Prepared cereal products

This HTS subheading, 2008.97.10.20, encompasses prepared cereal products that fall within the broader category of "Fruit, nuts and other edible parts of plants, otherwise prepared or preserved." Specifically, it covers mixtures of these items that are packed in airtight containers and, crucially, do not contain apricots, citrus fruits, peaches, or pears. The "prepared cereal products" designation indicates that while cereals may be present, the dominant characteristic of the product, as per the overarching heading 2008, is the preparation or preservation of fruits, nuts, or other edible plant parts.

The primary distinction of this subheading from its sibling, 2008.97.10.40 ("Other"), lies in the explicit exclusion of certain fruits. While both subheadings deal with mixtures in airtight containers, 2008.97.10.20 is narrowly defined by what it *does not* include, differentiating it from a more general "other" category that would capture any remaining mixtures in airtight containers not specifically provided for elsewhere.

As this is a leaf node, there are no further subcategories to introduce. Therefore, the focus for classification within 2008.97.10.20 is on confirming that the product is a mixture, is presented in an airtight container, and does not contain any of the specified excluded fruits (apricots, citrus fruits, peaches, or pears). The presence of cereal components is secondary to the primary classification based on the preserved fruit, nut, or edible plant part composition.