2916.15 - Oleic, linoleic or linolenic acids, their salts and esters:

This HTS category, 2916.15, specifically covers oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids, as well as their salts and esters. These are all unsaturated fatty acids with a monocarboxylic acid structure, characterized by the presence of one or more carbon-carbon double bonds in their acyclic hydrocarbon chains. Oleic acid contains one double bond, linoleic acid contains two, and linolenic acid contains three. Their salts are typically formed with alkali metals, and their esters are derived from esterification with various alcohols.

Distinguishing this category from its siblings is crucial. For example, while both 2916.11 and 2916.14 deal with esters, this category is focused on the specific unsaturated fatty acids (oleic, linoleic, linolenic) and their derivatives, rather than the esters of acrylic or methacrylic acid (2916.11, 2916.12, 2916.13, 2916.14) or specialized compounds like binapacryl (2916.16). The defining characteristic here is the fatty acid chain structure and the presence of unsaturation.

The subcategories within 2916.15 further refine the classification based on the form of the product. Subheading 2916.15.10.00 is reserved for the free fatty acids themselves, namely oleic, linoleic, and linolenic acids. The remaining products, encompassing their salts and esters, are classified under the broader "Other" subheading, 2916.15.51.00, requiring further examination to determine the specific nature of the salt or ester for complete classification.