2918.16.50.10 - Sodium gluconate

This classification, specifically HTS Code 2918.16.50.10, pertains to Sodium gluconate. Sodium gluconate is the sodium salt of gluconic acid, a carboxylic acid containing a hydroxyl group. It is widely used in various industrial applications due to its excellent chelating, dispersing, and sequestering properties, finding use in concrete admixtures, industrial cleaning, textile dyeing, and as a food additive for its mineralizing and stabilizing effects.

Within the broader category of "Gluconic acid, its salts and esters," this specific subheading is distinguished by the enumeration of Sodium gluconate. While the sibling category 2918.16.50.50 covers "Other" salts and esters of gluconic acid, this node precisely identifies the sodium salt. Therefore, classification here is contingent on the material being chemically identified as sodium gluconate.

As this is a leaf node, there are no further subcategories. The classification of sodium gluconate is considered definitive at this level, with no further breakdown based on purity, grade, or specific application. Importers and exporters should ensure that their product is indeed sodium gluconate to correctly assign this HTS code.