3201.90.10.00 - Tannic acid, containing by weight 50 percent or more of tannic acid

This HTS category, 3201.90.10.00, specifically covers tannic acid when it contains 50 percent or more of tannic acid by weight. Tannic acid, a type of naturally occurring polyphenol found in plants like oak bark and gallnuts, is primarily used in the tanning of leather due to its astringent properties. It can also be employed in the production of inks, as a mordant in dyeing, and in certain pharmaceutical or food applications. The defining characteristic for classification under this code is the significant concentration of tannic acid itself, differentiating it from more generalized or mixed vegetable tannin extracts.

This classification distinguishes itself from its sibling categories by its specific focus on purified or highly concentrated tannic acid. Category 3201.90.25.00 enumerates various other specific vegetable extracts like canaigre, chestnut, and oak, which, while they may contain tannins, are not solely or primarily tannic acid. Category 3201.90.50.00 serves as a residual category for other, unlisted "other" vegetable tannin extracts that do not fit into the more specific enumerations. Therefore, 3201.90.10.00 applies to the pure substance, not a blend or a specific plant source extract unless that extract predominantly consists of tannic acid.

As this is a leaf node within the HTS, there are no further subcategories to introduce. Classification under 3201.90.10.00 is definitive once the material is identified as tannic acid meeting the specified concentration threshold and it is not a specifically enumerated other vegetable extract. Importers should be prepared to provide documentation or analysis confirming the purity and composition of the imported substance.