Candy|HTS Code

Candy harmonized system code

Product Overview Candy classified under HTS 1704.90 is defined as sugar confectionery not containing cocoa and explicitly excluding chewing gum; typical examples include hard candies, pastilles, lozenges, mints, caramels and other confections not elsewhere specified. Key characteristics comprise physical specifications (unit weights commonly 0.5–50 g; bulk pack sizes 5–25 kg), processing-level descriptors (boiling, panning, molding, extrusion, aeration, caramelization) and measurable quality attributes such as sugar solids typically 80–95% w/w, moisture content generally 0.5–12% w/w depending on type, and target water activity (aw) often <0.60 for shelf-stable formats. Product classifications under 1704.90 cover subcategories by texture and form—hard boiled sweets, pressed pastilles and lozenges, fondants and marshmallows, non-cocoa caramels and toffees, and flavored breath mints—used across commercial applications including retail single-serve and multipack sales, bulk foodservice supply, ingredient use in manufacturing, promotional packaging, vending channels and seasonal assortments. Typical shelf life ranges from 6 to 24 months; common buyer-specified tests include moisture, Brix, particle size, texture profile analysis and foreign‑matter inspection with allergen declarations where applicable. HTS Code Classification & Trade Specifications Complete HTS Code Structure: Chapter 17 — Sugars and sugar confectionery; Heading 1704 — Sugar confectionery (including white chocolate), not containing cocoa; Subheading 1704.90 — Other sugar confectionery not containing cocoa (6-digit code: 1704.90). Classification rationale: products are placed here when formulations are predominantly saccharide-based without cocoa solids and when they do not meet definitions for chewing gum (1704.10) or chocolate; formulation, declared ingredients and finished-product composition substantiate the specific 1704.90 placement. Trade considerations cover common commercial packaging formats (flow‑wrapped singles, wrapped sticks, boxed multipacks, MAP cartons, bulk poly sacks 5–25 kg) and preservation measures (ambient transport with desiccants for hygroscopic types). Shipping requirements: palletized cartons, laminated inner liners, and temperature/humidity control to avoid softening, crystallization or bloom (recommended maintain <25–30°C, RH <65%). Quality standards and documentation: specify moisture, Brix, aw, microbiological limits, allergen statements, lot coding and certificate of analysis; include commercial invoice with 6‑digit HTS 1704.90, packing list and country of origin for U.S. customs clearance.

Candy Chapter Note

1.- This Chapter does not cover : (a) Sugar confectionery containing cocoa (heading 18.06); (b) Chemically pure sugars (other than sucrose, lactose, maltose, glucose and fructose) or other products of heading 29.40; or (c) Medicaments or other products of Chapter 30. Subheading Notes. 1.- For the purposes of subheadings 1701.12, 1701.13 and 1701.14, “raw sugar” means sugar whose content of sucrose by weight, in the dry state, corresponds to a polarimeter reading of less than 99.5. 2.- Subheading 1701.13 covers only cane sugar obtained without centrifugation, whose content of sucrose by weight, in the dry state, corresponds to a polarimeter reading of 69° or more but less than 93°. The product contains only natural anhedral microcrystals, of irregular shape, not visible to the naked eye, which are surrounded by residues of molasses and other constituents of sugar cane.