Heading 150210 covers tallow — the rendered fat meeting specific industry or regulatory definitions for bovine, ovine, or caprine tallow. Heading 150290 captures other fats from the same animals that do not meet the tallow definition, such as unrendered or partially processed depot fats and specialty fractions. The key classification question is whether the product meets the accepted trade definition of tallow; when in doubt, a binding ruling from CBP can provide certainty.

Raw or minimally processed animal fats can be subject to USDA APHIS biosecurity requirements related to foreign animal disease risk, particularly for unrendered material. Rendered fats that meet heat-treatment standards are generally lower risk, but importers should verify current APHIS import conditions for the specific product form and country of origin before shipment.