Certain vegetable oils and starch products originating from China have been subject to Section 301 tariffs. The specific HTS subheading and country of origin determine whether additional duties apply, and the list of covered products has been updated over time, so importers should verify current applicability with a licensed customs broker before each shipment.

Food-grade products require FDA prior notice and must meet food safety standards, while industrial-grade starches and oils used in non-food applications may be classified under different HTS subheadings and are not subject to FDA food-facility registration requirements. Misclassifying a food-grade product as industrial can result in admissibility holds at the port of entry.