Prepared or Preserved Nuts, Groundnuts & Other Seeds

FDA does not mandate a specific pre-import testing protocol for all nut shipments, but it does conduct sampling at the border and can detain or refuse shipments that exceed action levels for aflatoxin contamination. Importers are strongly advised to require certificates of analysis from suppliers demonstrating aflatoxin levels below FDA action levels, and to maintain records as part of their food safety due diligence. Certain origins have historically triggered higher FDA sampling rates based on contamination history.

This heading explicitly covers preparations containing added sugar, other sweetening matter, or spirits, so honey-roasted, sugar-glazed, or liqueur-infused nuts remain within scope. However, nuts that are incorporated as a minor ingredient into a larger confectionery or snack product (e.g., chocolate-covered nuts or nut-filled candy bars) may be classified under confectionery or chocolate headings based on the essential character of the finished product. The standalone prepared nut — even with coatings or flavorings — generally stays here.