Cooked or Stuffed Pasta & Couscous

Stuffed pasta containing meat or poultry as the predominant ingredient falls under USDA FSIS jurisdiction and must originate from an FSIS-approved foreign establishment. Cheese-filled varieties are regulated by FDA. Importers should confirm the regulatory pathway before shipment, as FSIS-regulated products require reinspection at the port of entry and cannot be released through standard FDA channels.

Both prepared couscous and cooked or stuffed pasta fall within SITC 09891, but at the HTS level they may be assigned to different tariff lines with distinct duty rates. Importers should verify the specific 10-digit HTS classification based on the product's preparation state and ingredient composition, as 'prepared' couscous (e.g., seasoned or ready-to-eat) may be treated differently from plain couscous.