Live Clam Meal Paste from Japan
A fresh meal in paste form derived from live clams, ground while fresh for use in sushi or seafood spreads, fit for human consumption. Falls under HTS 0309.90.40 as a live, fresh, or chilled meal of molluscs intended for direct eating. The 'live' aspect refers to the starting material before minimal processing into meal.
Duty Rate — Japan → United States
12.5%
Rate breakdown
9903.05.4912.5%Section 301 (forced labor) — Japan (col1 rate < 12.5 percent): MFN < 12.5% → total duty capped at 12.5%
Import Tips
• Maintain cold chain documentation from harvest to import to prove 'fresh/chilled' status and prevent duty disputes
• Label clearly as 'fit for human consumption' with nutritional info to comply with FDA import alerts on seafood
• Obtain shellfish harvest tags or certificates of origin to trace molluscs and meet traceability requirements