15.03 Lard stearin, lard oil, oleostearin, oleo-oil and tallow oil, not emulsified or mixed or otherwise prepared.
This heading covers products obtained by pressing lard (i.e., lard stearin and lard oil) or by pressing tallow (i.e., oleo-oil, tallow oil and oleostearin). In these processes the lard or tallow is held in heated tanks for three to four days during which time crystals of lard stearin or oleostearin are formed. The resulting grainy mass is then pressed to separate the oils from the stearins. This pressing differs from the pressing in dry rendering which is conducted at higher temperature to remove the residual fat from the other animal materials such as protein and connective tissue, etc. The products of this heading may also be obtained by other methods of fractionation. Lard stearin is the solid white fat left after lard or other rendered pig fat has been pressed. The heading covers both the edible and inedible forms. Edible lard stearin is sometimes mixed with soft lard to give it a firmer consistency (heading 15.17). Inedible lard stearin is used as a lubricant or as a source of glycerol, olein or stearin. Lard oil is a product obtained by the cold pressing of lard or other rendered pig fat. It is a yellowish liquid with a faintly greasy odour and pleasant taste, used in certain industrial processes (wool processing, soap manufacture, etc.) or as a lubricant or sometimes for food purposes. Oleo oil (edible) is a white or yellowish solid fat of soft consistency with a faint smell of tallow and an agreeable flavour. It is crystalline but may become granular on rolling or smoothing. It is composed mainly of the glyceride of oleic acid (triolein). Oleo oil is chiefly used for the manufacture of edible products, such as margarine or imitation lard, and as a lubricant. Tallow oil (inedible oleo oil) is a yellowish liquid, smells of tallow, and turns rancid very easily when exposed to air. It is used for soap making and is mixed with mineral oils for use as a lubricant. The harder part which remains after the extraction of the oleo oil or tallow oil is a mixture consisting mainly of the glycerides of stearic and palmitic acids (tristearin and tripalmitin). Known as oleostearin or tallow stearin ("pressed tallow"), it is generally in the form of hard, brittle cakes or tablets. It is white, odourless and tasteless. The heading excludes products which have been emulsified, mixed or otherwise prepared (heading 15.16, 15.17 or 15.18).
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