Cooking & Baking Ingredients (ID: 2660)
The Cooking & Baking Ingredients category, identified by the numeric ID 2660, belongs to the Food, Beverages & Tobacco hierarchy. It is specifically designed for products used as raw components or essentials in food preparation and home baking.
This category includes dry staples, leavening agents, extracts, and sweeteners. Examples from the US market include all-purpose or nut-based flours, granulated and powdered sugars, pure vanilla extracts, baking powder, active dry yeast, cocoa powder, molasses, and specialized chocolate callets for melting. These items function as foundational ingredients that require further processing to create a final consumable dish or baked good.
Items that do not belong here should be routed to their respective neighboring categories. For instance, ready-to-eat snack foods, prepared meal kits, or soups and broths belong in their own distinct paths. Similarly, finished dairy products like milk or butter are distinct from dry milk powders, and fresh fruits or nuts should be placed in their relevant categories rather than here. Avoid placing condiments like hot sauce or salad dressings in this category; these belong under Condiments & Sauces.
You should always choose a more granular subcategory when available, such as Flour, Baking Mixes, or Sugar & Sweeteners, rather than the parent category 2660. This improves relevance and ensures your product reaches the correct audience segment effectively.
To classify your items, use either 2660 or the full path: Food, Beverages & Tobacco > Food Items > Cooking & Baking Ingredients. While optional, providing this is recommended over relying on automated categorization, which may be inaccurate. Remember that product_type is for your internal classification and does not replace the mandatory google_product_category field.