United States

Department of

Agriculture

Agricultural 

Marketing

Service

Fruit and

Vegetable

Division

Fresh

Products

Branch

United States Standards

for Grades of

Beets

Effective August 1, 1955

(Reprinted - January 1997)
 Packing of the product in conformity with the requirements of these standards shall not excuse failure to comply with 1

the provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

1

United States Standards for Grades of Beets1

Styles

51.375 Bunched beets. 

51.376 Beets with short-trimmed tops. 

51.377 Topped beets. 

Grades

51.378 U.S. No. 1. 

51.379 U.S. No. 2. 

Unclassified

51.380 Unclassified. 

Tolerances

51.381 Tolerances. 

Application of Tolerances

51.382 Application of tolerances. 

Standard Bunching

51.383 Standard bunching. 

Definitions

51.384 Well trimmed. 

51.385 Firm. 

51.386 Fairly smooth. 

51.387 Fairly well shaped. 

51.388 Fairly clean. 

51.389 Damage. 

51.390 Fresh. 

51.391 Diameter. 

51.392 Excessively rough. 

51.393 Seriously misshapen. 

51.394 Serious damage.

Styles

§51.375 Bunched beets.

"Bunched beets'' means beets which are tied in bunches. The tops shall be full length or removed

to not less than 6 inches. 

§51.376 Beets with short-trimmed tops.

"Beets with short-trimmed tops'' means, unless otherwise specified, beets showing leafstems

ranging to not more than 4 inches in length. 
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§51.377 Topped beets.

"Topped beets'' means beets with tops removed to not more than one-half inch in length. 

Grades

§51.378 U.S. No. 1.

"U.S. No. 1'' consists of beets of similar varietal characteristics the roots of which are well

trimmed, firm, fairly smooth, fairly well shaped, fairly clean and free from soft rot and free from

damage caused by cuts, freezing, growth cracks, disease, rodents or insects, or mechanical or

other means. Bunched beets or beets with short-trimmed tops shall have tops which are fresh and

free from decay and free from damage caused by discoloration, freezing, disease, insects, or

mechanical or other means. 

(a) Unless otherwise specified, the diameter of each beet shall be not less than 1-1/2 inches. (See

§51.381.) 

§51.379 U.S. No. 2. 

"U.S. No. 2'' consists of beets of similar varietal characteristics the roots of which are well

trimmed, firm, not excessively rough, not seriously misshapen and which are free from soft rot

and free from serious damage caused by cuts, dirt, freezing, growth cracks, disease, rodents or

insects, or mechanical or other means. Bunched beets or beets with short-trimmed tops shall have

tops which are fresh and free from decay and free from damage caused by discoloration, freezing,

disease, insects, or mechanical or other means. 

(a) Unless otherwise specified, the diameter of each beet shall be not less than 1-1/2 inches. (See

§51.381.) 

Unclassified 

§51.380 Unclassified. 

"Unclassified'' consists of beets which have not been classified in accordance with either of the

foregoing grades. The term "unclassified'' is not a grade within the meaning of these standards, but

is provided as a designation to show that no grade has been applied to the lot. 

Tolerances 

§51.381 Tolerances. 

In order to allow for variations incident to proper grading and handling, the following tolerances

shall be permitted: 

(a) For bunched beets - (1) For defects of roots. 10 percent, by count, for roots in any lot which

fail to meet the requirements of the grade: Provided, That not more than one-half of this amount,

or 5 percent, shall be allowed for defects causing serious damage, including therein not more than

1 percent for soft rot; 

(2) For defects of tops. 10 percent, by count, for bunches with tops in any lot which fail to meet

the requirements of the grade, including therein not more than 5 percent for decay; 

(3) For off-size roots. 5 percent, by count, for roots in any lot which are smaller than the

specified minimum diameter, and 10 percent, by count, for roots which are larger than any

specified maximum diameter; and, 

(4) For off-length tops. 5 percent, by count, for bunches with tops in any lot which fail to meet

the requirements of the style. 

(b) For beets with short-trimmed tops or topped beets - (1) For defects of roots. 10 percent,

by weight, for roots in any lot which fail to meet the requirements of the grade: Provided, That
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not more than one-half of this amount, or 5 percent, shall be allowed for defects causing serious

damage, including therein not more than 1 percent for soft rot; 

(2) For defects of tops. 10 percent, by weight, for roots with tops in any lot which fail to meet

the requirements of the grade, including therein not more than 5 percent for decay; 

(3) For off-size roots. 5 percent, by weight, for roots in any lot which are smaller than the

specified minimum diameter, and 10 percent, by weight, for roots which are larger than any

specified maximum diameter; and, 

(4) For off-length tops. 10 percent, by weight, for beets with tops in any lot which fail to meet

the requirements of the style specified. 

Application of Tolerances 

§51.382 Application of tolerances. 

(a) The contents of individual packages in the lot, based on sample inspection, are subject to the

following limitations: Provided, That the averages for the entire lot are within the tolerances

specified for the grade: 

(1) For packages which contain more than 5 pounds and a tolerance of 10 percent or more is

provided, individual packages in any lot shall have not more than one and one-half times the

tolerance specified. For packages which contain more than 5 pounds and a tolerance of less than

10 percent is provided, individual packages in any lot shall have not more than double the

tolerance specified except that at least one defective and one off-size specimen shall be permitted

in any package; and, 

(2) For packages which contain 5 pounds or less, individual packages in any lot are not restricted

as to the percentage of defects and off-size: Provided, That not more than one beet which is

frozen or affected by soft rot may be permitted in any package. 

Standard Bunching 

§51.383 Standard bunching. 

(a) Standard bunches of beets shall be fairly uniform in size and each bunch of beets shall weigh

not less than 1 pound and contain at least 3 beets. 

(b) Not more than 10 percent of the bunches in any lot may fail to meet the requirements for

"Standard Bunching''. 

Definitions 

§51.384 Well trimmed. 

"Well trimmed" means that unattractive secondary rootlets have been removed and that any

objectionably long or coarse tail-like part of the root has been cut off. 

§51.385 Firm. 

"Firm" means that the beet root is not soft, flabby or shriveled. 

§51.386 Fairly smooth. 

"Fairly smooth" means that the root is not rough or ridged to the extent that the appearance is

materially affected. Very slight roughness over the crown or very slight pitting caused by the

shedding of dead leaves shall not be considered as materially affecting the appearance. 

§51.387 Fairly well shaped. 

"Fairly well shaped" means that the root is not misshapen to the extent that the appearance is

materially affected. 
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§51.388 Fairly clean. 

"Fairly clean" means that the individual root is reasonably free from dirt, stain or other foreign

matter, and that the general appearance of the roots in the container is not more than slightly

affected. 

§51.389 Damage. 

"Damage" means any defect which materially affects the appearance, or the edible or shipping

quality of the individual beet root, or the general appearance of the beet roots in the container, or

causes a loss of more than 5 percent, by weight, in the ordinary preparation for use, or which

materially affects the appearance or shipping quality of the tops. Any one of the following defects,

or any combination of defects, the seriousness of which exceeds the maximum allowed for any

one defect, shall be considered as damage: 

(a) Growth cracks when not shallow and not smooth or when the appearance is materially

affected; and, 

(b) Discoloration when yellowing or other discoloration of the tops materially affect the

appearance of the bunch. The appearance of bunches with tops having slight discoloration such as

yellowing, browning, or other abnormal color affecting a few leaves shall not be considered

materially affected. 

§51.390 Fresh. 

"Fresh" means that the tops are not badly wilted. 

§51.391 Diameter. 

"Diameter" means the greatest dimension of the root measured at right angles to a line running

from the crown to the base of the root. 

§51.392 Excessively rough. 

"Excessively rough" means that the root is rough or ridged to the extent that the appearance is

seriously affected. 

§51.393 Seriously misshapen. 

"Seriously misshapen" means that the root is misshapen to the extent that the appearance is

seriously affected. 

§51.394 Serious damage. 

"Serious damage" means any defect which seriously affects the appearance, or the edible or

shipping quality of the individual beet, or the general appearance of the beets in the container, or

causes a loss of more than 20 percent, by weight, in the ordinary preparation for use.