#### § 42.112 Defects of containers: Tables IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, and X.

Table IV—Metal Containers

[Rigid and semi-rigid]

| Defects | Categories | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Critical | Major | Minor |
| Type or size of container or component parts not as specified | **None permitted** | | |
| Closure incomplete, not located correctly or not sealed, crimped, or fitted properly: | | | |
| (a) Heat processed primary container | 1 | | |
| (b) Non-heat processed primary container | | 101 | |
| (c) Other than primary container | | | 201 |
| Dirty, stained, or smeared container | | | 202 |
| Key opening metal containers (when required): | | | |
| (a) Key missing | | 102 | |
| (b) Key does not fit tab | | 103 | |
| (c) Tab of opening band insufficient to provide accessibility to key | | 104 | |
| (d) Improper scoring (band would not be removed in one continuous strip) | | 105 | |
| Metal pop-top: | | | |
| (a) Missing or broken pull tab | | 106 | |
| (b) Missing or incomplete score line (not conforming to a relevant product specification) | | 107 | |
| Flexible pop-top: | | | |
| (a) Poor seal (wrinkle, entrapped matter, etc.) | | 108 | |
| (b) Short pull tab (not conforming to a relevant product specification) | | | 203 |
| (c) Missing pull tab | | 109 | |
| (d) Torn pull tab | | | 204 |
| Open top with plastic overcap (when required): | | | |
| (a) Plastic overcap missing | | 110 | |
| (b) Plastic overcap warped (making opening or reapplication difficult) | | 111 | |
| Outside tinplate or coating (when required): | | | |
| (a) Missing or incomplete | | | 205 |
| (b) Blistered, flaked, sagged, or wrinkled | | | 206 |
| (c) Scratched or scored | | | 207 |
| (d) Fine cracks | | | 208 |
| Rust (rust stain confined to the top or bottom double seam or rust that can be removed with a soft cloth is not scored a defect): | | | |
| (a) Rust stain | | | 209 |
| (b) Pitted rust | | 112 | |
| Wet cans (excluding refrigerated containers) | | | 210 |
| Dent: | | | |
| (a) Materially affecting appearance but not usability | | | 211 |
| (b) Materially affecting usability | | 113 | |
| Buckle: | | | |
| (a) Not involving end seam | | | 212 |
| (b) Extending into the end seam | | 114 | |
| Collapsed container | | 115 | |
| Paneled side materially affecting appearance but not usability | | | 213 |
| Solder missing when required | | 116 | |
| Cable cut exposing seam | | 117 | |
| Improper side seam | | 118 | |
| Swell, springer, or flipper (not applicable to gas or pressure packed product nor frozen products) | 2 | | |
| Leaker or blown container | 3 | | |
| Frozen products only: | | | |
| (a) Bulging ends 3/16-inch to 1/4-inch beyond lip | | | 214 |
| (b) Bulging ends more than 1/4-inch beyond lip | | 119 | |
| Metal drums: leaking filling seal (bung) swell1 | 4 | 120 | |
| | | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 1 Defect classification depends on the severity of the defect. | | | |

Table V—Composite Containers

[Fiberboard body with metal lids or metal bottoms, plastic or foil top with cap]

| Defects | Categories | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Critical | Major | Minor |
| Type or size of container or component parts not as specified | **None permitted** | | |
| Closure incomplete, not located correctly or not sealed, crimped, or fitted properly | 1 | | |
| Dirty, stained, or smeared container | | | 201 |
| Easy open closure: | | | |
| (a) Pull tab: | | | |
| 1. Missing or broken pull tab | | 101 | |
| 2. Missing or incomplete score line | | 102 | |
| (b) Membrane top: | | | |
| 1. Poor seal (wrinkle, entrapped matter, etc.) | | 103 | |
| 2. Short pull tab | | 104 | |
| 3. Missing pull tab | | 105 | |
| 4. Torn pull tab | | 106 | |
| (c) Open top with plastic overcap (when required): | | | |
| 1. Plastic overcap missing | | 107 | |
| 2. Plastic overcap warped (making opening or reapplication difficult) | | 108 | |
| Outside tinplate or coating on ends (when required): | | | |
| (a) Missing or incomplete | | | 202 |
| (b) Blistered, flaked, sagged, or wrinkled | | | 203 |
| (c) Scratched or scored | | | 204 |
| (d) Fine cracks | | | 205 |
| Collapsed container | | 109 | |
| Paneled side materially affecting appearance but not usability | | | 206 |
| Leaker | 2 | | |
| Wet or damp: | | | |
| (a) Materially affecting appearance but not usability | | | 207 |
| (b) Materially affecting usability | | 110 | |
| Crushed or torn area: | | | |
| (a) Materially affecting appearance but not usability | | | 208 |
| (b) Materially affecting usability | | 111 | |

Table VI—Glass Containers

[Bottles, Jars]

| Defects | Categories | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Critical | Major | Minor |
| Type or size of container or component parts not as specified | **None permitted** | | |
| Closure not sealed, crimped, or fitted properly: | | | |
| (a) Heat processed | 1 | | |
| (b) Non-heat processed | | 101 | |
| Dirty, stained, or smeared container | | | 201 |
| Chip in glass | | | 202 |
| Stone (unmelted material) in glass | | | 203 |
| Pits in surface of glass | | | 204 |
| Sagging surface | | | 205 |
| Bead (bubble within glass): | | | |
| (a) 1/8-inch to 1/16-inch in diameter | | | 206 |
| (b) Exceeding 1/8-inch in diameter | | 102 | |
| Checked | | 103 | |
| Thin spot in glass | | 104 | |
| Blister (structural defect) | | 105 | |
| Bird swing (glass appendage inside container) | 2 | | |
| Broken or leaking container | 3 | | |
| Cap (nonheat processed): | | | |
| (a) Cross-threaded | | | 207 |
| (b) Loose but not leaking | | | 208 |
| (c) Pitted rust | | 106 | |
| Cap (heat processed): | | | |
| (a) Cross-threaded or loose | 4 | | |
| (b) Pitted rust | | 107 | |
| Sealing tape or cello band (when required): | | | |
| (a) Improperly placed | | | 209 |
| (b) Not covering juncture of cap and glass | | 108 | |
| (c) Ends overlap by less than 1/2-inch | | 109 | |
| (d) Loose or deteriorating | | 110 | |
| Missing or torn outer safety seal | | 111 | |
| Inner safety seal—missing, torn, poor seal | | 112 | |

Table VII—Plastic Containers

[Rigid and Semi-Rigid, Bottles, Jars, Tubs, Trays, Pails, etc.]

| Defects | Categories | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Critical | Major | Minor |
| Type or size of container or component parts not as specified | **None permitted** | | |
| Closure not sealed, crimped, or fitted properly: | | | |
| (a) Heat processed | 1 | | |
| (b) Non-heat processed | | 101 | |
| Dirty, stained, or smeared container | | | 201 |
| Chip in plastic | | | 202 |
| Un-melted gels in plastic | | | 203 |
| Pits in surface of plastic | | | 204 |
| Sagging surface | | | 205 |
| Air bubble within plastic: | | | |
| (a) 1/8-inch to 1/16-inch in diameter | | | 206 |
| (b) Exceeding 1/8-inch in diameter | | 102 | |
| Checked | | 103 | |
| Thin spot in plastic | | 104 | |
| Blister (structural defect) | | 105 | |
| Broken or leaking container | 2 | | |
| Cap (non-heat processed): | | | |
| (a) Cross-threaded | | | 207 |
| (b) Loose but not leaking | | | 208 |
| Cap (heat processed), cross-threaded or loose | 3 | | |
| Security seals: | | | |
| (a) Closure ring missing | | 106 | |
| (b) Missing or torn outer safety seal | | 107 | |
| (c) Inner safety seal—missing, torn, or poor seal | | 108 | |
| (d) Sealing tape or cello band (when required): | | | |
| 1. Improperly placed | | | 209 |
| 2. Not covering juncture of cap and plastic | | 109 | |
| 3. Ends overlap by less than 1/2-inch | | 110 | |
| 4. Loose or deteriorating | | 111 | |

Table VIII—Rigid and Semi-Rigid Containers—Corrugated or Solid Fiberboard, Chipboard, Wood, Paperboard Aseptic Cartons, Polymeric Trays, etc.

[Excluding metal, glass, and plastic]

| Defects | Categories | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Critical | Major | Minor |
| Type or size of container or component parts not as specified | **None permitted** | | |
| Component part missing | | 101 | |
| Closure not sealed, crimped, or fitted properly: | | | |
| (a) Primary container | 1 | | |
| (b) Other than primary container | | | 201 |
| Dirty, stained, or smeared container | | | 202 |
| Wet or damp (excluding ice packs): | | | |
| (a) Materially affecting appearance but not usability | | | 203 |
| (b) Materially affecting usability | | 102 | |
| Moldy area | 2 | | |
| Crushed or torn area: | | | |
| (a) Materially affecting appearance but not usability | | | 204 |
| (b) Materially affecting usability | | 103 | |
| Separation of lamination (corrugated fiberboard): | | | |
| (a) Materially affecting appearance but not usability | | | 205 |
| (b) Materially affecting usability | | 104 | |
| Product sifting or leaking | | 105 | |
| Nails or staples (when required): | | | |
| (a) Not as required, insufficient number or improperly positioned | | | 206 |
| (b) Nails or staples protruding | | 106 | |
| Glue or adhesive (when required); not holding properly, not covering area specified, or not covering sufficient area to hold properly: | | | |
| (a) Primary container | | 107 | |
| (b) Other than primary container | | | 207 |
| Flap: | | | |
| (a) Projects beyond edge of container more than 1/4-inch | | | 208 |
| (b) Does not meet properly, allowing space of more than 1/4-inch | | | 209 |
| Sealing tape or strapping (when required): | | | |
| (a) Missing | | 108 | |
| (b) Improperly placed or applied | | | 210 |
| Missing component (straw, etc.) | | | 211 |
| Paperboard Aseptic Cartons: | | | |
| (a) Missing re-sealable cap or tab | | 109 | |
| (b) Inner or outer safety seal—missing, torn, poor seal | 3 | | |
| Thermostabilized polymeric trays: | | | |
| Tray body: | | | |
| (a) Swollen container | 4 | | |
| (b) Tear, crack, hole, abrasion through more than one layer of multi-layer laminate for the tray | 5 | | |
| (c) Presence of delamination in multi-layered laminate | | | 212 |
| (d) Presence of any permanent deformation, such that deformed area is discolored or roughened in texture | | | 213 |
| Lid material: | | | |
| (a) Closure seal not continuous along tray flange surface | 6 | | |
| (b) Foldover wrinkle in seal area extends into the closure seal such that the closure seal is reduced to less than 1/8-inch | 7 | | |
| (c) Any impression or design on the seal surfaces which conceals or impairs visual detection of seal defects | | 110 | |
| (d) Areas of “wave-like” striations or wrinkles along the seal area that spans the entire width of seal | | | 214 |
| (e) Abrasion of lid material: | | | |
| 1. Within 1/16-inch of food product edge of seal such that barrier layer is exposed | 8 | | |
| 2. Greater than 1/16-inch from food product edge of seal that barrier layer is exposed | | | 215 |
| (f) Presence of entrapped matter within 1/16-inch of the food product edge of seal or entrapped moisture or vapor with 1/16-inch of the food product edge of seal that results in less than 1/16-inch of defect free seal width at the outside edge | 9 | | |
| (g) Presence of any seal defect or anomaly (for example, entrapped moisture, gases, etc.) within 1/16-inch of food product edge of seal | | 111 | |
| (h) Closure seal width less than 1/8-inch | | | 216 |

Table IX—Flexible Containers

[Plastic, Cellophane, Paper, Textile, Laminated Multi-Layer Pouch, Bag, etc.]

| Defects | Categories | | |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Critical | Major | Minor |
| Type or size of container or component parts not as specified | **None permitted** | | |
| Closure not sealed, crimped, stitched, or fitted properly: | | | |
| (a) Heat processed primary container | 1 | | |
| (b) Non-heat processed primary container | | 101 | |
| (c) Other than primary container | | | 201 |
| Dirty, stained, or smeared container | | | 202 |
| Unmelted gels in plastic | | | 203 |
| Torn or cut container or abrasion (non-leaker): | | | |
| (a) Materially affecting appearance but not usability | | | 204 |
| (b) Materially affecting usability | | 102 | |
| Moldy area | 2 | | |
| Individual packages sticking together or to shipping case (tear when separated) | | 103 | |
| Not fully covering product | | 104 | |
| Wet or damp (excluding ice packs): | | | |
| (a) Materially affecting appearance but not usability | | | 205 |
| (b) Materially affecting usability | | 105 | |
| Over wrap (when required): | | | |
| (a) Missing | | 106 | |
| (b) Loose, not sealed, or closed | | | 206 |
| (c) Improperly applied | | | 207 |
| Sealing tape, strapping, or adhesives (when required): | | | |
| (a) Missing | | 107 | |
| (b) Improperly placed, applied, torn, or wrinkled | | | 208 |
| Tape over bottom and top closures (when required): | | | |
| (a) Not covering stitching | | 108 | |
| (b) Torn (exposing stitching) | | 109 | |
| (c) Wrinkled (exposing stitching) | | 110 | |
| (d) Not adhering to bag: | | | |
| 1. Exposing stitching | | 111 | |
| 2. Not exposing stitching | | | 209 |
| (e) Improper placement | | | 210 |
| Product sifting or leaking: | | | |
| (a) Non-heat processed | | 112 | |
| (b) Heat processed | 3 | | |
| Flexible pop-top: | | | |
| (a) Poor seal (wrinkle, entrapped matter, etc.) reducing intact seal to less than 1/16-inch | 4 | | |
| (b) Short pull tab (materially affecting usability) | | | 212 |
| (c) Missing pull tab | | 113 | |
| (d) Torn pull tab (materially affecting usability) | | | 213 |
| Missing component (straw, etc.) | | | 214 |
| Two part container (poly lined box or bag in box): | | | |
| (a) Outer case torn | | | 215 |
| (b) Poly liner: | | | |
| 1. Missing | 5 | | |
| 2. Improper closure | | 114 | |
| Missing “zip lock” (re-sealable containers) | | | 216 |
| Loss of vacuum (in vacuum-packed) | | 115 | |
| Pre-formed containers: | | | |
| (a) Dented or crushed area | | | 217 |
| (b) Deformed container | | | 218 |
| Missing re-sealable cap | | 116 | |
| Inner or outer safety seal—missing, torn, poor seal | 6 | | |
| Air bubble in plastic | | 117 | |
| Thermostabilized products (includes but not limited to tubes, pouches, etc.): | | | |
| Foldover wrinkle in seal area (thermostabilized pouches): | | | |
| (a) Extends through all plies across seal area or reduces seal less than 1/16-inch | 7 | | |
| (b) Does not extend through all plies and effective seal is 1/16-inch or greater | | | 219 |
| Incomplete seal (thermostabilized pouches) | 8 | | |
| Non-bonding seal (thermostabilized pouches) | 9 | | |
| Laminate separation in body of pouch or in seal within 1/16-inch of food product edge: | | | |
| (a) If food contact layer is exposed | 10 | | |
| (b) If food contact surface is exposed after manipulation or laminate separation expands after manipulation | | 118 | |
| (c) If lamination separation is limited to isolated spots that do not propagate with manipulation or is outer ply separation in seal within 1/16-inch of food product edge of seal | | | 220 |
| Flex cracks (cracks in foil layer only) | | | 221 |
| Swollen container | 11 | | |
| Blister (in seal) reducing intact seal to less than 1/16-inch | 12 | | |
| Compressed seal (overheated to bubble or expose inner layer) reducing intact seal to less than 1/16-inch | 13 | | |
| Stringy seal (excessive plastic threads showing at edge of seal area) | | | 222 |
| Contaminated seal (entrapped matter) reducing intact seal to less than 1/16-inch | 14 | | |
| Seal creep (product in pouch “creeping” into seal) reducing intact seal to less than 1/16 inch | 15 | | |
| Misaligned or crooked seal reducing intact seal to less than 1/16-inch | 16 | | |
| Seal formed greater than 1-inch from edge of pouch (unclosed edge flaps) | | | 223 |
| Waffling (embossing on surface from retort racks; not scorable unless severe) | | | 224 |
| Poor or missing tear notch (when required) | | | 225 |

Table X—Unitizing

[Plastic or other type of casing/unitizing]

| Defects | Categories | |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Major | Minor |
| Not specified method | 101 | |
| Missing tray (when required) | 102 | |
| Missing shrink wrap (when required) | 103 | |
| Loose or improperly applied wrap | | 201 |
| Torn or mutilated | | 202 |
| Off-center wrap (does not overlap both ends) | | 203 |

[[78 FR 57041](https://www.federalregister.gov/citation/78-FR-57041), Sept. 17, 2013]