United States

Department of

Agriculture

Agricultural

Marketing

Service

Fruit and

Vegetable

Program

Specialty Crops

Inspection

Division

United States Standards 

for Grades of

Frozen Asparagus

Effective date DRAFT

DRAFT
Discussion draft for the revision of the U.S. Standards for Grades of Frozen 

Asparagus November 2012

Information about this draft may be obtained from:

Brian E. Griffin

Standardization Branch

Specialty Crops Inspection Division

STOP 0247

1400 Independence Ave. SW

Washington, DC 20250-0247

Telephone: 202 720-5021

Fax: 202 690-1527

Email: brian.griffin@ams.usda.gov

THIS DRAFT IS FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES ONLY AND HAS NOT BEEN 

APPROVED FOR USE BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

DRAFT
This is the Sixth issue, as amended, of the United States Standards for Grades of 

Frozen Asparagus published in the FEDERAL REGISTER of _____, ______

(__ FR ____) to become effective ________, ____. This issue supersedes the fifth 

issue, which has been in effect since June 30, 1974 

Voluntary U.S. grade standards are issued under the authority of the Agricultural 

Marketing Act of 1946, which provides for the development of official U.S. grades to 

designate different levels of quality. These grade standards are available for use by 

producers, suppliers, buyers, and consumers. As in the case of other standards for 

grades of processed fruits and vegetables, these standards are designed to facilitate 

orderly marketing by providing a convenient basis for buying and selling, for establishing 

quality control programs, and for determining loan values.

The standards also serve as a basis for the inspection and grading of commodities by 

the Federal inspection service, the only activity authorized to approve the designation of 

U.S. grades as referenced in the standards, as provided under the Agricultural 

Marketing Act of 1946. This service, available as on-line (in-plant) or lot inspection and 

grading of all processed fruit and vegetable products, is offered to interested parties, 

upon application, on a fee-for-service basis. The verification of some specific 

recommendations, requirements, or tolerances contained in the standards can be 

accomplished only by the use of on-line inspection procedures. In all instances, a grade 

can be assigned based on final product factors or characteristics.

In addition to the U.S. grade standards, grading manuals or instructions for inspection of 

several processed fruits and vegetables are available upon request for a nominal 

fee. These manuals or instructions contain detailed interpretations of the grade 

standards and provide step-by-step procedures for grading the product.

Grade standards are issued by the Department after careful consideration of all data 

and views submitted, and the Department welcomes suggestions which might aid in 

improving the standards in future revisions. Comments may be submitted to, and 

copies of standards and grading manuals obtained from:

Director, Specialty Crops Inspection Division

Fruit and Vegetable Program, AMS

U.S. Department of Agriculture

1400 Independence Avenue, SW, STOP 0240

DRAFT

Washington, D.C. 20250
United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Asparagus

Section Page No.

§52.381 Product description. ................................................................................. 2 

§52.382 Types....................................................................................................... 2 

§52.383 Styles....................................................................................................... 2 

§52.384 Definitions of terms. ................................................................................. 2 

§52.385 Sample unit size. ..................................................................................... 3 

§52.386 Size of frozen asparagus. ........................................................................ 4 

§52.387 Size classification and compliance. ......................................................... 4 

§52.388 Grades..................................................................................................... 7 

§52.389 Factors of quality and grade compliance. ................................................ 7 

§52.390 Sample size. ........................................................................................... 17

§52.391 Lot acceptance for size........................................................................... 17

§52.392 Lot acceptance for percent head material in the 

style of cut-spears. .................................................................................. 17

§52.393 Lot acceptance for percent loose material. ............................................. 17

§52.394 Lot acceptance for quality. ...................................................................... 17

Authority: Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, Secs. 203, 205, 60 Stat. 1087, as 

amended, 1090, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1622, 1624).

Note: Compliance with the provisions of these standards shall not excuse failure to 

comply with the provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, or with 

applicable State laws and regulations.

DRAFT
2

§52.381 Product description.

Frozen asparagus consists of sound and succulent fresh shoots of the asparagus plant 

(Asparagus officianalis). The product is prepared by sorting, trimming, washing, and 

blanching as necessary to assure a clean and wholesome product. It is then frozen and 

stored at temperatures necessary for preservation.

§52.382 Types.

(a) Green or all-green consists of units of frozen asparagus which are typical 

green, light-green, or purplish-green in color.

(b) Green-white consists of frozen asparagus spears and tips which have 

typical green, light-green, or purplish-green color to some extent but which 

are white in the lower portions of stalk. 

§52.383 Styles.

(a) Spears or stalks style consists of units composed of the head and 

adjoining portion of the shoot that are 3 inches or more in length.

(b) Tips style consists of units composed of the head and adjoining portion of 

the shoot that are less than 3 inches in length.

(c) Cut spears or cuts and tips style consists of the head and portions of the 

shoot cut transversely into units 2 inches or less but not less than one-half 

inch in length. To be considered of this style head material shall be present 

in these amounts for the respective lengths of cuts:

(1) 1-1/4 inches or less. Not less than 18 percent (average), by count, 

of all cuts are head material.

(2) Longer than 1-1/4 inches. Not less than 25 percent (average), by 

count, of all cuts are head material.

(d) Center cuts or cuts style consists of portions of shoots (with or without 

head material) that are cut transversely into units not less than one-half inch 

in length and that fail to meet the definition for cut spears or cuts and tips 

style.

DRAFT
3

§52.384 Definitions of terms.

(a) Absolute limit (AL). Limit for maximum number of defects permitted in a 

sample unit.

(b) Acceptable Quality Level (AQL): Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) is the 

maximum percent defective, or the maximum number of defects per 

hundred units, that, for purposes of sampling inspection, can be 

considered satisfactory as a process average.

(c) Defects. Any specifically defined variation from a particular 

requirement. Defects are classified as minor, major, severe, or critical.

(d) Head. In cut spears or cuts and tips style means:

(1) A tip end which is three-eighths inch or more in length; or

(2) An upper portion of a shoot which possesses a substantial amount 

of compact head material.

(e) Sample. The number of sample units to be used for inspection of the lot.

(f) Sample unit. The amount of product specified to be used for inspection. It 

may be:

(1) The entire contents of a container; or

(2) A portion of the contents of a container; or

(3) A combination of the contents of two or more containers; or

(4) A portion of unpackaged product.

(g) Unit. The term unit, unless otherwise qualified, means any individual 

portion of an asparagus shoot three-eighths inch or more in length.

(h) Loose material. Loose material means any loose or shattered asparagus 

material and cut or broken pieces that are less than three-eighths inch in 

length.

DRAFT
4

§52.385 Sample unit size.

Compliance with requirements for factors of quality is based on the following sample 

unit size for the respective style of pack:

(a) Spears; tips - 50 spears or 50 tips.

(b) Cut spears; cuts and tips; center cuts and cuts - 100 units.

§52.386 Size of frozen asparagus.

The size of frozen asparagus in spears or tips styles is determined by measuring the 

longest dimension at right angles to the longitudinal axis of the unit at the largest 

diameter of the unit. The word and number designations of the various sizes of frozen 

asparagus are shown in Table I.

Table I

Sizes of Frozen Asparagus Spears and Tips

Word designation Number designation Diameter in inches

Small................................ 1 Less than 3/8 inch.

Medium............................ 2 3/8 inch or larger but less than 5/8 inch.

Large (Jumbo).................. 3 5/8 inch or larger but less than 7/8 inch.

Extra Large (Colossal). .... 4 7/8 inch or larger.

Blend of sizes

A blend of not more than three adjacent sizes which does not 

meet the acceptance criteria for a single size but meets the 

criteria for blend of sizes (Table II and III).

Mixture of sizes ................. Fails to meet the requirements of a single size or blend of sizes.

§52.387 Size classification and compliance.

Frozen asparagus in spears and tips styles are considered as meeting the designated 

single size or blend of sizes, if they meet the criteria specified in Tables II and 

III. Defects are classified as minor, major, and severe. Each X mark in Table II 

represents one (1) defect.

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5

Table II

Classification of Size Defects

Size classification Defects

Classification

Minor Major Severe

Single sizes:

Small.................................... Medium size.................. X ............ ..............

Large size ..................... .............. X ..............

Extra-Large size............ .............. ............ X

Medium ................................ Small size ..................... .............. X ..............

Large size ..................... X ............ ..............

Extra-Large size............ .............. ............ X

Large.................................... Small size ..................... .............. ............ X

Medium size.................. .............. X ..............

Extra-Large size............ X ............ ..............

Extra-Large .......................... Small size ..................... .............. ............ X

Medium size.................. .............. X ..............

Large size ..................... X ............ ..............

Blends of sizes:

Small/Medium Blend ............ Large size ..................... X ............ ..............

Extra-Large size............ X

Medium/Large Blend............ Small size ..................... X ............ ..............

Extra-Large size............ X

Large/Extra-Large Blend...... Small size ..................... X ............ ..............

Medium size.................. X

Small/Medium/Large Blend.. Extra-Large size............ X ............ ..............

Medium/Large/Extra-Large 

Blend....................................

DRAFT

Small size ..................... X ............ ..............
6

Table III

Tolerances for Size Compliance

 Single Sizes Blends of Sizes

Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) 15.0 8.0 2.5 8.0

Absolute Limit (AL) 1/ 15 10 5 10

Number of Sample 

Units

Number of Spears or 

Tips

2/ Total Major Severe 3/ Minor or Total

- - - In the total sample - - -

1 50 12 7 3 7

2 100 21 13 5 13

3 150 30 18 7 18

4 200 39 22 9 22

5 250 47 27 10 27

6 300 55 32 12 32

7 350 63 36 14 36

8 400 72 41 15 41

9 450 80 45 17 45

 10 500 90 50 18 50

 11 550 96 54 20 54

 12 600 104 59 21 59

 13 650 112 63 23 63

 14 700 121 68 24 68

 15 750 129 72 26 72

 16 800 140 76 27 76

 17 850 145 81 29 81

 18 900 153 85 30 85

 19 950 161 90 32 90

 20 1000 169 94 33 94

 21 1050 177 98 35 98

1/ In any sample unit, when order of production is known, except the first one of 50 

spears or tips.

2/ Total equals minor, plus major, plus severe, as applicable.

3/ In Blends of Sizes, minor, and total defects are the same.

DRAFT
7

§52.388 Grades.

(a) U.S. Grade A is the quality of frozen asparagus that:

(1) is of similar varietal characteristics;

(2) has a good flavor and odor;

(3) has no grit or silt present that affects the appearance or edibility of 

the product;

(4) in which no more than 5 percent, by weight, of loose material may 

be present; and

(5) has an attractive appearance and eating quality within the limits 

specified for the various quality factors.

(b) U.S. Grade B is the quality of frozen asparagus that:

(1) is of similar varietal characteristics;

(2) has a good flavor and odor;

(3) has no more than a trace of grit or silt present that slightly affects 

the appearance or edibility of the product;

(4) in which no more than 10 percent, by weight, of loose material may 

be present; and

(5) has a reasonably attractive appearance and eating quality within 

the limits specified for the various quality factors.

(c) Substandard is the quality of frozen asparagus that fails to meet the 

requirements of U.S. Grade B.

§52.389 Factors of quality and grade compliance.

(a) The grade of a lot of frozen asparagus is based on compliance with 

requirements for the following quality factors:

(1) Color (Table IV);

(2) Uniformity of lengths (Table IV);

DRAFT
8

(3) Character (Table V);

(4) Damage (Table V); and

(5) Harmless extraneous vegetable material (Table VI).

(b) Defects are classified as minor, major, severe, or critical. Each X mark in 

Table IV, V, and VI represents one (1) defect.

DRAFT
Table IV

Classification of Defects Color - Length

Quality Factors Defects

Classification

Minor Major Severe

Color................... Green or all-green spears or tips:

White or yellowish-white color exceeding 1/4 inch up to 1/3 the 

length of the stalk..............................................................................

White or yellowish-white color over 1/3 the length of the stalk ..........

Green-white spears or tips: White or yellowish-white color 

exceeding 1/3 the length of the stalk.................................................

All types:

Cut Spears; Cuts and tips; Cuts; Center Cuts styles: 

White or yellowish-white; or partially of such color............................

...........

...........

...........

...........

X 

...........

X 

X

..............

X 

..............

..............

Uniformity of 

length..................

Spears; Tips styles: 

Any unit which varies more than 1-1/2 inches from the 

predominant length of the sample unit ..............................................

Cut spears; Cuts and Tips; Cuts; Center Cuts styles: 

Any unit of cut asparagus less than 1/2 inch in length (excluding 

head material or loose material)........................................................

Any unit of cut asparagus, more than 2 inches in length...................

X 

X 

...........

...........

...........

X

..............

..............

..............

9

DRAFT
DRAFT
Plate II 

Spears ahow bottom limit for 

reasonably well developed heads 

DRAFT
DRAFT
DRAFT
DRAFT
Table V

Classification of Defects Character - Damage

Quality factors Defects

Classification

Minor Major Severe

Character........... Spears and Tips styles:

In Grade A only - 

Reasonably well developed (worse than Plate 1 but not worse than 

Plate 2 or 3). .........................................................................................

In all grades - 

Poorly developed (worse than Plate 2 or 3):

 Seedy .................................................................................................

 Flowered.............................................................................................

Cut Spears or Cuts and Tips styles:

In all grades - 

Poorly developed (worse than Plate 2 or 3):

 Seedy .................................................................................................

 Flowered.............................................................................................

Tough fiber development:

2 inches or less................................................................................................

More than 2 inches or woody units of any length .............................................

X 

...........

...........

X 

...........

...........

...........

............

X 

............

............

X 

X 

............

...............

...............

X 

...............

...............

...............

X

Damage ............. Shattered heads - broken or shattered to the extent that it is definitely

 noticeable. ..........................................................................................................

Misshapen - badly crooked or affected in appearance by doubles or

 malformations. ....................................................................................................

Poorly cut - angle of cut less than 45 degrees - cut is ragged or partially cut........

Discoloration, mechanical injury, pathological or damaged by other means to

 the extent that the appearance and eating quality of a unit is affected:

Slightly .............................................................................................................

Materially .........................................................................................................

Seriously ..........................................................................................................

X 

X 

X 

X 

...........

...........

............

............

............

............

X 

............

...............

...............

...............

...............

...............

X

For interpretative guides, see USDA illustrations of Stages of Development in Frozen Asparagus, which are a part of 

this document.

15

DRAFT
Table VI

Classification of Defects

Extraneous material 

Quality factors Defects

Classification

Minor Major Severe Critical

Harmless extraneous 

vegetable material.

Grass, weeds, leaves, stems, and dried stalks:

1 inch or less ......................................................

More than 1 inch but not more than 2 inches .....

More than 2 inches but not more than 3 inches..

More than 3 inches.............................................

X 

.............

.............

.............

............

X 

............

............

...............

...............

X 

...............

..............

..............

..............

X 

16

DRAFT
Table VII

Grade Compliance - Spears and Tips Maximum Defects Permitted

U.S. Grade A U.S. Grade B

Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) 15.0 6.5 2.5 0 28.0 12.5 6.5 0.65

Absolute Limit (AL) 1/ 15 8 5 0 25 13 8 2 

Number of Sample 

Units

Number of 

Spears or Tips 2/ Total Major Severe Critical 2/ Total Major Severe Critical

- - In the total sample - - - - In the total sample - -

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

400

450

500

550

600

650

700

750

800

850

900

950

1000

1050

12

21

30

39

47

55

63

72

80

90

96

104

112

121

129

140

145

153

161

169

177

6 

11

15

19

23

27

30

34

38

42

45

49

53

56

60

64

67

71

74

78

81

3 

5 

7 

9 

10

12

14

15

17

18

20

21

23

24

26

27

29

30

32

33

35

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

20

37

53

68

84

99

114

130

145

159

175

190

204

219

234

249

264

278

293

308

322

10

18

25

33

40

47

54

61

68

76

81

88

95

102

108

117

122

129

136

142

149

6 

11

15

19

23

27

30

34

38

42

45

49

53

56

60

64

67

71

74

78

81

1 

2 

3 

3 

4 

4 

5 

5 

6 

6 

7 

7 

8 

8 

9 

9 

9 

10

10

11

11

17

1/ In any sample unit, when the order of production is known, except the first one of 50 spears or tips.

2/ Total equals minor plus 

DRAFT

major plus severe plus critical, as applicable.
Table VIII

Grade Compliance - Cut Spears and Cuts Maximum Defects Permitted

U.S. Grade A U.S. Grade B

Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) 15.0 6.5 2.5 0 28.0 12.5 6.5 0.65

Absolute Limit (AL) 1/ 25 14 7 0 44 22 14 3 

Number of Sample 

Units

Number of

Cuts 2/ Total Major Severe Critical 2/ Total Major Severe Critical

- - In the total sample - - - - In the total sample - -

1 

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10

11

12

13

14

15

16

17

18

19

20

21

100

200

300

400

500

600

700

800

900

1000

1100

1200

1300

1400

1500

1600

1700

1800

1900

2000

2100

21

39

55

72

90

104

121

140

153

169

185

200

216

232

248

264

279

295

311

326

342

11

19

27

34

42

49

56

64

71

78

85

92

99

106

113

120

127

134

141

148

155

5 

9 

12

15

18

21

24

27

30

33

36

39

42

45

47

50

53

56

59

62

64

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0 

0

37

68

99

130

160

190

219

249

278

308

337

366

396

425

454

483

512

541

570

599

628

18

33

47

61

76

88

102

117

129

142

156

169

182

195

209

222

235

248

261

274

287

11

19

27

34

42

49

56

64

71

78

85

92

99

106

113

120

127

134

141

148

155

2 

3 

4 

5 

6 

7 

8 

9 

10

11

12

12

13

14

15

16

17

17

18

19

20

18

1/ In any sample unit, when the order of production is known, except the first one of 100 cuts.

2/ Total equals minor plus 

DRAFT

major plus severe plus critical, as applicable.
19

§52.390 Sample size.

(a) General. The sample size to determine compliance with requirements for 

size, percent head material, and quality factors shall be the sampling plans 

specified in the Regulations Governing Inspection of Processed Fruits 

and Vegetables and Related Products (§52.1 - §52.83).

(b) Acceptance numbers. The acceptance numbers for deviants specified in 

the sampling plans cited in paragraph (a) of this section do not apply to 

these standards.

§52.391 Lot acceptance for size.

A lot of frozen asparagus is considered as meeting the requirements for a specified size 

if the defects permitted and the AL values for the applicable defect classifications, 

specified in Table III, are not exceeded.

§52.392 Lot acceptance for percent head material in the style of cut-spears.

The percent, by count, of heads is determined by averaging the percentage of heads in 

all of the sample units comprising the sample, Provided, that;

(a) When cut into units 1-1/4 inches or less in length no individual sample unit 

may contain less than 12 percent, by count, of heads; and

(b) When cut into units longer than 1-1/4 inches, no sample unit may contain 

less than 15 percent, by count, of heads.

§52.393 Lot acceptance for percent loose material.

The percent of loose material, by weight, is determined by averaging the percentages 

by weight of loose material in the total weight of all of the sample units comprising the 

sample.

§52.394 Lot acceptance for quality.

A lot of frozen asparagus is considered as meeting the quality requirements of either 

U.S. Grade A or U.S. Grade B if:

(a) The product has a good flavor and odor; and

(b) The product is free of grit or silt that affects the appearance or edibility 

within the limits specified for either U.S. Grade A or U.S. Grade B; and

(c) The product complies with the limits specified for loose material for either 

U.S. Grade A or U.S. Grade B; and

(d) The defects permitted and the AL values for the applicable defect 

classifications, specified in Table VII and VIII, are not exceeded.

DRAFT