# U Marketing and Regulatory Programs

Agricultural Marketing

Service

Fruit and Vegetable Program

Specialty Crops Inspection

Division 

# U nited States Standards

for Grades of Frozen Cooked Squash

Effective August 29 , 2013This is the second issue, as amended, of the United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Cooked Squash published in the FEDERAL REGISTER of July 30 , 2013 ( 78 FR 45907 ) to become effective August 29 , 2013

. This issue supersedes the first

is sue, which has been in effect since October 5 , 19 53

.

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 qual ity. These grade standards are available for use by producers, suppliers, buyers, and consumers. As in the case of other standards for grades of fresh and processed fruits and vegetables, these standards are designed to facilitate orderly marketing by pr oviding a convenient basis for buying and selling, for establishing quality control programs, and for determining loan values.

T he U.S. grade standards, grading manuals , handbooks or instructions for inspection of

several fresh and processed fruits and v egetables are available on the i nternet and
upon request at the address below

. 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 manual s obtained from:

Director

, Specialty Crops Inspection Division Fruit and Vegetable Program, AMS

, U.S. Department of Agriculture 1400 Independence Avenue, SW, STOP 024 0 Washington, D.C. 20250 Phone: (202) 720

- 5870 Fax: (202) 720

- 0393

_________________ ______________________________________________________ Authority : 7 U.S.C. 1621

- 1627

.

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 ap plicable State laws and regulations.

Non

- Discrimination Policy: The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) prohibits discrimination against its customers, employees, and applicants for employment on the bases of race, color, national origin, age, disability , sex, gender identity, religion, reprisal, and where applicable, political beliefs, marital status, familial or parental status, sexual orientation, or all or part of an in dividual's income is derived from any public assistance program, or protected genet ic information in employment or in any program or activity conducted or funded by the Department. (Not all prohibited bases will apply to all programs and/or employment activities.) To File an Employment Complaint: If you wish to file an employment compla int, you must contact your agency's EEO Counselor (PDF) within 45 days of the date of the alleged discriminatory act, event, or in the case of a pe rsonnel action. Additional information can be

found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_file.html

. To File a Program Complaint: If you wish to file a Civil Rights program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Compl aint Form (PDF), found online at http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html , or at any USDA office, or call (866) 632

- 9992 to request the form. You may also write a letter containing all of the information requested in the form. Send your completed complaint form or letter to us by mail at U.S. Department of Agriculture, Director, Office of Adjudication, 1400 Independence Avenue, S.W., Wash ington, D.C. 20250

- 9410, by fax (202) 690

- 7442 or email at program.intake@usda.gov

. Persons with Disabilities: Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities and you wish to file either an EEO or program complaint please contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877

- 8339 or (800) 845

- 6136 (in Spanish). Persons with disabilities who wish to file a program complaint, please see information above on how to contact us by mail directly or by email. If you require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, etc.) please contact USDA's TARGET Center at (2 02)

720

- 2600 (voice and TDD).United State s Standards for Grades of Frozen Cooked Squash ( August 29

, 2013 )

1 United States Standards for Grades of Froz en Cooked Squash

Section Page No.

§52.1941 P roduct D escription. 2

§52.1942 G rades of F rozen C ooked S quash

. 2

§52.1943 A scertaining the G rade

. 2

§52.1944 A scertaining the r atings for the f actors which are s cored

. 3

§52.1945 C onsistency

. 3

§52.1946 C olor

. 4

§52.1947 F inish

. 4

§52.1948 A bsence of D efects. 5

§52.1949 A scertaining the G rade of L ot

. 5United State s Standards for Grades of Frozen Cooked Squash ( August 29

, 2013 )

2 §52.1941 Product description.

Frozen cooked squa sh is the clean, sound, properly matured product made from varieties of fall or late type squash which have been properly prepared by washing, cutting, cleaning, steaming, reducing to a pulp and removing seed, and fiber. The product is then frozen in acco rdance with good commercial practice and maintained at temperatures necessary for the preservation of the product.

§52.1942 Grades of frozen cooked squash.

(a) U.S. Grade A is the quality of frozen cooked squash that possesses a good consistency; that po ssesses a good color; that possesses a good finish; that is practically free from defects; that possesses a good flavor and odor; and scores not less than 85 points when scored in accordance with the scoring system

outlined in this section.

(b) U.S. Grade B is the quality of frozen cooked squash that possesses a reasonably good consistency; that possesses a reasonably good color; that possesses a reasonably good finish; that is reasonably free from defects; that possesses a reasonably good flavor and odor; and scores not less than 70 points when scored in accordance with the scoring system outlined in this section.

(c) Substandard is the quality of frozen cooked squash that fails to meet the requirements of U.S. Grade B.

§52.1943 Ascertaining the grade.

(a) The grade of frozen cooked squash may be ascertained by considering, in conjunction with the requirements of the respective grade, the respective ratings for the factors of consistency, color, finish, and absence of defects.

(b) The relative importanc e of each scoring factor is expressed numerically on the scale of 100. The maximum number of points that may be given each factor is:

Factors Points

Consistency 30

Color 20

Finish 20

Absence of defects 30

_ Total Score 100United State s Standards for Grades of Frozen Cooked Squash ( August 29

, 2013 )

3 (c) The score for the factors of consistency, color, finish, and absence of defects are determined after the frozen cooked squash is heated in a double boiler, or in a covered pan until thoroughly warmed and completely free from ice crystals . The warmed product is then stirred to blend all separated liquid into a uniform mixture. The requirements for flavor and odor are also ascertained on the warmed product.

(d) Good flavor and odor means that the product after heating, has a good,

charac teristic normal flavor and odor and is free from objectionable flavors and objectionable odors of any kind.

(e) Reasonably good flavor and odor means that the product, after heating may be lacking in good flavor and odor but is free from objectionable fla vors and objectionable odors of any kind.

§52.1944 Ascertaining the ratings for the factors which are scored.

The essential variations within each factor which is scored are so described that the value may be ascertained for each factor and expressed num erically. The numerical range within each factor which is scored is inclusive (for example, 17 to 20 points means 17, 18, 19, or 20 points).

§52.1945 Consistency.

(a) "A" classification . Frozen cooked squash that possesses a good consistency may be giv en a score of 26 to 30 points. Good consistency means that the warmed mixed squash, after emptying from a container to a dry flat surface,

forms a well

- mounded mass, and that at the end of two minutes after emptying

on such surface there is not more than a slight separation of free liquor.

(b) "B" classification . If the frozen cooked squash possesses a reasonably good consistency, a score of 21 to 25 points may be given. Frozen squash that falls into this classification shall not be graded above U.S. Gr ade B regardless of the total score for the product (this is a limiting rule) . Reasonably good consistency means that the warmed mixed squash after emptying from the container to a dry flat surface, may be reasonably stiff, but not excessively still;

form s a moderately mounded mass, and that at the end of two minutes, after emptying on such surface there may be a moderate, but not excessive separation of free liquor.

(c) "SStd" classification . Frozen cooked squash that fails to meet the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section may be given a score of 0 to 20 points and shall not be graded above Substandard, regardless of the total score for the product (this is a limiting rule)

.United State s Standards for Grades of Frozen Cooked Squash ( August 29

, 2013 )

4 §52.1946 Color.

(a) "A" classification . Frozen cooked squash that p ossesses a good color may be given a score of 17 to 20 points. Good color means that the color of the warmed mixed squash possesses a practically uniform, bright, typical color; and is free from discoloration due to oxidation, or other causes.

(b) "B" cl assification . If the frozen cooked squash possesses a reasonably good color, a score of 14 to 16 points may be given. Frozen squash that falls into this classification shall not be graded above U.S. Grade B regardless of the total score for the product ( this is a limiting rule) . Reasonably good color means that the color of the warmed cooked squash possesses a reasonably uniform, reasonably bright, typical color, and the color may be variable or slightly dull but

is not off

- color.

(c) "SStd" classificat ion . Frozen cooked squash that is off

- color for any reason or fails to meet the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section may be given a score of 0 to 13 points and shall not be graded above substandard, regardless of the total score for the product ( this is a limiting rule)

.

§52.1947 Finish.

(a) General . The factor of finish refers to the texture of the product and from freedom from hardness of the squash particles.

(b) "A" classification . Frozen cooked squash that possesses a good finish may be given a score of 17 to 20 points. Good finish means that the warmed mixed squash has an even texture, is granular but not lumpy, pasty or salvy, and the squash particles are not hard.

(c) "B" classification . If the frozen cooked squash that possesses a reasonably good finish a score of 14 to 16 points may be given. Frozen squash that falls into this classification shall not be graded above U.S. Grade B regardless of the total score for the product (this is a limiting rule) . Reasonably good finish means that the warmed mixed squash has an even texture, may lack granular characteristics, may be slightly pasty or slightly salvy, but not decidedly pasty or decidedly salvy and the squash particles are not hard.

(d) "SStd" classification . Frozen cooked squ ash that fails to meet the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section may be given a score of 0 to 13 points and shall not be graded above substandard, regardless of the total score for the product (this is a limiting rule)

.United State s Standards for Grades of Frozen Cooked Squash ( August 29

, 2013 )

5 §52.1948 Absence of defect s.

(a) General. The factor of absence of defects refers to the degree of freedom from sand, grit, or silt, pieces of seed, fiber, and from dark or off

- colored particles.

(1) Grit, sand, silt, means any particle of earthy material.

(b) "A" classificatio n. Frozen cooked squash that is practically free from defects may be given a score of 25 to 30 points. Practically free from defects means that no grit, sand, or silt may be present that affects the appearance or eating quality of the frozen cooked squas h, and that the number, size and color of the other aforesaid defects present individually or collectively do not more than slightly affect the appearance or eating quality of the product.

(c) "B" classification . Frozen cooked squash that is reasonably f ree from defects may be given a score of 21 to 24 points. Frozen squash that falls into this classification shall not be graded above U.S. Grade B regardless of the total score for the product (this is a limiting rule) . Reasonably free from defects

means a trace of grit, sand, silt may be present that does not materially affect the appearance or eating quality of the frozen cooked squash, and that any of the other aforesaid defects present individually or collectively may be noticeable but are not so larg e, so numerous, or of such contrasting color as to seriously affect the appearance or eating quality of the product.

(d) "SStd" classification . Frozen cooked squash which fails to meet the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section may be given a scor e of 0 to 20 points and shall not be graded above substandard, regardless of the total score for the product (this is a limiting rule)

.

§52.1949 Ascertaining the grade of lot.

The grade of a lot of the processed product covered by these standards is dete rmined by the procedures set forth in the Regulations Governing Inspection and Certification of Processed Fruits and Vegetables, Processed Products Thereof,

and Certain Other Processed Food Products (§52.21 to §52.83).