-h-
TAKING KORM COUNT
Weigh or measure out one pound from the original esmple. Put the ore

vies in the seaple container (#10 tin can) and mash then,

pound of blue’
making a thin liquid by adding fresh water. Heat the container until the
blueberries have reached a hot ‘rolling’ boil. Pour contents through sieve
into pan {2" x 3" x 12"). Before removing sieve from pan, wash skins end
pulp with fresh water, almost filling pan. Empty skins and pulp into trach
can. Tt will be necessary to let the pan stand e while as the contents at
first will be cloudy. When the contents clear, slowly pour water and gone
of the finer pulp out of the pen until there is about one-balf inch of water
left. Fapeat this by adding fresh weter and pouring off until solution in
pan in practically clear. Then the pan should be placed on & flat surface.
Stir the colution with the finger in s circular motion. If maggots or wore
are present, they will settle toward the center of the pan and will be reccily
apparent 88 emall white objects against the black surface of the pan. 71?
number of maggots found should be shown on the written report»

CONDITIONS AFFECTING QUALITY OF BLUEBERRIES

gue oulstending conclusions drayn from all the data made availeblc
indicetea that wet end immature berries lower the quality of the canncd
product.

Eerrtes which are vet from overmaturity, rough handling, or rainy
weathor, cannot be cleaned properly, since foreign meterial sticks to the
fruit. Berries held too long before processing, become wet and eticky frcs
leakis.s berries and have a dull, lusterless appearance. Such berries cre
undesirable from the standpoint of eppearance and the processing quality

is lovered since such fruit cooks up into a “mush.”


-3-

Frequently, it is impossible for ean inspector to select his own sacples.
When this cordition exietsa, it will be permissible, with the consent of uw
supervising inspector, to have some designated and properly instructed person
selcvt the semples under his direction.

However, it must be remembered that it is the responsibility of the
inspector who signs the certificate to see thet representative samples arc

sclectcd. Therefore, he must take whatever steps are necessary to insure

that his report is correct. When possitle, he should observe the sampling
process, snd if he has any reason to believe that representative samples

are not being Gre, he should notify the Supervisor vho will investiget:

and take necessary steps to insure Broper gempling.

Since flate arriving from the fields may have containers of blueverries

picked by several different growers, the sample should be taken from es =
comteirers as possible or practicable. The number of containers semplcc
yill very according to the eize of the losd.

Crre phould be taken not to mash or crush the blucberries. The &

should be gently inserted into the center of the containers, securing
of berries for the sample. When an adequate number of containers have been
gempicd, the blueberries should be mixed together by turning the contcris of

cne cen into ancther can two or three times. The Lfs-quart cup should then

ve PilicG fran cne of the sample containers. The blueberries should ¢ be

poured trom the ueesuring cup onto one of the wide flat treys and sorted To
defects. After tbe inspector hes completed the grading process, the ¢ci... te

are cus ted and recorded on the inspection certificate.

Boch gemple should be greded as soon a8 possible after it has bers



-5-

Iensture berries are likely to bang together into clusters end have
attached stems which are part of the plent. Meny clusters and stems will.
be found in the canned product when immature fruit is processed, with the
result that one eating the product has the unpleasant experience of chewing
onto woody bits.

The flavor is not good when immature berries are processed, although

the gr

berries left tend to cook up soft and take on @ blue color frou
the juice of the other berries.

Other berries, such es bunch berries, choke plums, etc. which ere
about the size of the blueberry, are difficult to remove and they impair
the quality of the finished product.

Many leaves or parts of leaves sre gathered with the blueberries in
the hesycsting operation and are objectionable in the canved product. Sinc>
the; can easily be removed from dry berries with the use of e winnowing
machine, the blueberry grade sets & limit on the nuwber of leaves permi-ted
in the vurious classificetions.

Green berries, clusters, and long stems all indicate imcaturity.
Weather conditions influence the evenness of ripening, and since the bluc-
perry fields are harvested only once, it is difficult to select the moct
opportune time for harveating in order to secure the maximum amount of

mature berries and a minimum amount of immature perries, clusters, stexc,



(yas) United States
i 2} Department of

wey Agricutture
lie Blueberries for Processing

Service

Fruit and
Vegetable
Division

Fresh Products
Branch

Washington, D.C.

July 6, 1951



Tesued July 6, 1952

Reiseued October 1956

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE
FRUIT AND VEGETABLE DIVISION |

FRESH PRODUCTS BRANCH
INSPECTION INSTRUCTIONS FOR BLUEBERRIES FOR PROCESSING

GENERAL INSTRUCTIONS
The inspector is to be guided by these instructions end by such Gcc.-
tional instructions ee may be given him either orally or in writing by hs

supervisor, When in doubt in any metter, he should consult hie superris<>

If it is necessary to take immediate ection, he must use his best ju
and advise his supervisor of the action that was taken so the corrective
steps can be taken, if the proper procedure was not followed.

Tails circular cortaine instructions regarding methods of inspectio.:
which must be learned in detail before any attempt is made to inspect
blucberries under practical operetions. The inspector met know the easrlete

deteils of the specificetions of the U. S. Standards for Blueberries

Processing.
BASIS OF PAYMENT
Buying and selling on the basis of uniform standards encourages better
production end better handling methods. The practice of psying a flay price

for oll blueberries which are accepted discriminates against the bes‘

fhe grower should be paid a suitable premium for blueberries which will rake

e high quality manufactured product. Likewise the grover should be pono
ligcd for the delivery of low quality berries.

ES should be understood gt the outset that in the application cP s.

Bin ras, the grower will Geliver to the processing plant only berries Ghew
have been run through the winnowing machine-

rocessors frequently reserve the right by their contrects to reject

all ionds of blueberries which contain over @ certain percentage of rr pots,
u Tue only change in this reissue of October 1956 is in the name of
the organisation.

Lad


-2-
f

or loads thst have more than a specified percentage of culls. it_must b

o

Eemewberes tbs

fer

Eng Ingpection Service _has_no authority to_reject Loads

that do not meet _the contract specificatione, The duty of the inspector

ig to determine the percentage of the various grades end issue a certific-te

shoving these fects. It is then optional with the canner to reject or eccept

NECESSARY EQUIPMENT
1. Standard 1/4 quart cup.

2. Wide, flat, shallow tray, approximately 1/2 to 1 inch deep.
3. Small trays or cups to hold defects (muffin pan).
4. Pair of tweegers or a huller.

« Two one quart sample containers or #10 tin cans.

5
6. Container for cooking sample -- #10 tin cans (preferably witi

Heeting epparatus for cooking sample (Stean hose or gas hot pl to}.

8. Round pan 2 to 3 inches in depth, 12 inches in diameter (botia.
painted black).

9. 1/8 to ifs inch mesh sieve, spproximately 6 inches in diameter
by 3 inches in depth.

10. Suitable grading teble to be set up where there is ade’ wate arec: and
sufficient light.

Fresh water (available at all times).

be
AD

Tragh can.
METHOD OF INSPECTION
In the inspection of blueberries, as in other commodities, the selection
of the sample is of primary importance. If the sample drawn is not repre-

ser

ive of the lot, the result cannot be accurate regardless of the ocr.

and precigion used in the actual inspection,