United States

Department of

Agriculture

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Marketing

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Fruit and

Vegetable

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Fresh

Products

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United States Standards

for Grades of

Pickling Cucumbers

Effective December 10, 1936

(Reprinted - January 1997)
 Compliance with the provisions of these standards shall not excuse failure to comply with the provisions of the 1

Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, or with applicable State laws and regulations.

1

United States Standards for Grades of Pickling Cucumbers 1

General

51.4170 General. 

Grades

51.4171 U.S. No. 1. 

51.4172 U.S. No. 2. 

51.4173 U.S. No. 3. 

Culls

51.4174 Culls. 

Definitions

51.4175 Characteristic color. 

51.4176 Fairly well formed. 

51.4177 Fresh. 

51.4178 Full grown. 

51.4179 Damage. 

51.4180 Diameter. 

General

§51.4170 General.

(a) These standards are intended for use as a basis for determining the quality of cucumbers for

pickling as they are delivered by the growers to a brining plant, pickling plant, or loading station. 

(b) It should be understood at the outset that in the application of these standards the only sorting

required of the grower is the removal of culls. The standards simply provide a basis for sampling

as they are delivered to the plant. 

(c) The method of applying the standards is as follows: Suppose the packer specifies in his

contracts with growers that he will pay $2.25 per 100 pounds for U.S. No. 1 cucumbers, $1 for

U.S. No. 2 cucumbers and $0.60 for U.S. No. 3 cucumbers. The inspector takes a representative

sample from a growers 1,000 pound load and separates the cucumbers into the various grades. He

finds that 45 percent, by weight, of the cucumbers grade U.S. No. 1; 20 percent, U.S. No. 2; 33

percent, U.S. No. 3; and 2 percent culls. The returns for the 1,000 pound load would be

calculated as follows:
2

U.S. No. 1's -- 45 percent of 1,000 equals 

 450 pounds at $0.0225 equals....... $10.12

U.S. No. 2's -- 20 percent of 1,000 equals

 200 pounds at $0.01 equals......... 2.00

U.S. No. 3's -- 33 percent of 1,000 equals

 330 pounds at $0.006 equals........ 1.98

Culls -- 2 percent of 1,000 equals 20

 pounds at $0.000 equals............ 0.00

Total for load...................... 14.10

The prices quoted are for illustrative purposes only. 

(d) The application of these standards requires the services of private or official inspectors to

determine and report the grade of each lot of cucumbers delivered to the plant. 

Grades

§51.4171 U.S. No. 1.

"U.S. No. 1" consists of cucumbers that show characteristic color and which are fairly well

formed, fresh and firm, but are not full grown or ripe; which are free from decay and from damage

caused by dirt, freezing, sunburn, mosaic or other disease, insects, or mechanical or other means. 

(a) Unless otherwise specified, cucumbers of this grade shall not exceed 3-1/2 inches in length of

1-1/4 inches in diameter, but the length shall be not less than 2-1/4 times the diameter. 

§51.4172 U.S. No. 2.

"U.S. No. 2" consists of cucumbers which meet the requirements of U.S. No. 1 grade except for

size. 

(a) Unless otherwise specified, cucumbers of this grade shall not exceed 5-1/2 inches in length or

1-7/8 inches in diameter, but the length shall be not less than 2-1/2 times the diameter. 

§51.4173 U.S. No. 3.

"U.S. No. 3" consists of cucumbers that show characteristic color, are not round or ball-shaped,

are fresh but not full grown or ripe, free from decay and free from damage caused by dirt,

freezing, sunburn, mosaic or other disease. Unless otherwise specified, cucumbers of this grade

shall be firm. 

(a) Unless otherwise specified, cucumbers of this grade shall not exceed 6 inches in length or 2-

1/4 inches in diameter. 

Culls

§51.4174 Culls.

"Culls" consist of cucumbers which do not meet the requirements of the foregoing grades. 

Definitions

§51.4175 Characteristic color.

"Characteristic color" means that the color is typical of cucumbers for pickling. Cucumbers that

show whitish or yellowish-green areas due to shading of the vines or other cause shall not be

considered as lacking in characteristic color, unless the appearance is seriously injured. 

§51.4176 Fairly well formed.

"Fairly well formed" means that the cucumber is not materially curved, materially tapered more
3

than normal at one or both ends, or otherwise materially misshapen for pickling purposes. 

§51.4177 Fresh.

"Fresh" means bright, not wilted or old. 

§51.4178 Full grown.

"Full grown" means that the cucumber has a dull appearance, is fairly smooth, and warts when

present, are not prominent. 

§51.4179 Damage.

"Damage" means any defect, or any combination of defects, which materially detracts from the

pickling quality of the cucumber. 

§51.4180 Diameter.

"Diameter" means the greatest dimension at right angles to the longitudinal axis exclusive of

warts.