United States

Department of

Agriculture

Agricultural 

Marketing

Service

Fruit and

Vegetable

Division

Fresh

Products

Branch

United States Standards

for Grades of

Cleaned Virginia Type in the

Shell Peanuts

Effective September 18, 1948

(Reprinted - January 1997)
 Packing of the product in conformity with the requirements of these standards shall not excuse failure to comply 1

with the provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

1

United States Standards for Grades of Cleaned Virginia Type Peanuts in the

Shell1

Grades

51.1235 U.S. Jumbo Hand Picked.

51.1236 U.S. Fancy Hand Picked.

Unclassified

51.1237 Unclassified.

Definitions

51.1238 Mature.

51.1239 Pops.

51.1240 Paper ends.

51.1241 Damage.

51.1242 Count per pound.

Grades 

§51.1235 U.S. Jumbo Hand Picked. 

U.S. Jumbo Hand Picked shall consist of cleaned Virginia type peanuts in the shell which are

mature, dry, and free from loose peanut kernels, dirt or other foreign material, pops, paper ends,

and from damage caused by cracked or broken shells, discoloration or other means. The kernels

shall be free from damage from any cause. In addition, the peanuts shall not pass through a screen

having 37/64 x 3 inch perforations. Unless otherwise specified, the unshelled peanuts in any lot

shall not average more than 176 count per pound. 

(a) In order to allow for variations incident to proper grading and handling, the following

tolerances, by weight, shall be permitted: 

 (1) 10.0 percent total for pops, peanuts having paper ends or damaged shells, loose undamaged

peanut kernels, and dirt or other foreign material, but not more than one-twentieth of this amount,

or 0.5 percent, shall be allowed for dirt or other foreign material. 

 (2) 5.0 percent for peanuts which will pass through the prescribed screen, but which are free

from pops and from peanuts having paper ends or damaged shells. 

 (3) 3.5 percent for peanuts with damaged kernels, and damaged loose kernels. 

§51.1236 U.S. Fancy Hand Picked. 

U.S. Fancy Hand Picked shall consist of cleaned Virginia type peanuts in the shell which are

mature, dry, and free from loose peanut kernels, dirt or other foreign material, pops, paper ends,

and from damage caused by cracked or broken shells, discoloration or other means. The kernels

shall be free from damage from any cause. In addition, the peanuts shall not pass through a screen

having 32/64 x 3 inch perforations. Unless otherwise specified, the unshelled peanuts in any lot
2

shall not average more than 225 count per pound. 

(a) In order to allow for variations incident to proper grading and handling, the following

tolerances, by weight, shall be permitted: 

 (1) 11.0 percent total for pops, peanuts having paper ends or damaged shells, loose undamaged

peanut kernels, and dirt or other foreign material, but not more than one twenty-second of this

amount, or 0.5 percent, shall be allowed for dirt or other foreign material. 

 (2) 5.0 percent for peanuts which will pass through the prescribed screen, but which are free

from pops and from peanuts having paper ends or damaged shells. 

 (3) 4.5 percent for peanuts with damaged kernels, and damaged loose kernels. 

Unclassified 

§51.1237 Unclassified. 

Unclassified shall consist of cleaned Virginia type peanuts in the shell which fail to meet the

requirements of either of the foregoing grades. The term "unclassified" is not a grade within the

meaning of these standards but is provided as a designation to show that no definite grade has

been applied to the lot. 

Definitions 

§51.1238 Mature. 

"Mature" means that the shells are firm and well developed. 

§51.1239 Pops. 

"Pops" means fully developed shells which contain practically no kernels. 

§51.1240 Paper ends. 

"Paper ends" means peanuts which have very soft and/or very thin ends. 

§51.1241 Damage. 

"Damage" means any injury or defect which materially affects the appearance edible or shipping

quality of the individual peanut or the lot as a whole. The following shall be considered as

damage: 

(a) Cracked or broken shells which have been broken to the extent that the kernel within is plainly

visible without minute examination and with no application of pressure, or the appearance of the

individual peanut is materially affected. 

(b) Discolored shells which have dark discoloration caused by mildew, staining or other means

affecting one-half or more of the shell surface. Talc powder or other similar material which may

have been applied to the shells during the cleaning process shall not be removed to determine the

amount of discoloration beneath, but the peanut shall be judged as it appears with the talc. 

(c) Kernels which are rancid or decayed. 

(d) Moldy kernels. 

(e) Kernels showing sprouts extending more than one-eighth inch from the end of the kernel. 

(f) Distinctly dirty kernels. 

(g) Kernels which are wormy, or have worm frass adhering, or have worm cuts which are more

than superficial. 

(h) Kernels which have dark yellow color penetrating the flesh, or yellow pitting extending deep

into the kernel. 

§51.1242 Count per pound. 

"Count per pound" means the number of peanuts in a pound. When determining the count per

pound, one single kernel peanut shall be counted as one-half peanut.