United States

Department of

Agriculture

Agricultural

Marketing

Service

Fruit and

Vegetable

Division

Processed

Products

Branch

United States Standards

for Grades of

Canned Celery

Effective date February 9, 1982
This is the first issue of the United States standards for grades of Canned celery. This

issue was published in the FEDERAL REGISTER of February 9, 1982 (47 FR 5880) to

become effective February 9, 1982.

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 issues 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:

Chief, Processed Products Branch

Fruit and Vegetable Division, AMS

U.S. Department of Agriculture

P.O. Box 96456, Rm. 0709, So. Bldg.

Washington, D.C. 20090-6456
United States Standards for Grades of Canned Celery

Section Page No.

§52.6571 Product description. ........................................ 2

§52.6572 Types of pack. ............................................. 2

§52.6573 Styles. ................................................... 2

§52.6574 Definitions of terms. ........................................ 2

§52.6575 Recommended fill of container. ................................ 5

§52.6576 [Reserved] ................................................ 6

§52.6577 Recommended sample unit size. .............................. 6

§52.6578 Grades. .................................................. 6

§52.6579 Factors of quality. .......................................... 6

§52.6580 Requirements for grades. .................................... 7

§52.6581 Sample size. .............................................. 8

§52.6582 Lot quality requirements. ..................................... 8

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.
2

§52.6571 Product description.

Canned celery is the product represented as defined in the applicable Standards of

Identity for Certain Other Canned Vegetables (21 CFR 155.200) issued under the Federal

Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

§52.6572 Types of pack.

(a) Canned salad celery (acidified).

(b) Canned cooked celery.

§52.6573 Styles.

(a) Diced means canned celery consisting of stalks that have been cut into

approximately cube-shaped units.

(b) Sliced or cut means canned celery consisting of stalks that are cut

transversely into units approximately 19 mm (3/4 in) or less in length. Sliced

may be one of the following sub-styles:

(1) Straight cut means canned celery stalks that are cut at approximately

right angles to the length of the stalk.

(2) Bias cut means canned celery stalks that are cut at approximately

45E angle to the length of the stalk.

(c) Chopped means canned celery consisting of stalks that have been randomly

chopped into units of varying sizes and shapes.

§52.6574 Definitions of terms.

As used in there U.S. standards, unless otherwise required by the context, the following

terms shall be construed, respectively, to mean:

(a) Basal portion means the objectionable, fibrous material from the base of the

celery plant or roots from below the base of the celery plant which affect the

appearance or eating quality.

(b) Blemished means any unit of celery which is affected internally or externally

by discoloration, insect injury, pathological damage or any other cause to the

extent that the appearance or eating quality is affected:

(1) materially; or
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(2) seriously.

(c) Brightness means the extent that the overall appearance of the sample unit

as a mass is affected by dullness from improper processing or any other

cause.

(1) Canned celery which has a good characteristic bright appearance

typical of the type of pack may be assigned a score of 18 to 20 points.

(2) Canned celery which has a reasonably good characteristic bright

appearance typical of the type of pack may be assigned a score of 16

or 17 points and shall not be graded above U.S. Grade B, regardless

of the total score for the product.

(3) Canned celery that fails to meet the requirements for reasonably

good characteristic bright appearance may be assigned a score of 0

to 15 points and shall not be graded above Substandard, regardless

of the total score for the product. 

(d) Character refers to the uniformity of texture and freedom from coarseness,

stringiness, or toughness, with consideration given to the type of pack.

(1) Canned salad celery.

(i) Good character means celery which is uniform in texture, and

is practically free from coarse, stringy, or tough units. The

celery units are crisp and firm. Canned salad celery which has

a good character may be assigned a score of 27 to 30 points.

(ii) Reasonably good character means celery which lacks

uniformity in texture, and is reasonably free from coarse,

stringy, or tough units. The celery units lack crispness and

firmness. Canned salad celery which has a reasonably good

character may be assigned a score of 24 to 26 points and shall

not be graded above U.S. Grade B, regardless of the total

score for the product.

(iii) Canned salad celery that fails to meet the requirements for

reasonably good character may be assigned a score of 0 to 23

points and shall not be graded above Substandard, regardless

of the total score for the product.
4

(2) Canned cooked celery.

(i) Good character means celery which is uniform in texture,

practically free from coarse, stringy, or tough units, and is

pliable and tender but not soft. Canned cooked celery that has

a good character may be assigned a score of 27 to 30 points.

(ii) Reasonably good character means celery which lacks

uniformity in texture, is reasonably free from coarse, stringy, or

tough units, and is lacking pliability and tenderness, and may

by soft but not mushy. Canned cooked celery that falls into

this classification may be assigned a score of 24 to 26 points

and shall not be graded above U.S. Grade B, regardless of the

total score for the product.

(iii) Canned cooked celery that fails to meet the requirements for

reasonably good character may be assigned a score of 0 to 23

points and shall not be graded above Substandard, regardless

of the total score for the product.

(e) Chip means any unit in diced style that has a volume that is less than onehalf of a normal full size unit.

(f) Color.

(1) Good color means canned celery color which is uniform in the range

between green to white units characteristic of the type of pack.

Canned celery which has a good color may be assigned a score of 18

to 20 points.

(2) Reasonably good color means canned celery color which lacks

uniformity in the range between green to white units characteristic of

the type of pack. Canned celery which has a reasonably good color

may be assigned a score of 16 or 17 points and shall not be graded

above U.S. Grade B, regardless of the total score for the product.

(3) Canned celery that fails to meet the requirements for reasonably

good color may be assigned a score of 0 to 15 points and shall not be

graded above Substandard, regardless of the total score for the

product.

(g) Defects refer to the freedom from extraneous vegetable material, mechanical

damage, celery leaf material, blemished units, and basal portions.
5

(1) Practically free from defects means celery which conforms with the

applicable tolerances as specified in Table I. Canned celery which is

practically free from defects may be assigned a score of 27 to 30

points.

(2) Reasonably free from defects means celery which conforms with the

applicable tolerances as specified in Table I. Canned celery which is

reasonably free from defects may be assigned a score of 24 to 26

points and shall not be graded above U.S. Grade B, regardless of the

total score for the product.

(3) Canned celery that fails to meet the requirements for reasonably free

from defects may be assigned a score of 0 to 23 points and shall not

be graded above Substandard, regardless of the total score for the

product.

(h) Extraneous vegetable material (EVM) means any objectionable vegetable

material from other than the celery plant which is harmless.

(i) Flavor and odor means the freedom from objectionable flavor and odor of

any kind.

(j) Large piece means any unit in diced style that is larger than a normal full

size unit to the extent that it materially affects the appearance of the sample.

(k) Leaf means the celery leaf which is normally removed during processing and

exceeds 0.64 cm (0.25 in) in the greatest dimension.

(l) Mechanical damage means any unit of celery which is adversely affected

by harvesting or processing equipment and includes sizing imperfections.

(m) Unit means any individual slice, dice, cut, chop, heart, or piece of canned

celery.

(n) Varietal characteristics mean the appearance, stalk characteristics and any

other indicator of the variety of celery.

§52.6575 Recommended fill of container.

The recommended fill of container is not incorporated in the grades of the finished product

since fill of container, as such, is not a factor of quality for the purposes of these grades.

It is recommended that each container of canned celery be filled with celery as full as

practicable without impairment of quality and that the product and packing medium occupy

not less than 90 percent of the total capacity of the container.
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§52.6576 [Reserved]

§52.6577 Recommended sample unit size.

The requirements for all factors of quality are based on evaluation of: 900 g of drained

product or the entire drained contents of a container, whichever is lesser.

§52.6578 Grades.

(a) U.S. Grade A is the quality of canned celery that:

(1) Meets the applicable requirements of Table I; and

(2) Scores not less than 90 points.

(b) U.S. Grade B is the quality of canned celery that:

(1) Meets the applicable requirements of table I; and

(2) Scores not less than 80 points.

(c) Substandard is the quality of canned celery that fails to meet the

requirements for U.S. Grade B.

§52.6579 Factors of quality.

The grade of a lot of canned celery is based on meeting the requirements for the following

quality factors:

(a) Varietal characteristics;

(b) Flavor and odor;

(c) Brightness;

(d) Color;

(e) Character; and

(f) Defects.
7

§52.6580 Requirements for grades.

Table I - Canned Celery

Factors of Quality Grade A Grade B

Varietal characteristics ................. Similar Similar

Flavor and odor ...................... Normal Normal

Brightness .......................... Good (18 - 20 points) Reasonably good

(16 - 17 points) _1/

Color ............................... Good (18 - 20 points) Reasonably good

(16 - 17 points) _1/

Character ........................... Good (27 - 30 points) Reasonably good

(24 - 26 points) _1/

Defects: (Drained weight basis) _2/ ....... (27 - 30 points) (24 - 26 points) _1/

Tolerance Tolerance

1. Blemished

a. Materially ....................

b. Seriously ....................

5% m/m 10% m/m

2% m/m 4% m/m

2. Basal Portion

a. Fibrous material ...............

b. w/ roots attached ..............

2% m/m 4% m/m

1% m/m 2% m/m

3. EVM 1 pc/900 g (31.7 oz) 2 pcs/900 g (31.7 oz)

4. Leaf

Diced; chopped .................

Sliced .........................

20 pcs/900 g (31.7 oz) 40 pcs/900 g (31.7 oz)

10 pcs/900 g (31.7 oz) 20 pcs/900 g (31.7 oz)

5. Mechanical damage

(a) Diced

(chips plus large pieces) ....

(b) Bias or straight cut [crushed

units but not discolored plus

units less than 3 mm (1/8 in)]

40% m/m 50% m/m

10% m/m 15% m/m

6. Other defects not specifically defined slightly affect materially affect

appearance or eating appearance or eating

quality quality

_1/ Shall not be graded above U.S. Grade B.

_2/ m/m indicates percentage by weight. Example: 10 percent m/m blemished material

means 40 g in total 400 g drained celery.

Note: Chips in diced style may be separated by using the sieve method. All units that

pass through the meshes of a 5/16 in (8 mm) sieve are counted as chips. The

sieve to be used is a five-sixteenths (5/16 in) sieve as listed in Table I of Standard

Specifications for Sieve, published March 1, 1940, in L.C. 584 National Bureau

of Standards, U.S. Department of Commerce.
8

§52.6581 Sample size.

The sample size to determine the requirements of these standards shall be as specified

in the sampling plans and procedures in the Regulations Governing Inspection and

Certification of Processed Fruits and Vegetables, Processed Products Thereof, and

Certain Other Processed Food Products (7 CFR §52.1 - §52.83).

§52.6582 Lot quality requirements.

A lot of canned celery is considered as meeting the requirements for quality if:

(a) The requirements specified in §52.6580 are met; and

(b) The sampling plans and acceptance procedures in 7 CFR 52.38 are met.

Done at Washington, D.C., on: February 3, 1982

/s/

William T. Manley

Deputy Administrator

Marketing Program Operations