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United States Standards

for Grades of Florida 

Avocados

Effective September 3, 1957

(Reprinted September 2015)
This is a reprint of the United States Standards for Grades of Florida Avocados which 

have been in effect since September 3, 1957 and were updated to modify the format.

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 fresh and processed fruits, vegetables, and specialty crops 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 U.S. grade standards and inspection instructions for all fresh and processed fruits,

vegetables, and specialty crops are available on the internet and upon request at the 

address below. These documents provide detailed interpretations of the grade standards 

and provide step-by-step procedures for grading the product.

Grade standards are issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) after careful 

consideration of all data and views submitted during rulemaking. The Department 

welcomes suggestions for improving the standards in future revisions. Comments may be 

submitted to, and copies of standards and inspection instructions obtained from:

Director, Specialty Crops Inspection Division

Fruit and Vegetable Program,

USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service

1400 Independence Avenue, SW, STOP 0240

Washington, D.C. 20250

__________________________________________________________________________

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 applicable 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 individual's income is derived 

from any public assistance program, or protected genetic 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 complaint, 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 personnel 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 Complaint 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., Washington, 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 (202) 720-2600 (voice and TDD).
United States Standards for Grades of Florida Avocados (September 3, 1957)

1

United States Standards for Grades of Florida Avocados

Section Page No.

Grades............................................................................................................................ 2

§51.3050 U.S. No. 1.................................................................................................... 2

§51.3051 U.S. Combination. ....................................................................................... 2

§51.3052 U.S. No. 2.................................................................................................... 2

§51.3053 U.S. No. 3.................................................................................................... 3

Unclassified................................................................................................................... 3

§51.3054 Unclassified. ................................................................................................ 3

Standard Pack ............................................................................................................... 3

§51.3055 Standard pack. ............................................................................................ 3

Application of Tolerances ............................................................................................ 3

§51.3056 Application of tolerances.............................................................................. 3

Definitions...................................................................................................................... 4

§51.3057 Similar varietal characteristics. .................................................................... 4

§51.3058 Mature. ........................................................................................................ 4

§51.3059 Overripe....................................................................................................... 4

§51.3060 Well formed. ................................................................................................ 4

§51.3061 Clean. .......................................................................................................... 4

§51.3062 Well colored................................................................................................. 4

§51.3063 Well trimmed................................................................................................ 5

§51.3064 Damage....................................................................................................... 5

§51.3065 Fairly well formed. ....................................................................................... 5

§51.3066 Fairly well colored........................................................................................ 6

§51.3067 Serious damage. ......................................................................................... 6

§51.3068 Badly misshapen. ........................................................................................ 7

§51.3069 Very serious damage................................................................................... 7
United States Standards for Grades of Florida Avocados (September 3, 1957)

2

Grades

§51.3050 U.S. No. 1.

“U.S. No. 1” consists of avocados of similar varietal characteristics which are mature but 

not overripe, well formed, clean, well colored, well trimmed and which are free from 

decay, anthracnose, and freezing injury and are free from damage caused by bruises, 

cuts or other skin breaks, pulled stems, russeting or similar discoloration, scars or scab, 

sunburn, sunscald or sprayburn, cercospora spot, other disease, insects, or mechanical 

or other means.

(a) Tolerances. In order to allow for variations incident to proper grading and 

handling, not more than a total of 10 percent, by count, of the avocados in any lot 

may fail to meet the requirements of this grade: Provided, That not more than 

one-half of this amount, or 5 percent, shall be allowed for avocados affected by 

decay or anthracnose, including therein not more than 1 percent for avocados 

affected by decay. (See §§51.3055 and 51.3056.)

§51.3051 U.S. Combination.

“U.S. Combination” consists of a combination of U.S. No. 1 and U.S. No. 2 avocados:

Provided, That at least 60 percent, by count, of the avocados in each container meet 

the requirements of the U.S. No. 1 grade.

(a) Tolerances. In order to allow for variations incident to proper grading and 

handling, not more than a total of 10 percent, by count, of the avocados in any lot 

may fail to meet the requirements of the U.S. No. 2 grade: Provided, That not 

more than one-half of this amount, or 5 percent, shall be allowed for avocados 

affected by decay or seriously damaged by anthracnose, including therein not 

more than 1 percent for avocados affected by decay. No part of any tolerance 

shall be allowed to reduce for the lot as a whole the percentage of U.S. No. 1 fruit

required or specified in the combination, but individual containers may have not 

more than 10 percent less than the percentage of U.S. No. 1 fruit required or 

specified. (See §§51.3055 and 51.3056.)

§51.3052 U.S. No. 2.

“U.S. No. 2” consists of avocados of similar varietal characteristics which are mature but 

not overripe, fairly well formed, clean, fairly well colored, well trimmed and which are 

free from decay and freezing injury and are free from serious damage caused by 

anthracnose, bruises, cuts or other skin breaks, pulled stems, russeting or similar 

discoloration, scars or scab, sunburn, sunscald or sprayburn, cercospora spot, other 

disease, insects, or mechanical or other means.

(a) Tolerances. In order to allow for variations incident to proper grading and 

handling, not more than a total of 10 percent, by count, of the avocados in any lot 

may fail to meet the requirements of this grade: Provided, That not more than 
United States Standards for Grades of Florida Avocados (September 3, 1957)

3

one-half of this amount, or 5 percent, shall be allowed for avocados affected by 

decay or seriously damaged by anthracnose, including therein not more than 1 

percent for avocados affected by decay. (See §§51.3055 and 51.3056.)

§51.3053 U.S. No. 3.

“U.S. No. 3” consists of avocados of similar varietal characteristics which are mature but 

not overripe, which are not badly misshapen, and which are free from decay and are 

free from serious damage caused by anthracnose and are free from very serious 

damage caused by freezing injury, bruises, cuts or other skin breaks, pulled stems, 

russeting or similar discoloration, scars or scab, sunburn, sunscald or sprayburn, 

cercospora spot, other disease, insects, dirt or mechanical or other means.

(a) Tolerances. In order to allow for variations incident to proper grading and 

handling, not more than a total of 10 percent, by count, of the avocados in any lot 

may fail to meet the requirements of this grade, including therein not more than 2 

percent for avocados affected by decay. (See §§51.3055 and 51.3056.)

Unclassified

§51.3054 Unclassified.

“Unclassified” consists of avocados which have not been classified in accordance with 

any 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 grade has been 

applied to the lot. 

Standard Pack

§51.3055 Standard pack.

(a) The avocados shall be packed in accordance with good commercial practice and 

the pack shall be at least fairly tight. The weight of the smallest fruit in any 

container shall be not less than 75 percent of the weight of the largest fruit in the 

container. Size of the avocados may be specified by count.

(b) In order to allow for variations incident to proper sizing and packing, not more 

than 5 percent, by count, of the avocados in any container may weigh less than 

75 percent of the weight of the largest fruit: Provided, That no fruit in any 

container shall weigh less than 60 percent of the weight of the largest fruit in the 

container. In addition, not more than 5 percent of the containers in any lot may 

fail to meet the requirement as to tightness of pack.

Application of Tolerances

§51.3056 Application of tolerances.

(a) The contents of individual packages in the lot, based on sample inspection, are 

subject to the following limitations: Provided, That the averages for the entire lot 
United States Standards for Grades of Florida Avocados (September 3, 1957)

4

are within the tolerances specified for the grade:

(1) For packages which contain more than 20 avocados and a tolerance of 10 

percent or more is provided, individual packages in any lot shall have not 

more than one and one-half times the tolerance specified. For packages 

which contain more than 20 avocados and a tolerance of less than 10 

percent is provided, individual packages in any lot shall have not more 

than double the tolerance specified, except that at least one defective and 

one off-size specimen may be permitted in any package; and,

(2) For packages which contain 20 avocados or less, individual packages 

shall have not more than double the tolerance specified, except that at 

least one defective and one off-size specimen may be permitted in any 

package.

Definitions

§51.3057 Similar varietal characteristics.

“Similar varietal characteristics” means that the avocados in any container are 

similar in shape, texture, and color of skin and flesh.

§51.3058 Mature.

“Mature” means that the avocado has reached a stage of growth which will insure a 

proper completion of the ripening process.

§51.3059 Overripe.

“Overripe” means that the avocado is dead ripe with flesh soft or discolored and past 

commercial use.

§51.3060 Well formed.

“Well formed” means that the avocado has the normal shape characteristic of the 

variety.

§51.3061 Clean.

“Clean” means that the avocado is practically free from dirt, staining or other foreign 

material.

§51.3062 Well colored.

“Well colored” means that the avocado has the color characteristic of the variety.
United States Standards for Grades of Florida Avocados (September 3, 1957)

5

§51.3063 Well trimmed.

“Well trimmed” means that the stem, when present, is cut off fairly smoothly at a point 

not more than one-fourth inch beyond the shoulder of the avocado.

§51.3064 Damage.

“Damage” means any defect which materially affects the appearance, or the edible or 

shipping quality of the individual fruit, or the general appearance of the avocados in the 

container. Any one of the following defects, or any combination of defects the 

seriousness of which exceeds the maximum allowed for any one defect, shall be 

considered as damage:

(a) Cuts or other skin breaks when not healed and penetrating beneath the 

epidermis or the aggregate area exceeds that of a rectangle 1 inch in length and 

one-eighth inch in width, or when healed and the appearance is materially 

affected;

(b) Pulled stems when the exposed stem cavity is excessively deep, or when skin 

surrounding the stem cavity is more than slightly torn;

(c) Russeting or similar discoloration when the appearance of the avocado is 

affected to a greater extent than that of an avocado which has light brown 

surface discoloration aggregating 10 percent of the fruit surface;

(d) Scars or scab when the appearance of the avocado is affected to a greater 

extent than that of an avocado which has light brown superficial, fairly smooth 

scars aggregating 10 percent of the fruit surface;

(e) Sunburn when the appearance of the avocado is affected to a greater extent than 

that of an avocado which has greenish-yellow colored sunburn aggregating 10 

percent of the fruit surface; and,

(f) Sunscald or sprayburn when not well healed, or when soft, or when the 

appearance of the avocado is affected to a greater extent than that of an 

avocado which has light brown, superficial scars aggregating 10 percent of the 

fruit surface.

§51.3065 Fairly well formed.

“Fairly well formed” means that the avocado may be slightly abnormal in shape but 

not to the extent that the appearance is seriously affected.
United States Standards for Grades of Florida Avocados (September 3, 1957)

6

§51.3066 Fairly well colored.

“Fairly well colored” means that the avocado shows a shade of color which is fairly

characteristic of the variety.

§51.3067 Serious damage.

“Serious damage” means any defect which seriously affects the appearance, or the 

edible or shipping quality of the individual fruit, or the general appearance of the 

avocados in the container. Any one of the following defects, or any combination of 

defects the seriousness of which exceeds the maximum allowed for any one defect, 

shall be considered as serious damage:

(a) Anthracnose when any spot exceeds the area of a circle one-fourth inch in 

diameter, or when more than 3 spots each of which exceeds the area of a circle 

three-sixteenths inch in diameter;

(b) Cuts or other skin breaks when not healed and penetrating into the flesh of the

fruit, or the aggregate area exceeds that of a rectangle 1 inch in length and onefourth inch in width, or when healed and the appearance is seriously affected;

(c) Pulled stems when the skin surrounding the exposed stem cavity is torn more 

than an aggregate area of a circle one-fourth inch in diameter, or when the flesh 

is torn;

(d) Russeting or similar discoloration when the appearance of the avocado is 

affected to a greater extent than that of an avocado which has light brown 

surface discoloration aggregating 25 percent of the fruit surface;

(e) Scars or scab when the appearance of the avocado is affected to a greater 

extent than that of an avocado which has light brown superficial fairly smooth 

scars aggregating 25 percent of the fruit surface;

(f) Sunburn when the appearance of the avocado is affected to a greater extent than 

that of an avocado which has greenish-yellow colored sunburn aggregating 25 

percent of the fruit surface;

(g) Sunscald or sprayburn when not well healed, or when soft, or when the 

appearance of the avocado is affected to a greater extent than that of an 

avocado which has light brown superficial, fairly smooth scars aggregating 25 

percent of the fruit surface; and

(h) Cercospora spot when any spot exceeds the area of a circle one-fourth inch in 

diameter, or when more than 3 spots each of which exceeds the area of a circle 

three-sixteenths inch in diameter, or when the aggregate area of all spots 

exceeds the area of a circle 1 inch in diameter.
United States Standards for Grades of Florida Avocados (September 3, 1957)

7

§51.3068 Badly misshapen.

“Badly misshapen” means that the avocado is so badly curved, constricted, pointed or 

otherwise deformed that the appearance is very seriously affected.

§51.3069 Very serious damage.

“Very serious damage” means any defect which very seriously affects the 

appearance, or the edible or shipping quality of the avocado. Any one of the following 

defects, or any combination of defects the seriousness of which exceeds the maximum 

allowed for any one defect, shall be considered as very serious damage:

(a) Cuts or other skin breaks when not healed and penetrating into the flesh of the 

fruit, or any skin break very seriously affecting the appearance or the edible or 

shipping quality;

(b) Pulled stems when the skin surrounding the exposed stem cavity is torn more 

than an aggregate area of a circle one-half inch in diameter, or when the flesh is 

torn;

(c) Russeting or similar discoloration when the appearance of the avocado is 

affected to a greater extent than that of an avocado which has light brown 

surface discoloration aggregating 50 percent of the fruit surface;

(d) Scars or scab when the appearance of the avocado is affected to a greater 

extent than that of an avocado which has light brown superficial, fairly smooth

scars aggregating 50 percent of the fruit surface;

(e) Sunburn when the appearance of the avocado is affected to a greater extent than 

that of an avocado which has greenish-yellow colored sunburn aggregating 50 

percent of the fruit surface; and,

(f) Sunscald or sprayburn when not well healed, or when the appearance of the 

avocado is affected to a greater extent than that of an avocado which has light 

brown superficial, fairly smooth scars aggregating 50 percent of the fruit surface.