United States

Department of

Agriculture

Agricultural 

Marketing

Service

Fruit and

Vegetable

Division

Fresh

Products

Branch

United States Standards

for Grades of

Apricots

Effective October 28, 1994

(Reprinted - January 1997)
1

United States Standards for Grades of Apricots

Grades 

51.2925 U.S. No. 1.

51.2926 U.S. No. 2.

Marking and Packing Requirements

51.2927 Marking and packing requirements.

Tolerances

51.2928 Tolerances.

Application of Tolerances

51.2929 Application of tolerances.

Definitions

51.2930 Mature.

51.2931 Well formed.

51.2932 Damage.

51.2933 Serious damage.

51.2934 Diameter.

Grades

§51.2925 U.S. No. 1.

"U.S. No. 1" shall consist of apricots of one variety which are mature but not soft, overripe, or

shriveled and which are well formed, free from decay, cuts, skin breaks, worm holes and free from

damage caused by limbrubs, russeting, growth cracks, dirt, scab, scale, hail, bruises, disease,

insects or mechanical or other means. For tolerances see §51.2928.

§51.2926 U.S. No. 2.

"U.S. No. 2" shall consist of apricots of one variety which are mature but not soft, overripe or

shriveled and which are free from decay, cuts, skin breaks, and worm holes and from serious

damage caused by limbrubs, growth cracks, dirt, scale, hail, bruises, disease, insects or mechanical

or other means. For tolerances see §51.2928.

Marking and Packing Requirements

§51.2927 Marking and packing requirements.

The minimum size or numerical count of the apricots in any package shall be plainly labeled,

stenciled, or otherwise marked on the package.

(a) Numerical count. When the numerical count is used the fruit in any sample shall not vary

more than one-fourth inch in diameter. See §51.2928 (b) Size for tolerances.

(b) Minimum size. "Minimum size" refers to the diameter of the smallest apricot in the package.

It shall be stated in terms of whole and eighth inches, as 1-1/2 inches min., 1-5/8 inches min., etc.,

in accordance with the facts.

Tolerances

§51.2928 Tolerances.

In order to allow for variations incident to proper grading and handling the following tolerances
2

are provided as specified:

(a) Defects.

(1) U.S. No. 1 grade. Not more than 10 percent, by count, of any lot may be below the

requirements of this grade and provided that not more than 5 percent, shall be allowed for defects

causing serious damage and further provided that not more than 1 percent, shall be allowed for

decay.

(2) U.S. No. 2 grade. Not more than 10 percent, by count, of any lot may be below the

requirements of this grade, and not more than 1 percent shall be allowed for decay.

(b) Size.

(1) If packages are marked with numerical count: Not more than 10 percent of the samples in a

lot may fail the one-quarter inch variation requirement designated in §51.2927 paragraph (a).

(2) If packages are marked with minimum size: Not more than 10 percent, by count, of the

apricots in any sample may be below the minimum size specified.

Application of Tolerances

§51.2929 Application of tolerances.

Individual samples are subject to the following limitations: Provided, that the averages for the

entire lot are within the tolerances specified for the grade.

(a) For a tolerance of 10 percent or more; individual samples in any lot may contain not more

than one and one-half times the tolerance specified, except that 1 decayed or 1 seriously damaged

specimen may be permitted in any sample.

(b) For a tolerance of less than 10 percent, individual samples in any lot may contain not more

than double the tolerance specified, except that 1 decayed specimen may be permitted in any

sample.

Definitions

§51.2930 Mature.

"Mature" means having reached the stage of development which will insure a proper completion

of the ripening process.

§51.2931 Well formed.

"Well formed" means having the shape characteristic of the variety. 

§51.2932 Damage.

"Damage" means any specific defect defined in this section; or an equally objectionable variation

of any one of these defects, any other defect, or a combination of defects, which materially

detracts from the appearance, or the edible or shipping quality of the apricot. The dimensions

given for these defects are based on an apricot with a diameter 1-7/8 inches (4.8 cm). 

Correspondingly larger or smaller dimensions are allowed on larger or smaller apricots. The

following specific defects shall be considered as damage.

(a) "Growth cracks" which are unhealed or when well healed and over three-eighths of an inch

(9.5 mm) in length.

(b) "Limbrubs" which are smooth and shallow and are more than one-fourth inch (6.4 mm) in

diameter.

(c) "Russeting" which is reddish to brown in color and exceeds 10 percent of the surface or thick,

rough, and very dark and exceeds 5 percent of the surface.

(d) "Dirt" including spray residue appearing to the extent that it is readily apparent.
3

(e) "Scab" spots when cracked or aggregating more than three-eighths inch (9.5 mm) in diameter.

(f) "Scale" occurring as scale insects, scale marks, or similar marks which are heavily

concentrated or are scattered and aggregating more than one-fourth inch (6.4 mm) in diameter.

(g) "Hail" when the skin has been broken or when not shallow and superficial or more than threeeighths inch (9.5 mm) in diameter in the aggregate.

(h) "Bruises" when:

(1) The flesh is discolored deeper than one-eighth of an inch (3.1 mm); or,

(2) Any bruise causing discoloration exceeding the area of a circle three-eighths inch (9.5 mm) in

diameter; or,

(3) An aggregate of lesser bruises detracting from the appearance, edible or shipping quality of

the apricot as much as paragraph (h) (1) or (2) of this section.

§51.2933 Serious damage.

"Serious damage" means any specific defect defined in this section; or an equally objectionable

variation of any one of these defects, any other defect, or a combination of defects, which

seriously detracts from the appearance, or the edible or shipping quality of the apricot. The

dimensions given for these defects are based on an apricot with a diameter of 1-7/8 inches (4.8

cm). Correspondingly larger or smaller dimensions are allowed on larger or smaller apricots. The

following specific defects shall be considered as serious damage:

(a) "Growth cracks" which are unhealed or when well healed and over one-half inch (12.7 mm) in

length.

(b) "Limbrubs" which are smooth and shallow and are more than one-half inch (12.7 mm) in

length.

(c) "Russeting" which is reddish to brown in color and exceeds one-third of the surface or thick,

rough, and very dark and exceeds 15 percent of the surface.

(d) "Dirt" including spray residue which is readily apparent and seriously affects the appearance.

(e) "Scab" spots when cracked or when well healed and aggregating more than one inch (2.5 cm)

in diameter.

(f) "Scale" occurring as scale insects, scale marks, or similar marks aggregating more than onehalf inch (12.7 mm) in diameter.

(g) "Hail" when the skin has been broken or when more than three-sixteenths (4.8 mm) of an inch

deep or more than one-half inch (12.7 mm) in diameter in the aggregate.

(h) "Bruises" when:

(1) The flesh is discolored deeper than three-sixteenths of an inch (4.8 mm); or,

(2) Any bruise causing discoloration exceeding the area of a circle five-eighths inch (15.9 mm) in

diameter; or,

(3) An aggregate of lesser bruises detracting from the appearance, edible or shipping quality of

the apricot as much as paragraph (h) (1) or (2) of this section.

§51.2934 Diameter.

"Diameter" means the greatest diameter, measured through the center of the apricot, at right

angles to a line running from the stem to blossom end.