United States Department of Agriculture

Agricultural Marketing Service

Federal Grain Inspection Service

U.S. Standards February 1992

Distribution: FGIS, OSP, Industry Originating Office: FMD PPMAB

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Subpart C -- United States Standards for Canola

Contents

Subpart C -- United States Standards for Canola 1

Terms Defined 2

Principles Governing the Application of Standards 3

Grades and Grade Requirements 3

Special Grades and Special Grade Requirements 3

Nongrade Requirements 4
Official US Standards for Grain

Canola

February 1992

Page 2

Terms Defined

§ 810.301 Definition of canola.

Seeds of the genus Brassica from which the oil shall contain less than 2 percent erucic

acid in its fatty acid profile and the solid component shall contain less than 30.0

micromoles of any one or any mixture of 3-butenyl glucosinolate, 4-pentenyl

glucosinolate, 2-hydroxy-3-butenyl, or 2-hydroxy-4-pentenyl glucosinolate, per gram of

air-dried, oil free solid. Before the removal of dockage, the seed shall contain not more

than 10.0 percent of other grains for which standards have been established under the

United States Grain Standards Act.

§ 810.302 Definition of other terms.

(a) Conspicuous admixture. All matter other than canola including, but not limited to,

ergot, sclerotinia, and stones, which is conspicuous and readily distinguishable from

canola and which remains in the sample after the removal of machine separated 

dockage. Conspicuous admixture is added to machine separated dockage in the 

computation of total dockage.

(b) Damaged kernels. Canola and pieces of canola that are heat-damaged, 

sproutdamaged, mold-damaged, distinctly green damaged, frost damaged, rimed 

damaged, or otherwise materially damaged.

(c) Distinctly green kernels. Canola and pieces of canola which, after being crushed,

exhibit a distinctly green color.

(d) Dockage. All matter other than canola that can be removed from the original sample

by use of an approved device according to procedures prescribed in FGIS instructions.

Also, underdeveloped, shriveled, and small pieces of canola kernels that cannot be

recovered by properly rescreening or recleaning. Machine separated dockage is added 

to conspicuous admixture in the computation of total dockage.

(e) Ergot. Sclerotia (sclerotium, sing.) of the fungus, Claviceps species, which are

associated with some seeds other than canola where the fungal organism has replaced 

the seed.

(f) Heat-damaged kernels. Canola and pieces of canola which, after being crushed,

exhibit that they are discolored and damaged by heat.

(g) Inconspicuous admixture. Any seed which is difficult to distinguish from canola. This

includes, but is not limited to, common wild mustard (Brassica kaber and B. juncea),

domestic brown mustard (Brassica juncea), yellow mustard (B. hirta), and seed other

than the mustard group.

(h) Sclerotia (sclerotium, sing.). Dark colored or black resting bodies of the fungi

Sclerotinia and Claviceps.
Official US Standards for Grain

Canola

February 1992

Page 3

(i) Sclerotinia. Genus name which includes the fungus Sclerotinia sclerotiorum which

produces sclerotia. Canola is only infrequently infected, and the sclerotia, unlike 

sclerotia of ergot, are usually associated within the stem of the plants.

Principles Governing the Application of Standards

§ 810.303 Basis of determination.

Each determination of conspicuous admixture, ergot, sclerotinia, stones, damaged

kernels, heat-damaged kernels, distinctly green kernels, and inconspicuous admixture is

made on the basis of the sample when free from dockage. Other determinations not

specifically provided for under the general provisions are made on the basis of the 

sample as a whole, except the determination of odor is made on either the basis 

of the sample as a whole or the sample when free from dockage. The content of 

glucosinolates and erucic acid is determined on the basis of the sample according to 

procedures prescribed in FGIS instructions.

Grades and Grade Requirements

§ 810.304 Grades and grade requirements for canola.

Grading factors Grades, U.S. Nos.

1 2 3

Damaged kernels:

Heat damaged

Distinctly green

Total

Conspicuous admixture:

Ergot

Sclerotinia

Stones

Total

Inconspicuous admixture

0.1

2.0

3.0

0.05

0.05

0.05

1.0

5.0

0.5

6.0

10.0

0.05

0.10

0.05

1.5

5.0

2.0

20.0

20.0

0.05

0.15

0.05

2.0

5.0

Maximum count limits of:

Other material:

Animal filth

Glass

Unknown foreign substance

3

0

1

3

0

1

3

0

1

U.S. Sample grade Canola that:

(a) Does not meet the requirements for U.S. Nos. 1, 2, or 3; or

(b) Has a musty, sour, or commercially objectionable foreign odor; or

(c) Is heating or otherwise of distinctly low quality.

Special Grades and Special Grade Requirements

§ 810.305 Special grades and special grade requirements.

Garlicky canola. Canola that contains more than two green garlic bulblets or an

equivalent quantity of dry or partly dry bulblets in approximately a 500 gram portion.
Official US Standards for Grain

Canola

February 1992

Page 4

Nongrade Requirements

§ 810.306 Nongrade requirements.

Glucosinolates. Content of glucosinolates in canola is determined according to

procedures prescribed in FGIS instructions.