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United States Standards

for Grades of Eggplant

Effective February 4, 2013

(Corrected December 6, 2013)
This is the fourth issue, as amended, of the United States Standards for Grades of 

Eggplant published in the FEDERAL REGISTER on January 3, 2013 (78 FR 283) to 

become effective February 4, 2013. This issue supersedes the third issue, which has 

been in effect since October 29, 1953.

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 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 U.S. grade standards, grading manuals, handbooks or instructions for inspection of 

several fresh and processed fruits and vegetables are available on the internet and 

upon request at the address below. These manuals or instructions contain detailed 

interpretations of the grade standards and provide step-by-step procedures for grading 

the product. 

Grade standards are issued 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: 

Director, Specialty Crops Inspection Division

Fruit and Vegetable Program, AMS, U.S. Department of Agriculture

1400 Independence Avenue, SW, STOP 0240

Washington, D.C. 20250

Phone: (202) 720-5870 Fax: (202) 720-0393

_______________________________________________________________________

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 Eggplant (February 4, 2013)

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United States Standards for Grades of Eggplant

Section Page No. 

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

§51.2190 U.S. Fancy...................................................................................... 2

§51.2191 U.S. No. 1.......................................................................................2

§51.2192 U.S. No. 2.......................................................................................2

Reserved......................................................................................................2

§51.2193 [Reserved].......................................................................................2

Tolerances...................................................................................................2

§51.2194 Tolerances......................................................................................2

Application of Tolerances..............................................................................2

§51.2195 Application of tolerances to individual packages...................................... 2

Size Requirements........................................................................................ 3

§51.2196 Size requirements..............................................................................3

Definitions....................................................................................................3

§51.2197 Similar varietal characteristics............................................................. 3

§51.2198 Well colored.................................................................................... 3

§51.2199 Firm...............................................................................................3

§51.2200 Clean.............................................................................................3

§51.2201 Well shaped.................................................................................... 3

§51.2202 Injury..............................................................................................4

§51.2203 Fairly well colored.............................................................................4

§51.2204 Fairly well shaped.............................................................................4

§51.2205 Damage..........................................................................................4

§51.2206 Serious damage...............................................................................4

§51.2207 Diameter.........................................................................................4
United States Standards for Grades of Eggplant (February 4, 2013)

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Grades

§51.2190 U.S. Fancy.

U.S. Fancy consists of eggplants of similar varietal characteristics, except when specified 

as a mixed or specialty pack, which are well colored, firm, clean, well shaped, and which 

are free from decay and worm holes and free from injury caused by scars, freezing, 

disease, insects, or mechanical or other means.

§51.2191 U.S. No. 1.

U.S. No. 1 consists of eggplants of similar varietal characteristics, except when specified 

as a mixed or specialty pack, which are fairly well colored, firm, clean, fairly well shaped, 

and which are free from decay and worm holes and free from damage caused by scars, 

freezing, disease, insects, or mechanical or other means.

§51.2192 U.S. No. 2.

U.S. No. 2 consists of eggplants which are firm and which are free from decay and free 

from serious damage caused by freezing, disease, insects, or mechanical or other 

means.

Reserved

§51.2193 [Reserved].

Tolerances

§51.2194 Tolerances.

In order to allow for variations incident to proper grading and handling, other than for 

size, not more than 10 percent, by count, in any lot shall be permitted for eggplants 

which fail to meet the requirements of the grade, including therein not more than 1

percent for decay.

Application of Tolerances

§51.2195 Application of tolerances to individual packages.

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

subject to the following limitations, provided the averages for the entire lot are 

within the tolerances specified for the grade:

(1) For a tolerance of 10 percent or more, individual packages in any lot may contain 

not more than one and one-half times the tolerance specified, except that when 

the package contains 15 specimens or less, individual packages may contain not 

more than double the tolerance specified; and,
United States Standards for Grades of Eggplant (February 4, 2013)

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(2) For a tolerance of less than 10 percent, individual packages in any lot may contain 

not more than double the tolerance specified: Provided, That at least one 

specimen which does not meet the requirements shall be allowed in any one 

package.

Size Requirements

§51.2196 Size requirements.

(a) The size of eggplants may be specified in terms of count, minimum diameter, or a 

range in diameter in the container. Eggplants packed as U.S. Fancy or U.S. No. 1 

grade shall be reasonably uniform in size, except when a range in diameter is 

specified.

(1) In order to allow for variations incident to proper sizing, not more than 5 percent, 

by count, of the eggplants in any lot may be below any specified minimum 

diameter and not more than 5 percent may be above any specified maximum 

diameter.

Definitions

§51.2197 Similar varietal characteristics.

"Similar varietal characteristics" means that the eggplants in any lot are similar in type, 

color, and character of growth.

§51.2198 Well colored.

"Well colored" means that the eggplant has a uniform good color characteristic for the 

variety over practically the entire surface.

§51.2199 Firm.

“Firm" means that the eggplant is not soft, flabby or shriveled.

§51.2200 Clean.

"Clean" means that the eggplant is practically free from dirt or other foreign matter.

§51.2201 Well shaped.

"Well shaped" means that the eggplant has the normal shape characteristic of the 

variety, except that the shape may be slightly irregular, provided the appearance of the 

eggplant is not more than slightly affected. 
United States Standards for Grades of Eggplant (February 4, 2013)

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§51.2202 Injury.

"Injury" means any defect which more than slightly affects the appearance, or the edible 

or shipping quality of the eggplant. The following defect, or any combination of defects, 

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

considered as injury:

(a) Scars when they are slightly rough or when they are fairly smooth and more than 

slightly affect the appearance, shape or color of the eggplant. 

§51.2203 Fairly well colored.

"Fairly well colored" means that the eggplant has a fairly good color characteristic for the 

variety, except that streaks of green color which do not materially affect the appearance 

shall be permitted.

§51.2204 Fairly well shaped.

"Fairly well shaped" means that the eggplant may be slightly abnormal in shape but not 

to an extent that the appearance is materially affected. 

§51.2205 Damage.

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

shipping quality of the eggplant. The following defect, or any combination of defects, the 

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

considered as damage:

(a) Scars when they are rough or materially cracked, or when they materially affect 

the appearance, shape or color of the eggplant.

§51.2206 Serious damage.

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

edible or shipping quality of the eggplant.

§51.2207 Diameter.

"Diameter" means the greatest dimension of the eggplant measured at right angles to the 

longitudinal axis.