United States

Department of

Agriculture

Agricultural

Marketing

Service

Fruit and

Vegetable

Division

Processed

Products

Branch

United States Standards

for Grades of

Dried Peaches

Effective date May 24, 1967
This is the second issue, as amended, of the United States Standards for Grades of Dried

Peaches.

Previous issues of these standards were:

Tentative (First Issue) Standards: Effective June 1, 1942

Amended: Effective August 1, 1945

Second Issue: Effective June 30, 1945

Amended: Effective May 24, 1967

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 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:

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 Dried Peaches

Section Page No.

§52.5801 Product description. ........................................ 2

§52.5802 Moisture. ................................................. 2

§52.5803 Types and varieties of dried peaches. .......................... 2

§52.5804 Size of dried peaches. ...................................... 2

§52.5805 U.S. Grade A or U.S. Fancy. .................................. 3

§52.5806 U.S. Grade B or U.S. Choice. ................................. 3

§52.5807 U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard. ............................... 4

§52.5808 U.S. Grade D or Substandard. ................................ 4

§52.5809 Explanation of terms. ....................................... 4

§52.5810 Work sheet and summary of requirements for dried peaches. ........ 6

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

§52.5801 Product description.

Dried peaches are the halved and pitted fruit of the peach tree (Prunus persica) from which

the greater portion of moisture has been removed. Before packing, the dried fruit is

processed to cleanse the fruit and may be sulfured sufficiently to retain a characteristic

color.

§52.5802 Moisture.

Federal inspection certificates shall indicate the moisture content of the finished product

which shall be not more than 25 percent by weight.

§52.5803 Types and varieties of dried peaches.

(a) Freestone.

(1) Muir variety.

(2) Lovell variety.

(3) Elberta variety.

(4) Other freestone varieties or mixed freestone varieties.

(b) Clingstone.

(1) Midsummer variety.

(2) Phillips variety.

§52.5804 Size of dried peaches.

(a) Federal inspection certificates shall indicate the size or combination of sizes

of halved peaches found upon examination.

(b) The various sizes of dried peaches are as follows:

No. 1 Size (Jumbo Size) - 2 inches or larger in diameter.

No. 2 Size (Extra Fancy Size) - 1-3/4 inches to 2 inches in diameter.

No. 3 Size (Fancy Size) - 1-1/2 inches to 1-3/4 inches diameter.

No. 4 Size (Extra Choice) - 1-3/8 inches to 1-1/2 inches in diameter.

No. 5 Size (Choice Size) - 1-1/8 inches to 1-3/8 inches diameter.

No. 6 Size (Standard Size) - Less than 1-1/8 inches in diameter.

(1) Diameter means the shortest measurement across the face of the 

peach half when restored to its normal shape.
3

(2) In determining compliance with size requirements listed above,

dried peaches will be considered as of one size if not more than 10

percent by weight of halves vary from the size range.

§52.5805 U.S. Grade A or U.S. Fancy.

(a) U.S. Grade A or U.S. Fancy dried peaches possess similar varietal

characteristics; and possess a practically uniform, bright typical color,

characteristic of well-matured peaches. Not more than 5 percent by weight

of the fruit may be of a color described in U.S. Grade B or U.S. Choice, and

none of the fruit may be of a color described in U.S. Grade C or U.S.

Standard.

(b) Not more than a total tolerance of 10 percent by weight may be slabs,

immature, or may possess pits or pieces of pits; may be damaged by

discoloration, sunburn, hail marks, scab, disease, insect injury, or other

similar defects; or may be affected by mold, decay, insect infestation (no live

insects are permitted), imbedded dirt, or other foreign material: Provided,

that not more than three-tenths of the total tolerance or 3 percent by weight,

may possess pits, or pieces of pits, not more than two-fifths of the total

tolerance, or 4 percent by weight, may be affected by mold, decay, insect

infestation (no live insects are permitted), imbedded dirt, or other foreign

material: And further provided, that, not more than one-tenth of the total

tolerance, or 1 percent by weight, may be affected by decay.

§52.5806 U.S. Grade B or U.S. Choice.

(a) U.S. Grade B or U.S. Choice dried peaches possess similar varietal

characteristics; and possess a reasonably uniform, bright typical color,

characteristic of reasonably well-matured peaches. Not more than 10

percent by weight of the fruit may be of a color described in U.S. Grade C or

U.S. Standard.

(b) Not more than a total tolerance of 15 percent by weight may be slabs,

immature, or may possess pits or pieces of pits; may be damaged by

discoloration, sunburn, hail marks, scab, disease, insect injury, or other

similar defects; or may be affected by mold, decay, insect infestation (no live

insects are permitted), imbedded dirt, or other foreign material: Provided,

that, not more than one-third of the total tolerance, or 5 percent by weight,

may possess pits or pieces of pits; not more than one-third of the total

tolerance, or 5 percent by weight, may be affected by mold, decay, insect

infestation (no live insects are permitted), imbedded dirt, or other foreign

material: and further provided, that, not more than one-fifteenth of the total

tolerance, or 1 percent by weight, may be affected by decay.
4

§52.5807 U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard.

(a) U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard dried peaches possess similar varietal

characteristics; and possess a fairly uniform typical color, characteristic of

fairly well-matured peaches.

(b) Not more than a total tolerance of 20 percent by weight of the fruit may be

slabs, immature, or possess pits or pieces of pits; may be damaged by

discoloration, sunburn, hail marks, scab, disease, insect injury, or other

similar defects; or may be affected by mold, decay, insect infestation (no live

insects are permitted), imbedded dirt, or other foreign material: Provided,

that, not more than one-half of the total tolerance, or 10 percent by weight,

may possess pits or pieces of pits; not more than one-fourth of the total

tolerance, or 5 percent by weight, may be affected by mold, decay, insect

infestation (no live insects are permitted), imbedded dirt, or other foreign

material: and further provided, that, no more than one-tenth of the total

tolerance, or 2 percent by weight, may be affected by decay.

§52.5808 U.S. Grade D or Substandard.

U.S. Grade D or Substandard dried peaches are wholesome and edible fruit that fails to

meet the requirements of U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard: Provided, that, not more than

5 percent by weight of the total fruit may be affected by mold, decay, insect infestation (no

live insects are permitted), imbedded dirt, or other foreign material: and further provided,

that, not more than 2 percent by weight of the total fruit may be affected by decay.

§52.5809 Explanation of terms.

(a) Damage or other defects.

(1) Damaged by discoloration means that the peaches have become

excessively darkened. Darkening of otherwise sound fruit

characteristic of fruit held in storage, in keeping with good commercial

practice, shall not be considered as damaged by discoloration unless

excessively darkened.

(2) Damaged by sunburn means any substantial damage to color or

texture of skin caused by excessive heat from the sun.

(3) Damaged by hail marks, scab, or disease means that the combined

area of all such defects, or of any one such defect exceeds in the

aggregate an area equivalent to the area of a circle three-eighths inch

in diameter.
5

(4) Damaged by other similar defects means any injury or defect or

group of defects not mentioned herein which materially affect the

appearance, edibility, or keeping quality of the fruit.

(5) Damaged by insect injury means healed or unhealed surface

blemishes, and healed or unhealed blemishes in the flesh which

materially affect the appearance, edibility, or keeping quality of the

fruit but which do not possess evidence of insect infestation.

(6) Affected by insect infestation means that the dried peaches show

the presence of insects, insect fragments, or excreta. No live insects

are permitted.

(7) Affected by imbedded dirt means the units have sufficient quantities

of adhering dirt to give the fruit a dirty, smudgy appearance and dirt

which may not be removed readily in washing the fruit.

(b) Maturity.

(1) Well-matured means that the peaches are fully ripe.

(2) Reasonably well-matured means that the peaches are firm and may

not have reached the fully ripe stage.

(3) Fairly well-matured means that the peaches may be hard but not

immature.

(4) Immature means that the peaches are tough or possess green or

other color indicative of immature fruit.

(c) Slabs. Slabs are peaches that have been mashed, broken, or mutilated to

the extent that they have lost their normal contour and have become

definitely flattened at the edge or rim. A half that has a slightly torn edge is

not considered a slab.
6

§52.5810 Work sheet and summary of requirements for dried peaches.

Size of case or package ................................................

Markings ............................................................

Label or brand .......................................................

Net weight ...........................................................

Size or sizes .........................................................

Moisture content ......................................................

A B C D

Color Minimum requirements

Grade A color 95% .... .... ....

Grade B color 5% 90% .... ....

Grade C color ..... 10% 100% ....

Defects Maximum tolerances

Total defects .............................. 10% 15% 20% .....

Slabs, and immature; damaged by discoloration,

sunburn, hail marks, scab, disease, insect injury, or 10% 15% 20% .....

other similar defects; and ....................

Fruit possessing pits or pieces of pits; and ......

But not more than

3% 5% 10% .....

Affected by mold, decay, insect infestation,

imbedded dirt, or other foreign material .........

But not more than

4% 5% 5% 5%

Decay ...................................

But not more than

1% 1% 2% 2%

Grade ..............................................................

Dated: May 16, 1967.

G.R. Grange, 

Deputy Administrator, 

Marketing Services.

Published in the Federal Register of May 24, 1967 (32 F.R. 7573)