United States 

Department of 

Agriculture 

Agricultural 

Marketing 

Service 

Fruit and 

Vegetable 

Division 

Processed 

Products 

Branch 

United States Standards for 

Grades of 

Frozen Apples 

Effective date May 17, 1954 
This is the Third issue of the United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Apples 

published in the Federal Register of April 15, 1954 (19 FR 2157) to become effective May 

17, 1954. This issue supersedes the second issue, which has been in effect since June 3, 

1952. 

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 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 issues 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 Frozen Apples 

Section Page No.

52.361 Product description. 2 

52.362 Styles of frozen apples. 2 

52.363 Grades of frozen apples. 2 

52.364 Ascertaining the grade. 2 

52.365 Ascertaining the rating for the factors which are scored. 3 

52.366 Color. 3 

52.367 Size. 4 

52.368 Defects. 4 

52.369 Character. 6 

52.370 Ascertaining the grade of a lot. 6 

52.371 Score sheet for frozen apples. 7 

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 

'52.361 Product description.

Frozen apples are prepared from sound, properly ripened fruit of Malus sylvestris (Pyrus 

malus); are peeled, cored, trimmed, sliced, sorted, and washed; are properly drained 

before filling into containers; may be packed with or without the addition of a nutritive 

sweetening ingredient and any other ingredient permissible under the provisions of the 

Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act; and are frozen in accordance with good commercial 

practice and maintained at temperatures necessary for the preservation of the product. 

'52.362 Styles of frozen apples. 

(a) Slices means frozen apples consisting of slices of apples cut longitudinally 

and radially from the core axis. 

'52.363 Grades of frozen apples. 

(a) U.S. Grade A or U.S. Fancy is the quality of frozen apples that possess 

similar varietal characteristics; that possess a good flavor; that possess a 

good color; that are practically uniform in size; that are practically free from 

defects; that possess a good character; and that score not less than 85 points 

when scored in accordance with the scoring system outlined in this subpart: 

Provided, that the frozen apples may be only fairly uniform in size, if the total 

score is not less than 85 points. 

(b) U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard is the quality of frozen apples that possess 

similar varietal characteristics; that possess a fairly good flavor; that possess a 

fairly good color; that are fairly uniform in size; that are fairly free from defects; 

that possess a fairly good character; and that score not less than 70 points 

when scored in accordance with the scoring system outlined in this subpart. 

(c) Substandard is the quality of frozen apples that fail to meet the requirements 

of U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard.

'52.364 Ascertaining the grade. 

(a) The grade of frozen apples is ascertained by considering the requirements 

with respect to varietal characteristics, which are not scored, and the factors of 

color, size, defects, and character, which are scored. 

(b) The relative importance of each factor which is scored is expressed 

numerically on the scale of 100. The maximum number of points that may be 

given such factors is: 
3 

Factors: Points

Color ................................................................................... 

Size ..................................................................................... 

Defects ................................................................................ 

Character ............................................................................ 

Total Score .......................................................................... 

20

20

20

 40

100

(c) The scores for the factors of color, size, defects, and character are determined 

immediately after thawing to the extent that the product is substantially free 

from ice crystals and can be handled as individual units. 

(d) Good flavor means that the product has a good, characteristic normal flavor 

and odor and is free from objectionable flavors and objectionable odors of any 

kind. 

(e) Fairly good flavor means that the product may be lacking in good flavor and 

odor and is free from objectionable flavors and objectionable odors of any 

kind. 

'52.365 Ascertaining the rating for the factors which are scored. The essential 

variations within each factor which is scored are so described that the value 

may be ascertained for such factors and expressed numerically. The 

numerically range within each factor which is scored is inclusive (for example, 

17 to 20 points means 17, 18, 19, or 20 points). 

'52.366 Color. 

(a) "A" classification. Frozen apples that possess a good color may be given a 

score of 17 to 20 points. Good color means that the frozen apples, internally 

and externally, possess a reasonably uniform bright color, characteristic of 

apples of similar varieties. 

(b) "C" classification. Frozen apples that possess a fairly good color may be 

given a score of 14 to 16 points. Frozen apples that fall into this classification 

shall not be graded above U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard, regardless of the 

total score for the product (this is a limiting rule). Fairly good color means 

that the frozen apples possess a color that is typical of apples of similar 

varietal characteristics, that may be variable, and that product may possess a 

slight but not markedly brown or gray cast and shall be practically free from 

internal discoloration. 
4 

(c) "SStd" classification. Frozen apples that fail to meet the requirements of 

paragraph (b) of this section may be given a score of 0 to 13 points and shall 

not be graded above Substandard, regardless of the total score for the 

product (this is a limiting rule). 

'52.367 Size. 

(a) General. The factor of size refers to the degree of wholeness and to the 

uniformity of thickness of the units. 

(1) Practically whole slice means that the slice may be cut or broken but 

at least 3/4 of the original slice remains. 

(b) "A" classification. Frozen apples that are practically uniform in size may be 

given a score of 17 to 20 points. Practically uniform in size means that: At 

least 90 percent, by weight, of the product consists of whole or practically 

whole slices of 1-1/4 inches in length or longer, and that of the 90 percent, by 

weight, of the product consisting of units of the most uniform thickness, the 

thickness of the slices does not vary more than 1/4 inch. 

(c) "C" classification. Frozen apples that are fairly uniform in size may be given 

a score of 14 to 16 points. Fairly uniform in size means that at least 75 

percent, by weight, of the product consists of whole or practically whole slices 

of 1-1/4 inches in length or longer. 

(d) "SStd" classification. Frozen apples that fail to meet the requirements of 

paragraph (c) of this section may be given a score of 0 to 13 points and shall 

not be grade above Substandard, regardless of the total score for the product 

(this is a limiting rule).

'52.368 Defects. 

(a) General. The factor of defects refers to the degree of freedom from harmless 

extraneous matter, from damaged or seriously damaged units, and from 

carpel tissue. 

(1) Harmless extraneous matter means any vegetable substance 

(including, but not being limited to, a leaf, stem, or portions thereof, 

cores and portions of cores, and seeds), that is harmless. 

(2) Damaged unit means any unit possessing green peel that exceeds in 

the aggregate an area of a circle 1/2 inch in diameter, or red peel that 

exceeds in the aggregate an area of a circle 1/4 inch in diameter, light 

brown bruise that exceeds the area of a circle 1/2 inch in diameter or 
5 

which is more than 1/4 inch deep, and any unit in which the 

appearance or eating quality is materially affected by blossom end 

material, dark brown bruise, or other internal or external discoloration, 

or by any other means. 

(3) Seriously damaged unit means any unit damaged to such an extent 

that the appearance or eating quality is seriously affected. 

(4) Practically free from carpel tissue means that for each 16 ounces of 

the product, the carpel tissue present does not exceed in the aggregate 

an area equal to 3/4 square inch. 

(5) Fairly free from carpel tissue means that for each 16 ounces of the 

product the carpel tissue present does not exceed an area equal to 1-

1/2 square inches. 

(b) "A" classification. Frozen apples that are practically free form defects may 

be given a score of 17 to 20 points. Practically free from defects means 

that extraneous matter may be present that does not materially affect the 

appearance or eating quality of the product; that the product is practically free 

from carpel tissue; and that not more than a total of 5 percent, by weight, of 

the units may be damaged, of which not more than 1 percent, by weight, of all 

the units may be seriously damaged: Provided, that extraneous matter, 

damaged and seriously damaged units, singly or in combination, do not 

materially affect the appearance or eating quality of the product. 

(c) "C" classification. Frozen apples that are fairly free from defects may be 

given a score of 14 to 16 points. Frozen apples that fall into this classification 

shall not be graded above U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard, regardless of the 

total score for the product (this is a limiting rule). Fairly free from defects

means that extraneous matter may be present that does not seriously affect 

the appearance or eating quality of the product; that the product is fairly free 

from carpel tissue, and that not more than a total of 15 percent, by weight, of 

the units may be damaged, of which not more than 3 percent, by weight, of all 

the units may be seriously damaged: Provided, that extraneous matter, 

damaged and seriously damaged units, singly or in combination, do not 

seriously affect the appearance or eating quality of the product. 

(d) "SStd" classification. Frozen apples that fail to meet the requirements of 

paragraph (c) of this section may be given a score of 0 to 13 points and shall 

not be graded above Substandard, regardless of the total score for the 

product (this is a limiting rule).
6 

'52.369 Character. 

(a) General. The factor of character refers to the texture of the units and the 

tendency to retain their conformation without material softening or 

disintegration. 

(1) Mushy apples means slices or units or portions thereof that are a 

pulpy mass and of a consistency approximating applesauce. 

(b) "A" classification. Frozen apples that possess a good character may be 

given a score of 34 to 40 points. Good character means that the units 

possess a reasonably uniform texture, are firm but not hard, with not more 

than 3 percent of the weight of the product consisting of mushy apples. 

(c) "C" classification. Frozen apples that possess a fairly good character may 

be given a score of 28 to 33 points. Frozen apples that fall into this 

classification shall not be graded above U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard, 

regardless of the total score for the product (this is a limiting rule). Fairly 

good character means that the slices may be variable in texture, with not 

more than 12 percent of the weight of the product consisting of units that are 

markedly hard, markedly soft, or mushy. 

(d) "SStd" classification. Frozen apples that fail to meet the requirements of 

paragraph (c) of this section may be given a score of 0 to 27 points and shall 

not be graded above Substandard, regardless of the total score for the 

product (this is a limiting rule). 

'52.370 Ascertaining the grade of a lot. The grade of a lot of frozen apples covered 

by these standards is determined by the procedures set forth in the 

Regulations Governing Inspection and Certification of Processed Fruits and 

Vegetables, Processed Products Thereof, and Certain Other Processed Food 

Products (7 CFR 52.1 through 52.83). 
7 

 Corrected Page 

 January 2010 

'52.371 Score sheet for frozen apples.

No. Size and kind of container ................ 

Container mark or identification ............... 

Label ....................................................... 

Net weight (ounces) ................................ 

Style ........................................................ 

Ratio of fruit-sugar ................................... 

Style of pack (sugar or sirup) .................. 

Sirup density (degrees Brix) .................... 

Factors Score points 

Color ....................................................... 

Size ......................................................... 

Defects .................................................... 

Character ................................................ 

Total Score .............................................. 

20 

20 

20 

40 

100 

"A" 17-20 

"C" 14-16 _1/

"SStd" 0-13 _1/

"A" 17-20 

"C" 14-16 

"SStd" 0-13 _1/

"A" 17-20 

"C" 14-16 _1/

"SStd" 0-13 _1/

"A" 34-40 

"C" 28-33 _1/

"SStd" 0-27 _1/

Good flavor .............................................. 

Fairly good flavor ..................................... 

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

_1/ Limiting rule. 
8 

Effective time and supersedure. The United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Apples 

(which is the third issue) contained in this subpart shall become effective 30 days after 

publication hereof in the Federal Register, and will thereupon supersede the United States 

Standards for Grades of Frozen Apples which have been in effect since June 3, 1952. 

Dated: April 12, 1954. 

[SEAL] Roy W. Lennartson, 

Deputy Administrator, 

Marketing Services. 

Published in the Federal Register of April 15, 1954 (19 F.R. 2157) -- 

Section 52.370 amended May 22, 1957 (22 F.R. 3535)