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United States Standards

for Grades of 

Canned Squash 

(Summer Type)

Effective January 20, 2017
This issue of the United States Standards for Grades of Squash (Summer Type)

(81 FR 93596) supersedes the previous issue which has been in effect since

May 25, 1959.

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, vegetables, and specialty crops 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 and inspection instructions for all fresh and processed fruits,

vegetables, and specialty crops are available on the internet and upon request at the 

address below. These documents provide detailed interpretations of the grade standards 

and provide step-by-step procedures for grading the product.

Grade standards are issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) after careful 

consideration of all data and views submitted during rulemaking. The Department 

welcomes suggestions for improving the standards in future revisions. Comments may be 

submitted to, and copies of standards and inspection instructions obtained from:

Director, Specialty Crops Inspection Division

Specialty Crops Program,

USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service

1400 Independence Avenue, SW, STOP 0240

Washington, D.C. 20250

__________________________________________________________________________

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: In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights 

regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA 

programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender 

expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, 

political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all 

bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. 

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, 

American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) 

or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in 

languages other than English. 

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at 

http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter 

all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form 

or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence 

Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov. USDA is an equal 

opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
United States Standards for Grades of Squash (Summer Type) (January 20, 2017)

1

United States Standards for Grades of Canned Squash (Summer Type)

Section Page No.

Product Description, Styles, and Grades.................................................................... 2

§52.3581 Product description...................................................................................... 2

§52.3582 Styles of canned squash.............................................................................. 2

§52.3583 Grades of canned squash............................................................................ 2

Fill of Container and Drained Weight .......................................................................... 2

§52.3584 Recommended fill of container. ................................................................... 2

§52.3585 Drained weights........................................................................................... 3

Factors of Quality.......................................................................................................... 4

§52.3586 Ascertaining the grade................................................................................. 4

§52.3587 Ascertaining the rating for the factors which are scored. ............................. 5

§52.3588 Color............................................................................................................ 5

§52.3589 Defects. ....................................................................................................... 5

§52.3590 Character..................................................................................................... 7

Lot Inspection and Certification................................................................................... 8

§52.3591 Ascertaining the grade of a lot..................................................................... 8

Score Sheet ................................................................................................................... 9

§52.3592 Score sheet for canned squash................................................................... 9
United States Standards for Grades of Squash (Summer Type) (January 20, 2017)

2

Product Description, Styles, and Grades

§52.3581 Product description.

Canned squash (summer type) is the canned product prepared from clean, sound, 

succulent, immature summer type squash, hereinafter called canned squash, which has 

been washed, properly trimmed and sorted. The product is packed in accordance with 

good commercial practice and is sufficiently processed by heat to assure preservation 

of the product in hermetically sealed containers.

§52.3582 Styles of canned squash.

(a) Whole means canned squash consisting of whole squash with stems removed.

(b) Sliced crosswise means canned squash consisting of units cut at right angle to 

the longitudinal axis into slices of approximately uniform thickness with parallel 

surfaces.

(c) Diced means canned squash which has been cut into fairly uniform diced units.

(d) Cut means canned squash cut into units which are not uniform in size or shape 

or which do not conform to any of the foregoing styles.

§52.3583 Grades of canned squash.

(a) U.S. Grade A is the quality of canned squash that possesses similar varietal 

characteristics; that possesses a normal flavor; that possesses a good color; that 

is practically free from defects; that possesses a good character; and that for 

those factors which are rated in accordance with the scoring system outlined in 

this subpart the total score is not less than 85 points.

(b) U.S. Grade C is the quality of canned squash that possesses similar varietal 

characteristics; that possesses a normal flavor; that possesses a fairly good 

color; that is fairly free from defects; that possesses a fairly good character; and 

that for those factors which are rated in accordance with the scoring system 

outlined in this subpart the total score is not less than 70 points.

(c) Substandard is the quality of canned squash that fails to meet the requirements 

of U.S. Grade C.

Fill of Container and Drained Weight

§52.3584 Recommended fill of container.

The recommended fill of container is not incorporated in the grades of the finished 

product since fill of container, as such, is not a factor of quality for the purpose of these 

grades. It is recommended that each container of canned squash be filled with squash 

as full as practicable without impairment of quality and that the product and packing 
United States Standards for Grades of Squash (Summer Type) (January 20, 2017)

3

medium occupy not less than 90 percent of the volume of the container.

§52.3585 Drained weights.

(a) General. The minimum drained weight recommendations for canned squash in 

table I hereof are not incorporated in the grades of the finished product since 

drained weight, as such, is not a factor of quality for the purpose of these grades.

(b) Method for ascertaining drained weight. The drained weight is determined by 

emptying the contents of the container upon a United States Standard No. 8 

sieve of proper diameter so as to distribute the product evenly, inclining the sieve 

to facilitate drainage, and allow the product to drain for two minutes. The drained 

weight is the weight of the sieve and the product less the weight of the dry sieve. 

A sieve 8 inches in diameter is used for the No. 3 size can (404 x 414) and 

smaller sizes; and a sieve 12 inches in diameter is used for containers larger that 

the equivalent of the No. 3 size can.

(c) Compliance with recommended drained weights. Compliance with the 

recommended drained weights is determined by averaging the drained weight 

from all the containers which are representative of a specific lot and such lot is 

considered as meeting the recommendations if the following criteria are met:

(1) The average of the drained weights from all of the containers meets the 

recommended drained weights.

(2) One-half or more of the containers meets the recommended drained 

weight; and

(3) The drained weights from the containers which do not meet the 

recommended drained weight are within the range of variability for good 

commercial practice.
United States Standards for Grades of Squash (Summer Type) (January 20, 2017)

4

Table I – Recommended minimum drained weights of canned squash in ounces

Container size

or designation

Maximum headspace 

allowable (measured 

from top of 

double seam)

Styles of canned (summer type) squash

Whole Sliced or cut

16th of an inch

8-ounce tall 7.6 4.5 5.5

No. 303 9.4 10.8 11.0

No. 2 9.7 13.0 13.1

No. 10 13.6 70.0 70.0

Factors of Quality

§52.3586 Ascertaining the grade.

(a) General. In addition to considering other requirements outlined in the standards, 

the following quality factors are evaluated in ascertaining the grade of the

product:

(1) Factors which are not scored.

(i) Varietal characteristics;

(ii) Flavor.

(2) Factors which are scored. 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 are:

Factors: Points

Color 20

Defects 40

Character 40

Total Score 100

(b) Normal flavor. Normal flavor means that the product is free from objectionable 

flavors and objectionable odors of any kind.
United States Standards for Grades of Squash (Summer Type) (January 20, 2017)

5

§52.3587 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 each factor and expressed numerically. The numerical 

range within each factor which is scored is inclusive. (For example, 17 to 20 points 

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

§52.3588 Color.

(a) “A” classification. Canned squash that possesses a good color may be given a 

score of 17 to 20 points.

Good color means that the color of the squash is bright and typical of young and 

tender squash of similar varietal characteristics which has been properly 

processed.

(b) “C” classification. Canned squash that possesses a fairly good color may be 

given a score of 14 to 16 points. Canned squash that falls into this classification 

shall not be graded above U.S. Grade C, regardless of the total score for the 

product (this is a limiting rule).

Fairly good color means that the color of the squash is typical of fairly young 

and tender squash of similar varietal characteristics which has been properly 

processed.

(c) “SStd” classification. Canned squash that fails 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).

§52.3589 Defects.

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

extraneous vegetable material, sand, grit, or silt, poorly cut units, units damaged 

by mechanical injury, and units damaged by discoloration, scars, insect injury, or 

damaged by other means.

(1) Unit means a whole squash or a portion of a squash.

(2) Damaged unit means any unit damaged by discoloration, scars, insect 

injury, or by other means except damaged by mechanical injury to the 

extent that the appearance or eating quality is materially affected.

(3) Seriously damaged means damaged to the extent that the appearance 

or eating quality of the unit is seriously affected.
United States Standards for Grades of Squash (Summer Type) (January 20, 2017)

6

(4) Harmless extraneous vegetable material means leaves, detached 

stems or portions thereof, or similar vegetable material.

(5) Poorly cut means units with attached stems or stem material, very ragged 

cut units, and pieces of less than one-half slice in sliced style squash, 

pieces measuring one-half inch or less in the longest dimension for cut 

style, and pieces measuring less than one-quarter inch in the longest 

dimension for diced style.

(6) Damaged by mechanical injury means broken or mashed to such an 

extent that the appearance or eating quality of the unit is seriously 

affected.

(7) Sand, grit, or silt means any particle of earthy material.

(b) “A” classification. Canned squash that is practically free from defects may be 

given a score of 34 to 40 points.

Practically free from defects means that the product contains no grit, sand, or 

silt that affects the eating quality or appearance of the canned squash; that for 

each 12 ounces of drained weight, there may be present not more than one 

piece of harmless extraneous vegetable material. The combined weight of all 

other defects and defective units shall not exceed 12 percent of the drained 

weight of the units: Provided, That:

(1) Not more than 4 percent, by weight, is of damaged units and of such 4 

percent, not more than one-fourth thereof or 1 percent, by weight, of all 

the units consist of units that are seriously damaged; or

(2) Not more than 10 percent, by weight, is of poorly cut units, or of units 

damaged by mechanical injury, or any combination thereof of not more 

than 10 percent, by weight: Provided, That poorly cut units with attached 

stems or stem material does not exceed 2 percent, by weight.

(c) “C” classification. If the canned squash is fairly free from defects, a score of 28 

to 33 points may be given. Canned squash that falls into this classification shall 

not be graded above U.S. Grade C, regardless of the total score for the product 

(this is a limiting rule).

Fairly free from defects means that the product may contain a trace of sand, 

grit, silt that does not materially affect the eating quality or appearance of the 

canned squash; that for each 12 ounces of drained weight, there may be present 

not more than two pieces of harmless extraneous vegetable material. The 

combined weight of all other defects and defective units shall not exceed 20 

percent of the drained weight of the units: Provided, That
United States Standards for Grades of Squash (Summer Type) (January 20, 2017)

7

(1) Not more than 8 percent, by weight, is of damaged units and of such 8 

percent, not more than one-fourth thereof or 2 percent, by weight, of all 

the units consist of units that are seriously damaged.

(2) Not more than 15 percent, by weight, is of poorly cut units, or of units 

damaged by mechanical injury, or any combination thereof of not more 

than 15 percent, by weight: Provided, That poorly cut units with attached 

stems or stem material does not exceed 5 percent, by weight.

(d) “SStd” classification. Canned squash that fails 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).

§52.3590 Character.

(a) General. The factor of character refers to the fleshy texture, the tenderness, and 

the degree of development of the seeds.

(b) “A” classification. Canned squash that possesses a good character may be 

given a score of 34 to 40 points.

Good character means that the units are practically intact, are fleshy and 

tender, that the seeds are in the immature stage, and that not more than 5 

percent, by weight, of the units may be of fairly good character.

(c) “C” classification. If the canned squash possesses a fairly good character, a 

score of 28 to 33 points may be given. Canned squash that falls into this 

classification shall not be graded above U.S. Grade C, regardless of the total 

score for the product (this is a limiting rule).

Fairly good character means that the units may show slight disintegration, may 

have lost to a considerable extent their fleshy texture, may be fairly tender, and 

that the seeds may have passed the immature stage of maturity, but are not hard 

and that not more than 10 percent, by weight, of the units fail to meet the 

requirements of fairly good character.

(d) “SStd” classification. Canned squash that fails 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).
United States Standards for Grades of Squash (Summer Type) (January 20, 2017)

8

Lot Inspection and Certification

§52.3591 Ascertaining the grade of a lot.

The grade of a lot of Canned Squash (Summer Type) 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 to 52.83).
United States Standards for Grades of Squash (Summer Type) (January 20, 2017)

9

Score Sheet

§52.3592 Score sheet for canned squash.

Number, size, and kind of container 

Container marks or identification 

Label 

Net weight (ounces) 

Vacuum (inches)

Drained weight (ounces)

Style (whole, sliced, cut)

Factors Grade Score Points

Color 20

“A” 17-20

“C” 14-161

“SStd” 0-131

Defects 40

“A” 34-40

“C” 28-331

“SStd” 0-271

Character 40

“A” 34-40

“C” 28-331

“SStd” 0-271

Total Score 100

Flavor and odor

U.S. Grade

1

Indicates limiting rule.