Marketing and

Regulatory

Programs

Agricultural

Marketing 

Service

Specialty

Crops

Program

Specialty

Crops

Inspection

Division

United States Standards

for Grades of 

Cucumbers

Effective September 6, 2016

Corrected and Reprinted January 23, 2018
This issue of the United States Standards for Grades of Cucumbers (81 FR 51297) 

supersedes the previous issue which has been in effect since March 1, 1958. This reprint

of the United States Standards for Grades of Cucumbers which have been in effect since

September 6, 2016 and was corrected and reprinted January 23, 2018 to include minimum 

shape illustrations.

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 Cucumbers (September 6, 2016)

Corrected and Reprinted (January 23, 2018)

1

United States Standards for Grades of Cucumbers

Section Page No.

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

§51.2220 U.S. Fancy................................................................................................... 2

§51.2221 U.S. Extra No. 1........................................................................................... 2

§51.2222 U.S. No. 1.................................................................................................... 2

§51.2223 U.S. No. 1 Small. ......................................................................................... 2

§51.2224 U.S. No. 1 Large.......................................................................................... 3

§51.2225 U.S. No. 2.................................................................................................... 3

Reserved........................................................................................................................ 3

§51.2226 Reserved. .................................................................................................... 3

Tolerances ..................................................................................................................... 3

§51.2227 Tolerances................................................................................................... 3

Application of Tolerances ............................................................................................ 4

§51.2228 Application of tolerances.............................................................................. 4

Definitions...................................................................................................................... 4

§51.2229 Well colored................................................................................................. 4

§51.2230 Well formed. ................................................................................................ 4

§51.2231 Overgrown. .................................................................................................. 4

§51.2232 Injury caused by scars................................................................................. 4

§51.2233 Damage....................................................................................................... 4

§51.2234 Diameter. .................................................................................................... 5

§51.2235 Fairly well colored........................................................................................ 5

§51.2236 Fairly well formed. ....................................................................................... 5

§51.2237 Moderately colored. ..................................................................................... 5

§51.2238 Badly deformed. .......................................................................................... 5

§51.2239 Serious damage. ......................................................................................... 5
United States Standards for Grades of Cucumbers (September 6, 2016)

Corrected and Reprinted (January 23, 2018)

2

Grades

§51.2220 U.S. Fancy.

“U.S. Fancy” consists of cucumbers which are well colored, well formed, not 

overgrown, and which are fresh, firm, and free from decay, sunscald, and from injury 

caused by scars and from damage caused by yellowing, sunburn, dirt or other foreign 

material, freezing, mosaic or other disease, insects, cuts, bruises, mechanical or other 

means. (See §51.2227.)

(a) The maximum diameter of each cucumber shall be not more than 2-3/8 inches 

and the length of each cucumber shall be not less than 6 inches. (See 

§51.2227.)

§51.2221 U.S. Extra No. 1.

“U.S. Extra No. 1” consists of a combination of U.S. Fancy and U.S. No. 1 cucumbers:

Provided, That at least 50 percent of the cucumbers in the lot shall meet the 

requirements of the U.S. Fancy grade and the remainder shall meet the requirements of 

the U.S. No. 1 grade. (See §51.2227.)

(a) The maximum diameter of each cucumber shall be not more than 2-3/8 inches 

and the length of each cucumber shall be not less than 6 inches. (See 

§51.2227.)

§51.2222 U.S. No. 1.

“U.S. No. 1” consists of cucumbers which are fairly well colored, fairly well formed, not

overgrown, and which are fresh, firm, and free from decay, sunscald and from damage 

caused by scars, yellowing, sunburn, dirt or other foreign materials, freezing, mosaic or 

other disease, insects, cuts, bruises, mechanical or other means. (See §51.2227.)

(a) Unless otherwise specified, the maximum diameter of each cucumber shall be 

not more than 2-3/8 inches and the length of each cucumber shall be not less 

than 6 inches. (See §51.2227.)

§51.2223 U.S. No. 1 Small.

“U.S. No. 1 Small” consists of cucumbers which meet all requirements for the U.S. No. 

1 grade except for size. (See §51.2227.)

(a) The diameter of each cucumber shall be not less than 1-1/2 inches or more than 

2 inches. There are no requirements for length. (See §51.2227.)
United States Standards for Grades of Cucumbers (September 6, 2016)

Corrected and Reprinted (January 23, 2018)

3

§51.2224 U.S. No. 1 Large.

“U.S. No. 1 Large” consists of cucumbers which meet all requirements for the 

U.S. No. 1 grade except for size. (See §51.2227.)

(a) The minimum diameter of each cucumber shall be not less than 2-1/4 inches 

and, unless otherwise specified, the length of each cucumber shall be not less 

than 6 inches. There are no maximum diameter and length requirements. (See 

§51.2227.)

§51.2225 U.S. No. 2.

“U.S. No. 2” consists of cucumbers which are moderately colored, not badly deformed, 

not overgrown, and which are fresh, firm, free from decay and free from damage caused 

by freezing, sunscald, cuts and from serious damage caused by scars, yellowing, 

sunburn, dirt or other foreign material, mosaic or other disease, insects, bruises,

mechanical or other means. (See §51.2227.)

(a) Unless otherwise specified, the maximum diameter of each cucumber shall be 

not more than 2-3/8 inches and the length of each cucumber shall be not less 

than 5 inches. (See §51.2227.)

Reserved

§51.2226 Reserved.

Tolerances

§51.2227 Tolerances.

(a) In order to allow for variations incident to proper grading and handling in each of 

the foregoing grades, the following tolerances, by count, shall be permitted:

(1) For defects. 10 percent for cucumbers in any lot which fail to meet the 

requirements of the grade, including therein not more than 1 percent for 

decay; and,

(2) For off-size. 10 percent for cucumbers in any lot which fail to meet the 

length and diameter requirements, including therein not more than 5 

percent for cucumbers which fail to meet the requirements for minimum 

diameter, and not more than 5 percent for cucumbers which fail to meet 

the requirements for maximum diameter.

(b) When applying the foregoing tolerances to the U. S. Extra No. 1 grade, individual 

containers shall have not more than 10 percent less than the percentage of U. S. 

Fancy cucumbers required: Provided, That the entire lot averages within the 

required percentage. (See §51.2228.)
United States Standards for Grades of Cucumbers (September 6, 2016)

Corrected and Reprinted (January 23, 2018)

4

Application of Tolerances

§51.2228 Application of tolerances.

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

subject to the following limitations: Provided, That 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 shall 

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

that when the package contains 15 specimens or less, individual 

packages shall have not more than double the tolerance specified; and,

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

shall have not more than double the tolerance specified, except that at 

least one defective and one off-size specimen may be permitted in any 

package.

Definitions

§51.2229 Well colored.

“Well colored” means that not less than three-fourths of the surface of the cucumber is 

of a medium green or darker color, and that at least a light green color extends to the 

blossom end on one side of the cucumber.

§51.2230 Well formed.

“Well formed” means that the cucumber is practically straight and not more than very 

slightly constricted or more than moderately tapered or pointed.

§51.2231 Overgrown.

“Overgrown” means that the cucumber has developed beyond the best stage for 

slicing. It usually yields to slight pressure of the thumb. The seeds may be tough and 

fibrous, and the pulp in the seed cavity is usually watery or jelly-like. In more advanced 

cases, pithy streaks may be found in the flesh of the cucumber.

§51.2232 Injury caused by scars.

“Injury caused by scars” means scars which aggregate more than the area of a circle 

three-eighths inch in diameter on a cucumber 6 inches in length, or correspondingly 

greater areas of scars on larger cucumbers.

§51.2233 Damage.

“Damage”, unless otherwise specifically defined in this section, means any defect 

which materially affects the appearance, or the edible or shipping quality of the 
United States Standards for Grades of Cucumbers (September 6, 2016)

Corrected and Reprinted (January 23, 2018)

5

cucumber. Any one of the following defects, 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 aggregating more than the area of a circle five-eighths inch in 

diameter on a cucumber 6 inches in length, or correspondingly smaller or greater 

areas of scars on smaller or larger cucumbers, respectively;

(b) Cuts which are fresh and more than slight; and,

(c) Bruises when materially affecting the appearance of the cucumber, or when 

sack imprints affect an aggregate area greater than that of a circle 2 1/4 inches in 

diameter.

§51.2234 Diameter.

“Diameter” means the greatest dimension of the cucumber measured at right angles to 

the longitudinal axis, exclusive of “warts”.

§51.2235 Fairly well colored.

“Fairly well colored” means that not less than two-thirds of the surface of the 

cucumber is of a medium green or darker color, and that at least a light green color 

extends to within one-half inch of the blossom end on one side of the cucumber.

§51.2236 Fairly well formed.

“Fairly well formed” means that the cucumber may be moderately curved but not 

deeply constricted, not extremely tapered or pointed and not otherwise misshapen.

§51.2237 Moderately colored.

“Moderately colored” means that at least one-half of the surface of the cucumber is of 

a light green or darker color.

§51.2238 Badly deformed.

“Badly deformed” means that the cucumber is so badly curved, constricted, tapered or 

otherwise so badly misshapen that the appearance is seriously affected.

§51.2239 Serious damage.

“Serious damage”, unless otherwise specifically defined in this section, means any 

defect which seriously affects the appearance, or the edible or shipping quality of the 

cucumber. The following defects, or any combination of defects the seriousness of 

which exceeds the maximum allowed for any one defect, shall be considered as serious 
United States Standards for Grades of Cucumbers (September 6, 2016)

Corrected and Reprinted (January 23, 2018)

6

damage:

(a) Scars when aggregating more than the area of a circle 1 inch in diameter on a 

cucumber 6 inches in length, or correspondingly smaller or greater areas of scars 

on smaller or larger cucumbers, respectively; and,

(b) Bruises when seriously affecting the appearance of the cucumber, or when sack 

imprints affect more than one-third of the surface of the cucumber.
United States Standards for Grades of Cucumbers (September 6, 2016)

Corrected and Reprinted (January 23, 2018)

7
United States Standards for Grades of Cucumbers (September 6, 2016)

Corrected and Reprinted (January 23, 2018)

8
United States Standards for Grades of Cucumbers (September 6, 2016)

Corrected and Reprinted (January 23, 2018)

9