United States

Department of

Agriculture

Agricultural

Marketing

Service

Fruit and

Vegetable

Programs

Processed

Products

Division

 Effective November 16, 2011

United States Standards

for Grades of

Frozen Okra
This is the sixth issue of the United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Okra published 

in the FEDERAL REGISTER of October 17, 2011 (FR 64001) to become effective 

November 16, 2011. This issue supersedes the fifth issue which has been in effect since 

October 15, 1996.

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. 

They are also available on the internet at: http://www.ams.usda.gov/processedinspection.

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, Processed Products Division

Fruit and Vegetable Programs, AMS

U.S. Department of Agriculture

STOP 0247

1400 Independence Avenue, SW.

Washington, D.C. 20250-0247
United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Okra

______________________________________________________________________________

Section Page No.

§52.1511 Product Description...................................................................................... 2

§52.1512 Styles. .......................................................................................................... 2

§52.1513 Definitions of Terms..................................................................................... 2

§52.1514 Grades. ........................................................................................................ 7

§52.1515 Factors of Quality......................................................................................... 8

§52.1516 Allowances for Defects (Table's I - V).......................................................... 9

§52.1517 Sample Size............................................................................................... 14

§52.1518 Acceptance Criteria.................................................................................... 14

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

§ 52.1511 Product Description

Frozen okra is the product prepared from the clean, sound, succulent, and edible 

fresh pods of the okra plant (Hibiscus esculentus) of the green variety. The product 

may or may not be trimmed, is properly prepared, properly processed, and is then 

frozen and stored at temperatures necessary for preservation.

§52.1512 Styles

(a) Whole okra consists of whole pods of any length which may possess 

an edible portion of the cap. The length of a whole pod is determined

by measuring from the outermost point of the tip of the pod to the 

outermost point of the stem.

(b) Cut okra is trimmed or untrimmed whole pods, which may possess 

an edible portion of the cap, and have been cut transversely into 

pieces of approximate uniform length. The length of a unit of cut okra 

is determined by measuring the longitudinal axis of the unit.

§ 52.1513 Definitions of Terms

(a) Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) means the maximum percentage

of defective units or the maximum number of defects per hundred 

units of product that, for the purpose of acceptance sampling, can be 

considered satisfactory as a process average.

(b) Appearance

(1) Good appearance means that the units are bright and 

practically free of insignificant blemishes.
3

(2) Reasonably good appearance means that the units may be 

slightly dull and are reasonably free of insignificant blemishes.

(c) Blemish

(1) Insignificant blemish means any unit which is so affected by 

slight abnormalities, scars, discolorations, or other 

imperfections that it may affect the appearance slightly but 

does not affect the edibility of the unit. Insignificant blemishes

are scored under appearance.

(2) Minor blemish means any unit which is so affected by 

discoloration or abnormalities that it materially affects the 

appearance or edibility of the unit. This includes trimmed or 

cut surfaces and pathological or insect injury.

(3) Serious blemish means any unit which is so affected by

discoloration or abnormalities that it seriously affects the 

appearance or edibility of the unit. This includes trimmed or 

cut surfaces and pathological or insect injury.

(4) Total blemished means the sum of minor and seriously 

blemished units.

(d) Character

(1) Good character (Grade A) means the units are fleshy and 

tender and that the seeds are in the early stages of maturity.

(2) Reasonably good character (Grade B) means the units may 

have lost their fleshy texture to a considerable extent, the units 

are reasonably tender, and the seeds may have developed

beyond the early stages of maturity.
4

(3) Substandard character (Sstd) means the units fail to meet 

the requirements for reasonably good character.

(e) Color Defect

(1) Minor color defect means that the unit possesses a slightly 

dull color or slight yellowish green to brownish green cast or 

varies markedly from the overall color of the sample. Minor 

color defects do not more than slightly affect the appearance 

or eating quality of the unit.

(2) Noticeable yellow or brown color means the unit possesses 

a noticeable yellow or brown color that materially affects the 

appearance or eating quality of the unit; but does not qualify 

as being "off color".

(f) Defect means any nonconformance of a unit of product from a 

specified requirement of a single quality characteristic.

(g) Excessively trimmed (whole style) means pods trimmed on both 

ends with pod tip removal affecting the overall appearance of the pod, 

and pods trimmed such that the longitudinal plane of the seed cavity 

is exposed.

(h) Extraneous Vegetable Material (EVM) consists of leaves, similar 

harmless plant material, stem extending greater than 1/2 inch beyond 

the cap scar, and detached stem of any length.

(i) Flavor and odor

(1) Good flavor and odor means the product, before and after 

cooking, has a good distinctive flavor and odor, characteristic 

of young, tender okra, and is free from objectionable flavors or 

objectionable odors.
5

(2) Reasonably good flavor and odor means the product, 

before and after cooking, has a reasonably good flavor and 

odor, which is characteristic of properly prepared and 

processed okra, and is free from objectionable flavors or 

objectionable odors.

(j) Hard, woody okra material means any piece of pod, stem, or cap 

that is hard, brittle, or woody, is highly objectionable, and would 

seriously affect the eating quality of the unit. 

(k) Inedible cap means any cooked unit with attached portions of cap

that are inedible. This material is objectionable; it lacks the 

characteristics of edible cap material and would seriously affect the 

eating quality of the unit.

(l) Mechanical damage means pods or portions thereof that have been 

broken, mashed, split, shattered, or excessively trimmed, such that it 

noticeably affects the appearance or eating quality of the unit. Pods 

or portions thereof that have a portion of stem extending from 3/8

inch to not more than 1/2 inch beyond the cap scar.

(m) Misshapen units are whole pods which are seriously deformed to 

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

noticeably affected.

(n) Pathological or insect injury refers to any unit that possesses 

obvious pathological or insect damage that noticeably affects the 

appearance or eating quality of the unit.
6

(o) Sample unit size means the amount of product specified to be used 

for grading. For appearance, flavor, odor, varietal characteristics, and

the presence of sand, grit, or silt determination, a sample unit is the 

entire contents of the container. For grading all other factors, a 

sample unit is 50 units each for whole style and 100 units each for cut 

style. 

It may be:

(1) The entire contents of a container;

(2) A portion of the contents of a container; or

(3) A combination of the contents of two or more containers.

(p) Small piece

(1) Small piece (whole style) means a piece of pod that is onefourth or less the weight of the smallest whole pod in the 

sample unit.

(2) Small piece (cut style) means a piece of pod measured on the 

longitudinal axis of the unit that is 1/4 inch or less in length.

The small pieces are aggregated to form a unit equal to the 

designated size of cut, or the average sized unit from the 

sample if no size is provided. Each aggregated unit is scored 

as a defect.

(q) Stems mean edible or inedible stem.

(r) Tolerance means the percentage of defective units allowed for each 

quality factor for a specified sample size.

(s) Tough fiber means any cooked unit that contains tough fibrous 

development of the pod material to the extent that the eating quality 

of the unit is materially affected. 
7

(t) Unit means an okra pod or any individual portion thereof.

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

§ 52.1514 Grades

(a) U.S. Grade A is the quality of frozen okra that:

(1) Meets the following prerequisites in which the okra:

(i) Have similar varietal characteristics; 

(ii) Have a good flavor and odor; 

(iii) Have a good appearance; and

(iv) Is free of sand, grit, or silt.

(2) Is within the limits for defects as specified in ' 52.1516, as 

applicable for the style.

(b) U.S. Grade B is the quality of frozen okra that:

(1) Meets the following prerequisites in which the okra:

(i) Have similar varietal characteristics;

(ii) Have a reasonably good flavor and odor;

(iii) Have a reasonably good appearance; and

(iv) May have a trace amount of sand, grit, or silt.

(2) Is within the limits for defects as specified in ' 52.1516, as 

applicable for the style.

(c) Substandard (Sstd) is the quality of frozen okra that fails the 

requirements of U.S. Grade B.
8

§ 52.1515 Factors of Quality

The grade of frozen okra is based on requirements for the following quality factors:

(a) Prerequisite Quality Factors 

(1) Varietal characteristics;

(2) Flavor and odor;

(3) Appearance; and

(4) Absence of sand, grit, or silt.

(b) Classified Quality Factors

(1) Extraneous vegetable material (EVM);

(2) Seriously blemished;

(3) Total blemished;

(4) Noticeable yellow or brown units;

(5) Total color defects (Minor & yellow or brown);

(6) Mechanical damage;

(7) Small pieces;

(8) Misshapen (whole style);

(9) Tough fiber including inedible cap;

(10) Hard, woody okra material;

(11) "B" Character; and

(12) "Sstd" Character.

.
9

§ 52.1516 Allowances for Defects

Table I

Prerequisite Factors for Frozen Okra _1/

Factors U.S. Grade A U.S. Grade B

Varietal Characteristics Similar Similar

Flavor and Odor Good Reasonably Good

Appearance Good Reasonably Good

Sand, grit, or silt None Trace

_1/ The sample unit size is the entire contents of a container.
Table II

Frozen Okra, Whole Style

Acceptance Numbers for Specified Defects

U.S. Grade A (50 plan)

Sample Units X Sample Unit Size 1 x 50 6 x 50 13 x 50 21 x 50 29 x 50

Units of Product 50 2/ 300 650 1050 1450

Quality Factors TOL. AQL 1/ Acceptance Numbers

Extraneous Vegetable Material 4.0 2.9 3 13 26 39 53

Seriously blemished 2.0 1.3 2 7 13 20 26

Total blemished 6.0 4.6 5 20 39 60 80

Noticeable yellow or brown 1.0 0.612 1 4 7 10 14

Total color defects 10.0 8.2 7 33 65 101 137

Mechanical damage

(includes broken, split, mashed & 

excessively trimmed pods)

10.0 8.2 7 33 65 101 137

Small pieces and misshapen 5.0 5.0 5 21 42 64 86

Tough fiber

(including inedible caps)

 

4.0

 

2.9

 

3

 

13

 

26

 

39

 

53

Hard, woody okra material 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

"B" Character 10.0 8.2 7 33 65 101 137

“Sstd” Character 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

1/ AQL calculated from tolerance (TOL) at 650 units.

2/ Unofficial samples

10
Table III

Frozen Okra, Whole Style

Acceptance Numbers for Specified Defects

U.S. Grade B (50 plan)

Sample Units X Sample Unit Size 1 x 50 6 x 50 13 x 50 21 x 50 29 x 50

Units of Product 50 2/ 300 650 1050 1450

Quality Factors TOL. AQL 1/ Acceptance Numbers

Extraneous Vegetable Material 6.0 4.6 5 20 39 60 80

Seriously blemished 4.0 2.9 3 13 26 39 53

Total blemished 12.0 10.1 8 39 78 122 165

Noticeable yellow or brown 6.0 4.6 5 20 39 60 80

Total color defects 20.0 17.6 13 63 130 205 279

Mechanical damage

(includes broken, split, mashed & 

excessively trimmed pods)

20.0 17.6 13 63 130 205 279

Small pieces and misshapen 10.0 8.2 7 33 65 101 137

Tough fiber

(including inedible caps)

 

8.0

 

6.4

 

6

 

26

 

52

 

80

 

108

Hard, woody okra material 1.0 0.612 1 4 7 10 14

"Sstd" Character 10.0 8.2 7 33 65 101 137

1/ AQL calculated from tolerance (TOL) at 650 units.

2/ Unofficial samples

11
Table IV

Frozen Okra, Cut Style

Acceptance Numbers for Specified Defects

U.S. Grade A (100 Plan)

Sample Units X Sample Unit Size 1 x 100 6 x 100 13 x 100 21 x 100 29 x 100

Units of Product 100 2/ 600 1300 2100 2900

Quality Factors TOL. AQL 1/ Acceptance Numbers

Extraneous Vegetable Material 1.0 0.651 2 7 13 20 26

Seriously blemished 2.0 1.47 3 14 26 40 53

Total blemished 6.0 5.0 8 39 78 122 165

Noticeable yellow or brown 1.0 0.651 2 7 13 20 26

Total color defects 10.0 8.7 13 64 130 205 278

Small pieces (includes improperly or 

incompletely cut pieces, and 

mechanical damage)

 

12.0

 

10.6

 

15

 

76

 

156

 

246

 

334

Tough fiber

(including inedible caps) 3.2 6 26 52 80 108

Hard, woody okra material 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

“B” Character 10.0 8.7 13 64 130 205 278

“Sstd” Character 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

1/ AQL calculated from tolerance (TOL) at 1300 units.

2/ Unofficial samples

4.0

12
Table V

Frozen Okra, Cut Style

Acceptance Numbers for Specified Defects

U.S. Grade B (100 Plan)

Sample Units X Sample Unit Size 1 x 100 6 x 100 13 x 100 21 x 100 29 x 100

Units of Product 100 2/ 600 1300 2100 2900

Quality Factors TOL. AQL 1/ Acceptance Numbers

Extraneous Vegetable Material 2.0 1.47 3 14 26 40 53

Seriously blemished 4.0 3.2 6 26 52 80 108

Total blemished 12.0 10.6 15 76 156 246 334

Noticeable yellow or brown 6.0 5.0 8 39 78 122 165

Total color defects 20.0 18.3 24 125 261 414 565

Small pieces (includes improperly or 

incompletely cut pieces, and 

mechanical damage)

 

20.0

 

18.3

 

24

 

125

 

261

 

414

 

565

Tough fiber

(including inedible caps)

 

8.0

 

6.8

 

11

 

51

 

104

 

162

220

Hard, woody okra material 1.0 0.651 2 7 13 20 26

"Sstd" Character 10.0 8.7 13 64 130 205 278

1/ AQL calculated from tolerance (TOL) at 1300 units.

2/ Unofficial samples

13
14

§ 52.1517 Sample Size

The sample size used to determine whether the requirements of these standards 

are met shall be as specified in the sampling plans and procedures 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).

§ 52.1518 Acceptance Criteria

(a) Lot inspection. A lot of frozen okra is considered as meeting the 

requirements for quality if: 

(1) The prerequisite requirements specified in ' 52.1516

Table I are met; and

(2) The Acceptable Quality Levels in Tables II, III, IV, and V of 

' 52.1516, as applicable for the style, are not exceeded.

(b) Single sample unit. Each unofficial sample unit submitted for quality 

evaluation will be treated individually and is considered as meeting the 

requirements for quality if:

(1) The prerequisite requirements specified in ' 52.1516

Table I are met; and

(2) The Acceptable Quality Levels in Tables II, III, IV, and V of

' 52.1516, as applicable for the style, are not exceeded.