United States

Department of

Agriculture

Agricultural 

Marketing

Service

Fruit and

Vegetable

Division

Fresh

Products

Branch

United States Standards

for Grades of

Fresh Cranberries

Effective August 26, 1971

(Reprinted - January 1997)
 Compliance with the provisions of these standards shall not excuse failure to comply with the provisions of the 1

Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, or with applicable State laws and regulations.

1

United States Standards for Grades of Fresh Cranberries 1

General 

51.2775 General. 

Grades 

51.2776 U.S. No. 1. 

Definitions 

51.2777 Similar varietal characteristics. 

51.2778 Clean. 

51.2779 Mature. 

51.2780 Damage. 

51.2781 Fairly well colored. 

51.2782 Fairly uniform in color. 

51.2783 Diameter. 

Metric Conversion Table 

51.2784 Metric conversion table. 

General 

§51.2775 General. 

(a) These standards apply only to the commonly cultivated cranberry (Vaccinium macrocarpon). 

(b) Compliance with these standards is determined by analyzing samples of 100 berries each

drawn at random from individual containers representative of the lot. The tolerances for off-size

and defective berries apply to the lot and there is no restriction on the percentage that may occur

in individual samples or containers: Provided, That the averages for the entire lot are within the

tolerances specified for the grade. 

Grades 

§51.2776 U.S. No. 1. 

"U.S. No. 1" consists of cranberries which meet the following requirements: 

(a) Basic requirements: 

(1) One variety or similar varietal characteristics; 

(2) Clean; 

(3) Mature; 

(4) Firm; and, 

(5) Not soft or decayed. 

(b) Free from damage caused by: 

(1) Moisture; 

(2) Bruises; 

(3) Freezing; 
2

(4) Smothering; 

(5) Scarring; 

(6) Sunscald; 

(7) Foreign material; 

(8) Disease; 

(9) Insects; or, 

(10) Mechanical or other means. 

(c) Color: Individual cranberries shall be at least fairly well colored, and the cranberries in the

container shall be fairly uniform in color. 

(d) Size: Unless otherwise specified, the diameter of each cranberry shall be not less than thirteen

thirty-seconds of an inch. 

(e) Tolerances: In order to allow for variations incident to proper grading and handling in this

grade, the following tolerances, by count, in any lot are provided: 

(1) 3 percent for cranberries which fail to meet the size requirements; 

(2) 5 percent for cranberries which fail to meet the remaining requirements of the grade, but not

more than three-fifths of this amount, or 3 percent, shall be allowed for cranberries which are soft

or decayed at shipping point: Provided, That an additional tolerance of 2 percent, or a total of

not more than 5 percent, shall be allowed for soft or decayed berries en route or at destination;

and,

(3) 5 percent for containers in which the cranberries fail to meet the requirements of fairly uniform

in color. 

Definitions 

§51.2777 Similar varietal characteristics. 

"Similar varietal characteristics" means that the cranberries in the container are similar in color

and shape. 

§51.2778 Clean. 

"Clean" means that the cranberries are practically free from dirt, dust, spray residue, or other

foreign material. 

§51.2779 Mature. 

"Mature" means that the cranberry has reached the stage of development which will insure the

proper completion of the ripening process. Cranberries which show more than a slight amount of

green color shall be considered immature. 

§51.2780 Damage. 

"Damage" means any specific defect described in this section; or any equally objectionable

variation of any one of these defects, any other defect, or any combination of defects, which

materially detracts from the appearance, or the edible or marketing quality of the individual

cranberry or the general appearance of the cranberries in the container. The following specific

defects shall be considered as damage: 

(a) Moisture when the cranberries in the container are wet from the juice from crushed, leaking,

or decayed berries. Cranberries which are moist from condensation or which have been cleaned by

water shall not be considered damaged by moisture; 

(b) Bruises when the affected area is soft and watery beneath the skin; 

(c) Scarring which detracts from the appearance of the individual cranberry to a greater extent
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than scars aggregating the area of a circle one-fourth inch in diameter on a cranberry eighteen

thirty-seconds of an inch in diameter; 

(d) Insects when any larvae or holes caused by them are present or when feeding injury exceeds

the area of a circle one-eighth inch in diameter; and, 

(e) Foreign material which materially detracts from the appearance of the cranberries in the

container. 

§51.2781 Fairly well colored. 

"Fairly well colored" means that 75 percent of the surface of the individual cranberry, in the

aggregate, shows pink or red color characteristic of the variety. 

§51.2782 Fairly uniform in color. 

"Fairly uniform in color means" that the berries in the individual containers do not show sufficient

variation in color to materially detract from the general appearance of the berries in the container.

§51.2783 Diameter. 

"Diameter" means the greatest dimension measured at right angles to a line from stem to blossom

end of the berry.

Metric Conversion Table

§51.2784 Metric conversion table.

Inches Millimeters

(mm)

1/8.............3.175

1/4.............6.350

12/32.........9.525

13/32.........10.319

14/32.........11.112

15/32.........11.906

16/32.........12.700

17/32.........13.494

18/32.........14.288

19/32.........15.081

20/32.........15.875

21/32.........16.669

22/32.........17.462

23/32.........18.256

24/32.........19.050