United States

Department of

Agriculture

Agricultural

Marketing

Service

Fruit and

Vegetable

Division

Processed

Products

Branch

United States Standards

for Grades of

Frozen Cranberries

Effective date September 22, 1971
This is the first issue, of the United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Cranberries

published in the FEDERAL REGISTER of September 22, 1971 (36 FR 18777) to become

effective September 22, 1971.

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. 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 Cranberries

Section Page No.

§52.6281 Product description. ........................................ 2

§52.6282 Grades of frozen cranberries. ................................. 2

§52.6283 Sample unit size. ........................................... 3

§52.6284 Ascertaining the grade of a sample unit. ......................... 3

§52.6285 Ascertaining the rating for the factors which are scored. ............ 4

§52.6286 Color. ................................................... 4

§52.6287 Defects. .................................................. 6

§52.6288 Character. ................................................ 8

§52.6289 Ascertaining the grade of a lot. ................................ 9

§52.6290 Scoresheet for frozen cranberries. ............................. 9

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

§52.6281 Product description.

Frozen cranberries is the product prepared from the sound, mature berries of the

commonly cultivated cranberry plant. The product is prepared by sorting and cleaning to

assure a wholesome product. The prepared product is frozen and stored at temperatures

necessary for preservation.

§52.6282 Grades of frozen cranberries.

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

(1) Possess a good color;

(2) Are practically free from defects;

(3) Possess a good character; 

(4) Possess a normal flavor and odor; 

(5) Are of similar varietal characteristics;

(6) Have no grit or silt present that affects the appearance or edibility of

the product; and

(7) Score not less than 90 points when scored in accordance with the

scoring system outlined in this subpart.

Frozen cranberries of this grade may contain not more than 5 percent, by

count, of berries that are less than thirteen thirty-seconds of an inch in

diameter.

(b) U.S. Grade B or U.S. Choice is the quality of frozen cranberries that:

(1) Possess a reasonably good color;

(2) Are reasonably free from defects;

(3) Possess a reasonably good character; 

(4) Possess a normal flavor and odor; 

(5) Are of similar varietal characteristics;
3

(6) Have no grit or silt present that affects the appearance or edibility of

the product; and

(7) Score not less than 80 points when scored in accordance with the

scoring system outlined in this subpart.

Frozen cranberries of this grade may contain not more than 5 percent, by

count, of berries that are less than nine thirty-seconds of an inch in diameter.

(c) U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard is the quality of frozen cranberries that:

(1) Possess a fairly good color;

(2) Are fairly free from defects;

(3) Possess a fairly good character; 

(4) Possess a normal flavor and odor; 

(5) Have not more than a trace of grit or silt present that slightly affects

the appearance or edibility of the product; and

(6) Score not less than 70 points when scored in accordance with the

scoring system outlined in this subpart.

(d) Substandard is the quality of frozen cranberries that fail to meet the

requirements of U.S. Grade C.

§52.6283 Sample unit size.

For purposes of evaluating quality factors, the sample unit size is 12 ounces of

cranberries.

§52.6284 Ascertaining the grade of a sample unit.

(a) General. The factors of size, color, defects, and character shall be

evaluated immediately after the product is thawed.

(b) Factors not rated by score points.

(1) Flavor and odor.

(2) Size.
4

(3) Varietal characteristics.

(c) Definitions.

(1) Normal flavor and odor means that the product is free from

objectionable flavors and objectionable odors of any kind.

(2) Diameter means the greatest dimension measures at right angles to

a line from the stem end to blossom end of the berry.

(d) Factors rated by score points. The relative importance of each scoreable

factor is expressed numerically on the scale of 100. The maximum number

of points that may be given such factors are:

Factors Points

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

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

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

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

50

30

 20

100

§52.6285 Ascertaining the rating for the factors which are scored.

The essential variations, within each scoreable factor, 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, 45 to 50 points means, 45, 46, 47,

48, 49, or 50 points).

§52.6286 Color.

(a) General. The color of frozen cranberries refers to:

(1) The characteristic color, the varying degrees of dark red, red, pink,

light pink, tan, yellowish green, and green areas of the outer surface

of the individual cranberry; and

(2) The uniformity of the individual sample unit when viewed as a mass.

(b) Definitions.

(1) Well colored means that 90 percent or more of the surface of the

individual cranberry is a pink or red color characteristic of the variety.
5

(2) Fairly well colored means that 75 percent or more of the surface of

the individual cranberry is a pink or red color characteristic of the

variety.

(3) Poorly colored means that less than 75 percent of the surface of the

individual cranberry is a pink or red color characteristic of the variety,

provided it has some pink or red color.

(4) Uncolored means the surface of the individual cranberry is light

yellow to light green and possesses no area of pink or red color.

(c) "A" classification. Frozen cranberries that possess a good color may be

given a score of 45 to 50 points. Good color means that the color falls

within the limits specified in table I.

(d) "B" classification. Frozen cranberries that possess a reasonably good

color may be given a score of 40 to 44 points. Reasonably good color

means that the color falls within the limits specified in table I. Frozen

cranberries that fall into this classification shall not be graded above U.S.

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

(e) "C" classification. Frozen cranberries that possess a fairly good color may

be given a score of 35 to 39 points. Fairly good color means that the color

falls within the limits specified in Table I. Frozen cranberries that fall 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).

(f) "SStd" classification. Frozen cranberries that fail to meet the requirements

of the (C) classification may be given a score of 0 to 34 points and shall not

be graded above Substandard, regardless of the total score for the product

(this is a limiting rule).
6

Table I-Color Allowances for Frozen Cranberries

Grade A Grade B Grade C 

Good Color Reasonably Good Fairly Good

Color Color

Any condition affecting the overall Not more than Not materially Not seriously

appearance of the sample unit. slightly affected affected. affected.

Maximum number of cranberries within each sample unit

Fairly well-colored and/or poorly

colored ......................... 15 ................. ..............

Fairly well-colored and/or poorly

colored and/or uncolored .......... .............. 30 ..............

Poorly colored and/or uncolored .... .............. ................. 60

Poorly colored ................... 3 10 ..............

Uncolored ...................... None 5 ..............

Well colored ..................... Remainder Remainder ..............

Well colored and/or fairly well colored

.............. ................. Remainder

§52.6287 Defects.

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

harmless extraneous plant material, fine stems, minor blemishes, and major

blemishes, and from any other defects which affect the appearance or

edibility of the product.

(b) Definitions. 

(1) Harmless extraneous plant material means material, such as vines

and leaves, that is part of the cranberry plant or its immediate

environment and that may be reasonably expected to become

incorporated in the finished product.

(2) Minor blemish means discoloration or damage caused by sunscald,

pathological, mechanical, or other means which exceeds in the

aggregate the area of a circle one-eighth of an inch in diameter or

which slightly affects the appearance or edibility of the individual

cranberry, regardless of area.
7

(3) Major blemish means discoloration or damage caused by sunscald,

pathological, mechanical, or other means which exceeds in the

aggregate the area of a circle one-fourth of an inch in diameter or

which materially affects the appearance or edibility of the individual

cranberry, regardless of area.

(4) Fine stem means a stem that attaches the cranberry to the vine,

whether connected or loose, that is three-fourths of an inch or more

in length.

(c) "A" classification. Frozen cranberries that are practically free from defects

may be given a score of 27 to 30 points. Practically free from defects

means that the defects present fall within the limits specified in table II.

(d) "B" classification. Frozen cranberries that are reasonably free from defects

may be given a score of 24 to 26 points. Reasonably free from defects

means that the defects present fall within the limits specified in table

II. Frozen cranberries that fall into this classification shall not be graded

above U.S. Grade B regardless of the total score for the product (this is a

limiting rule).

(e) "C" classification. Frozen cranberries that are fairly free from defects may

be given a score of 21 to 23 points. Fairly free from defects means that the

defects present fall within the limits specified in table II. Frozen cranberries

that fall 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).

(f) "SStd" classification. Frozen cranberries that fail to meet the requirements

of the "C" classification may be given a score of 0 to 20 points and shall not

be graded above Substandard, regardless of the total score for the product

(this is a limiting rule).
8

Table II-Defect Allowances for Frozen Cranberries

Grade A Grade B Grade C

Defects affecting the overall appearance of Not more Not Not

the sample unit. than slightly materially seriously

affected affected. affected.

Maximum in each sample unit

Harmless extraneous plant material ....... 1/8 sq. in. 1/4 sq. in. 1/2 sq. in.

Total-major and minor blemished cranberries 15 25 35

But no more But no more But no more

than than than

Major blemished cranberries ............ 7 10 15

Fine stems ......................... 4 4 No limit

§52.6288 Character.

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

given a score of 18 to 20 points. Good character means that the

cranberries may be slightly soft to moderately firm but not more than 10

cranberries in the sample unit may be mushy or hard.

(b) "B" classification. Frozen cranberries that possess reasonably good

character may be given a score of 16 or 17 points. Reasonably good

character means that the cranberries may be slightly soft to moderately from

but not more than 20 cranberries in the sample unit may be mushy or

hard. Frozen cranberries that fall into this classification shall not be graded

above U.S. Grade B regardless of the total score for the product (this is a

limiting rule).

(c) "C" classification. Frozen cranberries that possess fairly good character

may be given a score of 14 or 15 points. Fairly good character means that

the cranberries may be very soft to very firm but not more than 60

cranberries in the sample unit may be mushy or hard. Frozen cranberries

that fall 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).

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

of the "C" classification 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).
9

§52.6289 Ascertaining the grade of a lot.

The grade of a lot of frozen cranberries 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 (§52.1 to §52.83).

§52.6290 Scoresheet for frozen cranberries.

Size and kind of container .............................................

Container marks or identification ........................................

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

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

Size (percent under. . . .inch) ...........................................

Factors Score Points

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

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

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

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

50 "B" 40-44 _1/

30 "B" 24-26 _1/

 20 "B" 16-17 _1/

100

"A" 45-50

"C" 35-39 _1/

"SStd" 0-34 _1/

"A" 27-30

"C" 21-23 _1/

"SStd" 0-20 _1/

"A" 18-20

"C" 14-15 _1/

"SStd" 0-13 _1/

Flavor and odor .....................................................

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

_1/ Indicates limiting rule

Effective date. These grade standards, which are the first issue by the Department for

frozen cranberries, shall become effective upon date of publication (9-22-71).

Dated: September 15, 1971.

G.R. Grange,

Deputy Administrator,

Marketing Services.

Published in the Federal Register of September 22, 1971 (36 F.R. 18777)