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United States Standards

for Grades of

Italian Type Tomatoes

for Canning

Effective May 7, 1957

(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 Italian Type Tomatoes for Canning 1

General

51.2976 General.

Grades

51.2977 U.S. No. 1.

51.2978 U.S. No. 2.

Culls

51.2979 Culls.

Minimum Size

51.2980 Minimum size.

Definitions

51.2981 Firm.

51.2982 Well colored.

51.2983 Fairly well formed.

51.2984 Damage.

51.2985 Fairly well colored.

51.2986 Serious damage. 

General 

§51.2976 General. 

These standards are applicable only to Italian type tomatoes which are to be processed as whole

tomatoes. 

Grades 

§51.2977 U.S. No. 1. 

"U.S. No. 1'' consists of tomatoes which are firm, well colored, fairly well formed and free from

mold and decay and free from damage caused by growth cracks, sunscald, freezing injury, disease,

insects or mechanical or other means. (See §51.2980.) 

§51.2978 U.S. No. 2. 

"U.S. No. 2'' consists of tomatoes which are firm, fairly well colored and free from serious

damage by any cause. (See §51.2980.) 

Culls 

§51.2979 Culls. 

 "Culls'' are tomatoes which fail to meet the requirements of either of the foregoing grades. 

Minimum Size 

§51.2980 Minimum size. 

The minimum size may be fixed by agreement between buyer and seller. Tomatoes below any

specified minimum size shall be classed as culls. Size should be expressed in terms of diameter
2

measured in inches and fractions of inches. Diameter is the greatest dimension of the tomato

measured at right angles to a line running from the stem end to the blossom end. 

Definitions 

§51.2981 Firm. 

"Firm" means that the tomato is not soft, puffy, shriveled or watersoaked. 

§51.2982 Well colored. 

"Well colored" means that 90 percent or more of the outer surface of the flesh of the tomato has

red color characteristic of a well ripened tomato. 

§51.2983 Fairly well formed. 

"Fairly well formed" means that the tomato is not decidedly flattened, lopsided, angular or

otherwise decidedly misshapen. 

§51.2984 Damage. 

"Damage" means any defect which materially affects the edible or processing quality of the

tomato. The following shall be considered as damage: 

(a) Any defect of the side wall of the tomato which more than slightly affects the appearance of

the outer surface or necessitates trimming to the extent that an opening through the wall results;

or, 

(b) Any defect affecting the stem end or blossom end of the tomato which when removed will

cause a loss of more than 5 percent of the total weight of the tomato exclusive of the peel. 

§51.2985 Fairly well colored. 

"Fairly well colored" means that at least two-thirds of the outer surface of the flesh of the tomato

has red color characteristic of a fairly well ripened tomato. 

§51.2986 Serious damage.

"Serious damage" means any defect which seriously affects the edible or processing quality of the

tomato, or which when removed will cause a loss of more than 10 percent of the total weight of

the tomato exclusive of the peel.