United States

Department of

Agriculture

Agricultural

Marketing

Service

Fruit and

Vegetable

Division

Processed

Products 

Branch

United States

Standards for

Grades of 

Canned Apples

Effective October 17, 1953
This is the fourth issue of the United States Standards for Grades of Canned Apples

published in the FEDERAL REGISTER of September 16, 1953 (18 FR 5525) to

become effective October 17, 1953. This issue supersedes the third issue, which

has been in effect since November 1, 1943.

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 by 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 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:

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

CANNED APPLES

EFFECTIVE OCTOBER 17, 1953

Sec. Page No.

52.2161 Product description. 2

52.2162 Styles of canned apples. 2

52.2163 Grades of canned apples. 2

52.2164 Recommended fill of container. 2

52.2165 Recommended minimum drained weights. 3

52.2166 Ascertaining the grade. 4

52.2167 Ascertaining the rating for the factors which are scored. 4

52.2168 Color. 4

52.2169 Uniformity of size. 5

52.2170 Absence of defects. 5

52.2171 Character. 7

52.2172 Ascertaining the grade of a lot. 7

52.2173 Score sheet for canned apples. 8

Authority: Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, Sec. 203, 205, 60 Stat. 1087, 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

§52.2161 Product description.

Canned apples is the product prepared from sound, fresh apples of proper maturity and

proper ripeness, which fruit is packed with or without any of the following ingredients: 

Water, salt, spices, nutritive sweetening ingredients, and any other ingredients

permissible under the provision of the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, and is

sufficiently processed by heat to assure preservation of the product in hermetically

sealed containers.

§52.2162 Styles of canned apples.

Sliced means canned apples consisting of segments of apples cut longitudinally and

radially from the core axis.

§52.2163 Grades of canned apples.

(a) U.S. Grade A or U.S. Fancy is the quality of canned apples that possess

similar varietal characteristics; that possess a normal flavor and odor; that

possess a good color; that are practically uniform in size; that are

practically free from defects; that possess a good character; and that

score not less than 85 points when scored in accordance with the scoring

system outlined in this subpart: Provided, that the canned apples may be

fairly uniform in size, if the total score is not less than 85 points.

(b) U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard is the quality of canned apples that

possess similar varietal characteristics; that possess a normal flavor and

odor; that possess a fairly good color; that are fairly uniform in size; that

are fairly free from defects; that possess a fairly good character; and that

score not less than 70 points when scored in accordance with the scoring

system outlined in this subpart.

(c) Substandard is the quality of canned apples that fail to meet the

requirements of U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard.

§52.2164 Recommended fill of container.

The recommended fill of container is not incorporated in the grades of the finished

product since fill of container, as such, is not a factor of quality for the purposes of

these grades. It is recommended that each container be filled with apples as full as

practicable without impairment of quality and that the product and packing medium

occupy not less than 90 percent of the volume of the container.
3

§52.2165 Recommended minimum drained weights.

(a) Minimum drained weight recommendations for canned apples shown in

Table I of this paragraph are not incorporated in the grades of the finished

product since drained weight, as such, is not a factor of quality for the

purposes of these grades. The drained weight of canned apples is

determined by emptying the contents of the container upon a United

States Standard No. 8 circular sieve of proper diameter containing 8

meshes to the inch (0.0937-inch, ±3% square openings) so as to

distribute the product evenly, inclining the sieve slightly to facilitate

drainage, and allowing to drain for two minutes. The drained weight is the

weight of the sieve and the apples less the weight of the dry sieve. A

sieve of 8 inches in diameter is used for No. 3 size cans (404 x 414) and

smaller, and a sieve 12 inches in diameter is used for containers larger

than the No. 3 size can.

TABLE I - RECOMMENDED MINIMUM DRAINED WEIGHTS

Can size

Can dimensions

(in inches)

Drained

weight

(in ounces) Diameter Height

No. 303

No. 2

No. 2-1/2

No. 10

3-3/16

3-7/16

4-1/16

6-3/16

4- 6/16

4- 9/16

 4-11/16 

 7 

14

18

26

96

(b) Compliance with the recommended drained weights for canned apples is

determined by averaging the drained weights from all the containers

which are representative of a specific lot and such lot is considered as

meeting the recommendation if:

(1) The average drained weight from all the containers meets the

recommended drained weight;

(2) One half or more of the containers meet the recommended drained

weight; and

(3) The drained weights from the containers which do not meet the

recommended drained weights are within the range of variability for

good commercial practice.
4

§52.2166 Ascertaining the grade.

(a) The grade of canned apples is ascertained by considering the

requirements with respect to varietal characteristics, flavor, and odor,

which are not scored and the factors of color, uniformity of size, absence

of defects, and character which are scored.

(b) The relative importance of each factor which is scored is expressed

numerically on the scale of 100. The maximum number of points that may

be given such factors are:

Factors Points

Color ............................................... . 20

Uniformity of size ........................................ 20

Absence of defects ...................................... 20

Character .............................................. 40 

Total score .................................. 100 

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

objectionable flavors and objectionable odors of any kind.

§52.2167 Ascertaining the rating for the factors which are scored.

The essential variations within each factor which is scored are so described that the

value may be ascertained for such factors and expressed numerically. The numerical

range within each factor which is scored is inclusive (for example "17 to 20 points"

means 17, 18, 19, or 20 points).

§52.2168 Color.

(a) "A" classification. Canned apples that possess a good color may be

given a score of 17 to 20 points. Good color means that the slices,

internally and externally, possess a reasonably uniform bright color,

characteristic of apples of similar varieties.

(b) "C" classification. If the canned apples possess a fairly good color, a

score of 14 to 16 points may be given. Canned apples that fall into this

classification shall not be graded above U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard,

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

good color means that the slices possess a color characteristic of apples

of similar varieties; may vary noticeably in color; may possess a slight, but

not markedly, brown, pink, or grey cast; and are practically free from

internal discoloration.
5

(c) "SStd" classification. Canned apples that fail to meet the requirements

of paragraph (b) of this section 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).

§52.2169 Uniformity of size.

(a) General. The factor of uniformity of size refers to the degree of

wholeness and to the uniformity of thickness of the slices.

(1) Practically whole slice means that the individual slice may be cut

or broken but at least three-fourths of the apparent original slice

remains.

(b) "A" classification. Canned apples that are practically uniform in size

may be given a score of 17 to 20 points. Practically uniform in size

means that at least 90 percent of the drained weight of the product

consists of whole or practically whole slices of 1-1/4 inches in length or

longer; and that of the 90 percent of the drained weight of the product

consisting of units of the most uniform thickness, the thickness of the

slices does not vary more than 1/4 inch.

(c) "C" classification. Canned apples that are fairly uniform in size may be

given a score of 14 to 16 points. Fairly uniform in size means that at

least 75 percent of the drained weight of the product consists of whole or

practically whole slices of 1-1/4 inches in length or longer.

(d) "SStd" classification. Canned apples that fail to meet the requirements

of paragraph (c) of this section 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).

§52.2170 Absence of defects.

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

freedom from harmless extraneous matter, from damaged or seriously

damaged slices, and from carpel tissue.

(1) Harmless extraneous matter means any vegetable

substance (including, but not being limited to, a leaf, stem,

or portions thereof, cores and portions of cores, and seeds)

that is harmless.
6

(2) Damaged unit means any unit possessing green peel that

exceeds in the aggregate an area of a circle 1/2 inch in

diameter, or red peel that exceeds in the aggregate an area

of a circle 1/4 inch in diameter, light brown bruise that

exceeds the area of a circle 1/2 inch in diameter or which is

more than 1/4 inch deep, and any unit in which the

appearance or eating quality is materially affected by

blossom end material, dark brown bruise or other internal or

external discoloration, pathological injury, insect injury, or by

any other means.

(3) Seriously damaged unit means any unit damaged to such

an extent that the appearance or eating quality is seriously

affected.

(4) Practically free from carpel tissue means that for each 16

ounces of the product, the carpel tissue present does not

exceed in the aggregate an area equal to 3/4 square inch.

(5) Fairly free from carpel tissue means that for each 16

ounces of the product, the carpel tissue present does not

exceed an area equal to 1-1/2 square inches.

(b) "A" classification. Canned apples that are practically free from defects

may be given a score of 17 to 20 points. Practically free from defects

means that extraneous matter may be present that does not materially

affect the appearance or eating quality of the product; that the product is

practically free from carpel tissue; and that not more than a total of 5

percent, by weight, of the units may be damaged of which not more than 1

percent, by weight, of all the units may be serious damaged: Provided,

that extraneous matter, damaged and seriously damaged units, singly or

in combination, do not materially affect the appearance or eating quality

of the product.

(c) "C" classification. Canned apples that are fairly free from defects may

be given a score of 14 to 16 points. Canned apples that fall into this

classification shall not be graded above U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard,

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

free from defects means that extraneous matter may be present that

does not seriously affect the appearance or eating quality of the product;

that the product is fairly free from carpel tissue; and that not more than a

total of 15 percent, by weight, of the units may be damaged of which not

more than 3 percent, by weight, of all the units may be seriously

damaged: Provided, that extraneous matter, damaged and seriously

damaged units, singly or in combination, do not seriously affect the

appearance or eating quality of the product.
7

(d) "SStd" classification. Canned apples that fail to meet the requirements

of paragraph (c) of this section 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).

§52.2171 Character.

(a) General. The factor of character refers to the texture of the slices and to

the tendency to retain their conformation without material softening or

disintegration.

(1) Mushy apples means slices or portions thereof that are a pulpy

mass and of a consistency approximating applesauce.

(b) "A" classification. Canned apples that possess a good character may

be given a score of 34 to 40 points. Good character means that the

slices possess a reasonably tender texture, and that not more than 5

percent of the drained weight of the product consists of mushy apples.

(c) "C" classification. Canned apples that possess a fairly good character

may be given a score of 28 to 33 points. Canned apples that fall into this

classification shall not be graded above U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard,

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

good character means that the slices may be variable in texture, with not

more that 15 percent of the drained weight of the product consisting of

slices that are markedly hard, markedly soft, or mushy.

(d) "SStd" classification. Canned apples that fail to meet the requirements

of paragraph (c) of this section may be given a score of 0 to 27 points and

shall not be graded above Substandard, regardless of the total score for

the product (this is a limiting rule).

§52.2172 Ascertaining the grade of a lot.

The grade of a lot of canned apples, covered by these standards is determined by the

procedures found in the "Regulations Governing Inspection and Certification of

Processed Fruits and Vegetables and Related Products" (7 CFR 52.1 through 52.83).
8

§52.2173 Score sheet for canned apples.

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

Container mark or identification ..........................................................

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

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

Vacuum readings (in inches) ............................................................

Drained weight (ounces) ................................................................

Factors Score Points

"A" 17 - 20 

I. Color 20 "C" 14 - 16 _1/

"SStd" 0 - 13 _1/

"A" 17 - 20 

II. Uniformity of size 20 "C" 14 - 16 

"SStd" 0 - 13 _1/

"A" 17 - 20 

III. Absence of defects 20 "C" 14 - 16 _1/

"SStd" 0 - 13 _1/

"A" 34 - 40 

IV. Character of fruit 40 "C" 28 - 33 _1/

Total Score 100 "SStd" 0 - 27 _1/

Normal flavor and odor .................................................................

U.S. Grade ...........................................................................

_1/ Indicates limiting rule.

Recodified in the Federal Register of December 9, 1953 (18 FR 8073) -- Section

52.2172 amended May 22, 1957 (22 FR 3535).