SCORING GUIDE FOR PITS IN FROZEN RTP CHERRIES ~~

&

NUMBER OF 20-OUNCE SAMPLE UNITS

12



Frozen RTP Cherries
June 1977

CONDITION OF THE PRODUCT (CONTINUATION)
4. Off-odors; or

5. Condition of the container, such as staining, leakage,
serious denting, double-seam damage, loose can or drum
covers, and torn or damaged polyethylene liners; or

6. Flakes of paint or other foreign material on top of the
cherries or "sugar cap" of large containers; or

7. Used containers.

Except for IQF cherries, “coning" or "mounding" is expected in
properly frozen cherries packed in large containers. Absence of
this condition indicates improper freezing. Occasionally, buyers
request that the “sugar cap" of large drums not be disturbed by
sampling. Inspection is accomplished only by sample units drawn
from the processing line. Follow Branch instructions for
certification of line-check sample units. Also, some buyers
request that containers opened for sampling be identified by some
official mark.

SPECIAL PROCEDURES

Net weight determination of large containers is usually omitted
under lot inspection unless specifically requested by the
applicant. Net weight is recorded as part of the fruit to sugar
ratio determination under in-plant inspection. The ratio of

fruit to sugar is not certified unless these detailed records are
maintained during packing operations. Drained weight determination
4s not ordinarily made on frozen cherries. It is time consuming.
Thawing is extremely critical for IQF cherries. Don't thaw more
sample units than can possibly be graded in a reasonable period

of time.


desn

Frozen RIP Cherries
June 1977

DEFECTS (CONTINUATION)
Seald.

Don't score "scald" as a defect. Score it under the factor of
color.

Mutilated cherry.

Don't count a cherry that is pitter-torn and held together as one
unit by a thin piece of flesh or skin. Score only cherries with
the entire pit cavity exposed.

Foreign material.

Cherries are susceptible to damage from insects and decay. Visible
decay is ordinarily removed during sorting. Maggots are much more
difficult to find and it is extremely difficult to remove them.
Examine frozen cherries for maggot infestation and presence of
decay. Consider these two types of defects twice. First, as
blemished cherries. Second, as unavoidable defects in processed
cherries (File Code 172).

Rarmlese extraneous material.

This requirement is limited to the 20-ounce sample unit. Do not
intentionally pick HEM from a large container and include it in

the sample unit. Evaluate compliance with the allowance for HEM

on the basis of all the HEM in the sample. Evaluate all of the
sample units in the sample for HEM and total the weight (cumulative)
of all of the sample units. Divide the number of pieces of HEM
(total pieces in the entire sample) into the cumulative weight of
all of the sample units in the sample. This figure represents the
average HEM found in the sample. Apply it to the allowance in
Table I of the U.S. standards.

Example.

3 pieces of HEM in 6 sample units.

6 X 20 oze _ 120
3,pieces — > = 1 piece of HEM per 40 ounces.


Frozen RTP Cherries
June 1977

COLOR (CONTINUATION)

Oxidation of the top layer (continuation).

2.

By count, based on a sample unit taken from below the
layer of scoreable oxidation, calculate the percentage
of cherries in the remainder of the container that is
scoreable against color. Multiply this percentage by
the percentage of cherries in the container under the
layer of oxidation (obtain by subtracting the percentage
obtained in "1" (above) from 100 percent); and

The sum of the two percentages in "1" and "2" (above) is
the percentage of the cherries in the entire container
which is scoreable as varying markedly from the typical
color.

Ezampte.

If the depth of cherries in the container ©

is 15 inches and the depth of cherries 100

percent oxidized is 3 inches, the percentage

of oxidized cherries of the entire container

is (3 + 15 X 100)----------~-------------~----20% of total.

If the cherries in the sample unit. (below the

oxidized top layer) scoreable against color

is 3 percent, then 3 percent of the remaining

80 percent (80 K .03)------------- 93-922 2.4% of total.

The sum of the percentages obtained in "1"
and "2" (above) is (20 + 2.4)----------------- 22.4% of total.

Color requirements.

Cherries that are properly ripened for freezing will range in color
from bright cherry-red to dark-red. The fruit retains these
characteristics when quickly frozen and kept frozen. The following
cherries fail color requirements:

1.

2.

3.

Cherries that have a distinct yellow-brown cast that is
characteristic of oxidation due to scald. These are
usually the least red cherries;

Cherries that are dull due to bruising and oxidation; and
Undercolored cherries. Score all cherries that are less
red than the USDA Color Guide as "undercolored.” It's

not possible to exactly match the color of the cherry
with the color of the guide.

5


Frozen RTP Cherries
June 1977

ORDER OF SCORING QUALITY FACTORS IN A SAMPLE UNIT

Adjust the sample unit to 20-ounces of drained cherries. Score
the quality factors as follows:

1. Select 100 cherries from the 20-ounces;
a. Score color;
b. Determine size;
c. Score defects (other than HEM);
2. Use the entire 20-ounces;
a. Score character;
b. Determine HEM;
ce. Determine flavor; and
d. Score pits.
COLOR
The typical color of frozen RIP cherries is different from canned
RTP cherries. The color of frozen cherries is similar to fresh
cherries. Each individual cherry retains its color characteristics.
Score color immediately after thawing when the cherries are easily
separated and the surface is free of ice and sugar. Do not go
back and correct color scores after the sample units have been
setting on the grading table. Proper sampling techniques are
required to produce representative color scores. Sample units
drawn from the top layer of large containers are not representative

and seriously downgrade the product.

Oxidation of the top layer of cherries in large containers.

Discoloration due to oxidation occurs on the top layer of cherries
packed in large containers. Consider discoloration insignificant
when it is slight and affects only the extreme top layer. If
discoloration is severe, or the depth is sufficient to affect a
large number of cherries, consider the top layer of oxidation in
the overall color score. Use the following method to determine the
color score:

1. Measure the depth of fruit which is 100 percent oxidized.
Divide this figure by the depth of fruit in the container.
The result is the percentage of fruit in the entire
container that is affected by scoreable oxidation;

4



Frozen RIP Cherries
June 1977

SIZE

Small cherries are removed with a size grading device. Normal
cherries are large in size. Small cherries are uncommon unless
the growing season has been affected by bad weather. Size is

a@ prerequisite to all grades above grade C, Determine size
only on "suspect" cherries. "Plump-out" the pitted cherry to
its approximate original shape. Measure the diameter at right
angles to the pitter axis. Do not force cherries through the
circular openings in the measuring plate. Determine whether the
"plumped-out" cherry does or does not fill the opening in the
plate. Don't count questionable cherries.

Sample units that fail size requirements for grade A, but are
acceptable for grade B, are considered with other quality deviants
and allowed in a grade A sample in accordance with the "Regulations."

Sample units that fail size requirements for grade B are considered
with other quality deviants and allowed in a grade B sample in
accordance with the "Regulations." Sample units that fail size
requirements for grade B are worse-than-a-deviant in a grade A
sample.

DEFECTS

The factor of defects is an evaluation of the cherries’ growing
season, harvest, and preparation for processing (workmanship).

Bad weather during the growing and ripening season, abuse during
the harvest, and poor processing affect the amount of defective
fruit. The U.S. standards allow a specified number of defects in
each grade classification. The standards do not include an overall
sample unit appearance requirement with respect to defects. A
defect is either scoreable against the allowance provided in

Table I of the U.S. standards or it is not considered. Do not
downgrade the sample unit because of numerous insignificant defects.

Minor blemished cherry.

A skin blemish, 9/32-inch or less in diameter, is either scoreable
or insignificant. Score the blemish if it "more than slightly"
affects the appearance of the cherry. Consider small, light-colored
skin blemishes insignificant.

Aggregate area.

The U.S. standards include “aggregate area" in both "minor blemished
cherry" and “blemished cherry". Interpret "aggregate area" as all

of the blemished areas on each individual cherry and their relationship
to the area of a circle 9/32-inch in diameter.



{

USDA! INSTRUCTIONS FOR INSPECTION

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RED TART
PITTED CHERRIES

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For Use of USDA Processed Products Inspectors

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE
FRUIT AND VEGETABLE DIVISION
PROCESSED PRODUCTS STANDARDIZATION AND INSPECTION BRANCH

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Frozen RTP Cherries
June 1977

FLAVOR

Normal flavor is a prerequisite to all grades above Substandard.
Grade “off-flavor," but edible, sample units Substandard. Include
deviants to normal flavor and odor with other quality deviants.
Consider inedible sample units as ‘“worse-than-a-deviant."

PIT MATERIAL

The pit material allowance is based on a 20-ounce sample unit.
Evaluate compliance with the pit material allowance on the basis
of all of the 20-ounce sample units in the sample. Do not score
individual sample units that contain the pits lower than sample
units that contain zero pits.

Procedure for detecting pit material.

Examine each sample unit for pit material. Use the following
procedure:

1, Arrange cherries in a single layer on the grading tray}

2. Press each cherry with the finger tips, or suitable
device to detect all pit material; .

3. Repeat "1" and "2" (above) until all pit material is
found; and

4. Record the pit material on the score sheet.

Pitting deviants.

Sample units that contain not more than 2 pits are allowed in
grade A. Not more than 3 pits are allowed in grade B. And any
number are allowed in grade C. The sample average must meet the
allowance for the specific grade classification. .

Sample units that fail the allowance for grade A, but are acceptable
for grade B, are considered with other quality deviants and allowed
in a grade A sample in accordance with the "Regulations."

Sample units that fail the individual allowance for grade B are
considered with other quality deviants and allowed in a grade B
sample in accordance with the “Regulations.”

Any number of pits are allowed in a grade C sample unit. A grade

C sample unit is "worse-than-a-deviant”TM in a grade A sample and is
allowed per Branch instructions.

10



ty

Frozen RTP Cherries
June 1977 me

DEFECTS (CONTINUATION)

Harmless extraneous material (continuation).

Assigning score pointe for HEM.

1.

3.

Sample units free of HEM. Assign the score point value
to each sample unit which does not contain HEM based
on all defects other than HEM. Do not adjust this
score point value regardless of the HEM average for
the total sample.

Sample units which contain HEM. Leave the defect score
blank on each sample unit which contains HEM until the
sample is averaged. Then assign 17 points if HEM fails
the requirements of grade A or 15 points if it fails
grade B. If the average meets grade A give 18 points
or bottom grade A.

Grade of a lot. The relationship of total HEM vs total
sample, not the number of deviants, determines the
grade of the lot, unless downgraded by other factors.

Assigning score points for defects other than HEM.

Total defects Blemished Score points
(Mutilated + minor blemished +

blemished)

0-1-2-3 1 ; 20
4-5-6-7 2 19
8-9-10 3 18
11-12-13 4-5 17
14-15 6-7 16
16-17-18 8-9-10-11 15
19-20 12-13-14-15 14
21 or more 16 or more 13 or less


Frozen RTP Cherries

June 1977
&
3
COLOR (CONTINUATION)
Assigning score points for color.
Score points Number of cherries that fail color Overall color
+
30 1, 2, 3
29 4, 5, 6 Bright
\ and
28 7, 8,9 practically uniform
27 to, 11, 12 J
26 13,14)
Reasonably bright
25 15, 16 and
reasonably uniform
24 17, 18
23 19, 20, 21‘)
Fairly bright
~ 22 22, 23 and
‘4 . : fairly uniform
v 221 24, 25
20 or less 26 or more “Off-color"
CHARACTER
Consider firmness and meatiness of flesh, toughness, and rubberyness
in evaluation of character.
Character requirements.
Grade A. Score character grade A when the fruit is thick-fleshed
and well-ripened.
Grade B. Score character grade B when the fruit is lacking in
fleshiness but not thin-fleshed;
Grade C. Score character grade C when the fruit is (1) collapsed;
(2) soft; (3) flabby; (4) thin-fleshed; or slightly tough.
Substandard. Score character Substandard when the fruit is _
(1) mushy; (2) leathery; (3) totally immature; or (4) objectionable.
t



Frozen RTP Cherries
June 1977 .

SAMPLING

Use suitable equipment to sample frozen cherries. First, wear
protective clothing inside the cold storage. Next, select the
number of containers for the sample and move them to a safe, warm
working area. Use a special cover remover for 30-pound cans and

a hammer, wrench, and bar to uncover steel drums. A hammer, steel
chisel, and small scoop are useful to loosen frozen cherries and
remove them from the container. Place each sample unit in a poly-
ethylene bag or other clean, suitable container. Place the poly
bags in an insulated chest. Use dry ice in the chest if the sample
units are transported considerable distance. This is especially
important with IQF cherries because partial thawing may oxidize the
cherries and affect the final grade. When only a portion of the
contents are removed from any large container, carefully select the
sample unit to be representative. A sample unit scraped from the
entire top layer of a large container is worthless.

SAMPLE UNIT
A sample unit is as follows:
1. The entire contents of a container; or
2. A portion of the contents of a container; or
3. A combination of the contents of two or more containers; or
4. A portion of unpacked product.

Each sample unit must contain 100 cherries and weigh at least 20
ounces. Sample enough cherries to satisfy each requirement.

CONDITION OF THE PRODUCT
Record the general appearance of the product and container. Note
any abnormal condition on the certificate of sampling. Some of
the conditions found in frozen cherries are as follows:
1. Excessive ice in the container; or
2. Severe oxidation of the top layer of cherries which
indicates possible thawing and refreezing or slow
initial freezing; or

3. "“Slack-filled" containers; or


SCORING GUIDE FOR PIT:

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13


’rozen RIP Cherries
. June 1977

GENERAL INFORMATION

The largest growing area for red tart cherries is the Great Lakes
region with Michigan leading all states. Other growing areas are:
Washington, Oregon, California, Utah, Colorado, New York, and
Wisconsin. Montmorency is the leading variety grown for processing.

Cherries are ready to harvest when the fruit is red and the stem
detaches easily from the pit. Mechanical harvesting (shaking) has
replaced hand picking. Harvesters shake the fruit from the tree
onto a fabric apron. Mechanically harvested cherries contain
immature fruit mixed with fully-ripened fruit. The sugar content
of immature cherries is low. Since sugar retards oxidation, the
poor color and character of immature cherries.is noticeable in the
finished product. After cherries are removed from the tree they
are placed in cold water to prevent scalding (discoloration).
Cherries are delivered to the processing plant in water. For this
reason, cherries are bought by volume.

Mechanically harvested cherries contain many attached stems. A

stemming operation is necessary. Stems are classified as harmless

extraneous material if they are included in the frozen cherries.

Incoming cherries receive some type of inspection prior to proc-

essing. The processor usually rejects cherries with maggot infes-
_ tation.

Cherries are held in large soak tanks of cold water to firm the
fruit prior to pitting and processing. Improperly firmed fruit is
easily “pitter torn." Cherries are flumed from the soaking tank

to a sorting belt. Sorting personnel remove the most obvious defects,
such as damaged fruit, loose pits, stems, and foliage. Electric-eye
sorting equipment is used to reject defective cherries. However,

the same machine cannot reject both dark and light colored individual
cherries at a given setting. Cherries usually go directly to the
final container after pitting and sorting. Bulk containers comprise
the volume of the frozen cherry pack with 30-pound cans and polyeth-
ylene-lined steel drums used for this purpose.

Cherries are normally covered with sugar and/or sirup to provide

a barrier to inhibit oxidation. Cans and drums are covered and
moved into cold storage. Quick freezing is desirable to prevent
deterioration. In some processing plants, the cold storage facil-
ity”is too small to hold all of the filled containers at the peak
of the season. Excess containers are often trucked considerable
distance to reach commercial cold storage facilities. Cherries are
also packed IQF (Individually Quick Frozen). This process freezes
the fruit quickly and it is packed "€rec-flowing" without a packing
medium. IQF cherries are bright in color but discolor quickly after

a thawing.

ORES PIGS IRA CRT NN ETRE H pe



PREFACE

These instructions are designed primarily for Processed Fruit
and Vegetable Inspectors of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
They are not intended to be a comprehensive treatise on the
subject but give background information and guidelines to
assist in the uniform application and interpretation of USDA
grade standards and other similar specifications.

These instructions are revised as necessary without public
notice and no mailing list is maintained as public advisory
of such changes.

The citation of any data, criteria, techniques, illustrations,
copyrighted material, or pictorial representation accredited
to private authorship is used with the permission of the
individuals or sources cited. Unless a specific accreditation
is referenced, the information herein has been compiled and/or
developed from sources available to the public as well as from
technical knowledge of personnel in the Department.

Compliance with the suggested guidelines and other pertinent
information herein does not excuse any one from fatlure to

comply with the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act or any
other applicable Federal or State laws and/or regulations.

Except for official USDA inspection aids or devices and color
guides (or standards) produced under license of the Department,
the mention of any supplier, patented device, product, brand=
name, or equipment does not imply endorsement by the Department
over any other similar, or equally effective, material.

Information contained in this instruction is available to the
public. Inquiries as to availability of portions of this
instruction and copying or reproduction privileges should ‘be
addressed to:

Chief
Processed Products Standardization
and Inspection Branch
Fruit and Vegetable Division, AMS
U.S. Department of Agriculture
. Washington, DC 20250


June 1977

PIT MATERIAL (CONTINUATION)

Assigning score points for pite.

Examine all of the sample units for pit material. Determine the
score point value for the sample and assign the same score point
value to each sample unit (assign the same score to pitting deviants
as other sample units). Assign score points for pit material as
follows:

Score points Maximum number of pits in the total sample
20 1 per 120-ounces or over
19 1 per 80-ounces
18 1 per 40-ounces
17 1 per 35-ounces
16 1 per 30-ounces
15 1 per 25-ounces
14 1 per 20-ounces
13 or less 1 per 19-ounces or less

Use the scoring guide as follows:

1. Determine the number of pits in the total sample and
find this point on the vertical axis;

2. Determine the number of 20-ounce sample unite in the
total sample and find this point on the horizontal axis: and

3. Assign the score point where lines from the points on the
two axes intersect. Give a borderline sample the higher
score point.

Example.
Pits Number of sample units Score points
Ly 38 20
3 18
11 21- 17

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NUMBER OF 20-OUNCE SAMPLE UNITS

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