United States

Department of

Agriculture

Agricultural 

Marketing

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Fruit and

Vegetable

Division

Fresh

Products

Branch

United States Standards

for Grades of

Dandelion Greens

Effective February 4, 1955

(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 Dandelion Greens 1

General

51.2585 General. 

Grades

51.2586 U.S. No. 1. 

Unclassified

51.2587 Unclassified. 

Application of Tolerances

51.2588 Application of tolerances. 

51.2589 Basis for calculating percentages. 

Definitions

51.2590 Similar varietal characteristics. 

51.2591 Fresh. 

51.2592 Fairly tender. 

51.2593 Fairly clean. 

51.2594 Well trimmed. 

51.2595 Damage. 

51.2596 Serious damage. 

General

§51.2585 General.

These standards are applicable to dandelion greens consisting of either plants or cut leaves, but

they shall not be applicable to mixtures of plants and cut leaves in the same container. 

Grades

§51.2586 U.S. No. 1.

U.S. No. 1 consists of dandelion greens of similar varietal characteristics which are fresh, fairly

tender, fairly clean, well trimmed, and which are free from decay and free from damage caused by

seedstems, discoloration, freezing, foreign material, disease, insects or mechanical or other means. 

(a) Tolerance for defects. In order to allow for variations incident to proper grading and

handling, other than for mixtures of plants and cut leaves, not more than a total of 10 percent, by

weight, of the units in any lot, may fail to meet the requirements of the grade: Provided, That not

more than one-half of this amount, or 5 percent, shall be allowed for serious damage by any

cause, and including therein not more than 2 percent for decay. (See §51.2589.) 

(b) Tolerances for mixtures of plants and leaves. Not more than 5 percent, by weight, of the

dandelion greens packed as plants, in any lot, may consist of cut leaves or when packed as cut

leaves may consist of plants. (See §51.2589.) 
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Unclassified

§51.2587 Unclassified.

Unclassified consists of dandelion greens which have not been classified in accordance with the

foregoing grade. The term "unclassified" is not a grade within the meaning of these standards but

is provided as a designation to show that no definite grade has been applied to the lot. 

Application of Tolerances

§51.2588 Application of tolerances.

(a) The contents of individual containers in the lot, based on sample inspection, are subject to the

following limitations: Provided, That the averages for the entire lot are within the tolerances

specified. 

(1) When a tolerance is 10 percent or more, individual containers in any lot shall have not more

than one and one-half times the tolerance specified. 

(2) When a tolerance is less than 10 percent, individual containers in any lot shall have not more

than double the tolerance specified: Provided, That at least one specimen which does not meet

the requirements may be permitted in any container. 

§51.2589 Basis for calculating percentages. 

Percentages shall be calculated on the basis of weight or an equivalent basis. In sorting or grading

the sample, the unit shall be the plant or leaf exactly as it occurs in the sample. A plant or portion

of plant shall not be broken to remove the defective portion, but shall be considered as a unit. 

Definitions

§51.2590 Similar varietal characteristics.

"Similar varietal characteristics" means that the dandelion greens shall be of the same general

color and character of growth. No mixture of varieties or types shall be permitted which

materially affects the appearance of the lot. 

§51.2591 Fresh.

"Fresh" means that the greens are not more than slightly wilted. 

§51.2592 Fairly tender. 

"Fairly tender" means that the greens are not old, tough, or excessively fibrous. 

§51.2593 Fairly clean.

"Fairly clean" means that the appearance of the greens is not materially affected by the presence of

mud, dirt, or other foreign material. 

§51.2594 Well trimmed.

"Well trimmed", as applied to plants, means that they are cut at the crown of the root or cut so

that the roots do not extend more than approximately one and one-half inches below the crown. 

§51.2595 Damage.

"Damage" means any defect which materially affects the appearance, or the edible or shipping

quality of the individual unit, or the lot as a whole. Any one of the following defects, or any

combination of defects, the seriousness of which exceeds the maximum allowed for any one

defect, shall be considered as damage: 

(a) Seedstems when more than one-fourth the length of the longest leaf; 

(b) Discoloration when the appearance of the unit is materially affected by discoloration; and, 

(c) Mechanical damage when the unit is badly crushed, torn, or broken. 
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§51.2596 Serious damage.

"Serious damage" means any defect which seriously affects the appearance, or the edible or

shipping quality of the individual unit, or the lot as a whole. Any one of the following defects, or

any combination of defects, the seriousness of which exceeds the maximum allowed for any one

defect, shall be considered as serious damage: 

(a) Insects when the unit is noticably infested or when it is serious damaged by them; 

(b) Discoloration when the unit is badly discolored; and, 

(c) Decay.