Distribution: FGIS, OSP Originating Office: PPMAB, FMD

United States Department of Agriculture

Agricultural Marketing Service

Federal Grain Inspection Service

U.S. Standards July 2023

UNITED STATES STANDARDS FOR LENTILS 

Compliance with the provisions of these standards does not excuse failure to comply with the 

provisions of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, or other Federal laws.

CONTENTS

TERMS DEFINED..................................................................................................................................................................... 1

PRINCIPLES GOVERNING THE APPLICATION OF STANDARDS......................................................................................... 2

GRADES, GRADE REQUIREMENTS, AND GRADE DESIGNATIONS.................................................................................... 3

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Official U.S. Standards for Lentils July 2023

Page 1 

TERMS DEFINED

601 Definitions.

For the purposes of these standards the following terms shall have the meaning stated below.

(a) Class. There is one class: Lentils.

(b) Contrasting Lentils. Lentils that differ substantially in size or color from the predominating lentil type.

(c) Damaged Lentils. Whole and pieces of lentils which are distinctly damaged by frost, weather, disease, heat 

(other than to a material extent), immature, or other causes, (except weevil or material heat damage) or are 

distinctly soiled or stained by nightshade, dirt, or toxic material.

(d) Defective Lentils (Total). The categories of defective lentils shall be weevil damaged lentils, heat-damaged 

lentils, damaged lentils, and split lentils.

(e) Distinctly Low Quality. Whole lentils which are obviously of inferior quality because they are stained by an 

unknown foreign substance; or because they otherwise contain a known toxic substance(s) or an unknown 

foreign substance(s); or because they are in an unusual state or condition, and which cannot be graded by use 

of the other grading factors provided in the standards.

(f) Dockage. Small underdeveloped lentils, pieces of lentils, and all matter other than lentils which can be readily 

removed by use of sieves and cleaning devices as set forth in the Pea and Lentil Handbook (see 606).

(g) Dockage-Free Lentils. Lentils from which the dockage has been removed.

(h) Fair Color Lentils. Lentils that are lightly to moderately discolored from storage or other causes to the extent 

they cannot be considered of good color.

(i) Foreign Material in Dockage-Free Lentils. All matter other than lentils and including detached seedcoats.

(j) Foreign Material in Thresher-Run Lentils. All matter other than lentils, and including detached seedcoats, which 

cannot be readily removed in the proper determination of dockage.

(k) Good Color Lentils. Lentils that are practically free from discoloration and have the uniform natural color and 

appearance characteristics of the predominating lentil type.

(l) Heat-Damaged Lentils. Whole and pieces of lentils which have been materially discolored as a result 

of heating.

(m) Immature lentils. Lentils that do not have a traditional lens-shaped profile due to immaturity. 

Immature lentils are characterized as having a thin or flat (wafer-like), wrinkled, and misshapen 

appearance. Lentils may also be discolored.

(n) Inconspicuous Admixture. Any seed which is difficult to distinguish from a lentil, including, but not 

limited to, Vicia sativa.

(o) Lentils. Threshed seeds of the lentil plant (Lens culinaris Medik), which after removal of the dockage, contain 

50.0 percent or more of whole lentils and not more than 10.0 percent foreign material.

(p) Poor Color Lentils. Lentils that are severally discolored from storage or other causes to the extent they cannot 

be considered of fair color.

(q) Skinned Lentils. Lentils from which three fourths or more of the seedcoat has been removed.

(r) Split Lentils. Pieces of lentils which are less than three fourths of a lentil, and lentils in which the cotyledons are 

loosely held together.

(s) Stones. Concreted earthy or mineral matter, and other substances of similar hardness that do not readily 

disintegrate in water.

(t) Thresher-Run Lentils. Lentils from which the dockage has not been removed.

(u) Weevil-Damaged Lentils. Whole and pieces of lentils which are distinctly damaged by weevils or other insects.

(v) Whole Lentils. Lentils with one-fourth or less of the cotyledons removed and with the remainder of the 

cotyledons firmly held together.
 

Official U.S Standards for Lentils July 2023

Page 2 

(w) Wrinkled Lentils. Wrinkled lentils shall be sound lentils that are substantially wrinkled on at least 50 percent of 

one side.

(x) 9/64 Round-Hole Sieve. A metal sieve 0.0319 inch thick, perforated with round holes 0.1406 (9/64) inch in 

diameter which are 0.1875 (3/16) inch from center to center. (The perforations of each row shall be staggered 

in relation to the adjacent rows.)

(y) 12/64 Round-Hole Sieve. A metal sieve 0.0319 inch thick, perforated with round holes 0.1875 (12/64) inch in 

diameter, which are 0.250 (1/4) inch from center to center. (The perforations of each row shall be staggered in 

relation to the adjacent rows.)

(z) 15/64 Round-Hole Sieve. A metal sieve 0.0319 inch thick, perforated with round holes 0.2343 (15/64) inch in 

diameter, which are 0.3125 (5/16) inch from center to center. (The perforations of each row shall be staggered 

in relation to the adjacent rows.)

PRINCIPLES GOVERNING THE APPLICATION OF STANDARDS

602 Basis of determinations. 

(a) All factor determinations shall be made upon the basis of the lentils after the removal of dockage, with the 

following exceptions:

(1) Dockage shall be determined upon the basis of the thresher-run lentils as sampled.

(2) Color shall be determined after removal of dockage, defective lentils, and foreign material.

(b) Defects in lentils shall be scored in accordance with the order shown in 601(c); and once an individual lentil is 

scored in a defective category it shall not be scored for any other defect, but it shall remain as a part of the 

sample for purposes of determining the percentages of other defects in the sample.

603 Moisture.

Water content in lentils as determined by an FGIS approved device in accordance with procedures prescribed in the 

Pea and Lentil Handbook and Moisture Handbook. (See 606).

604 Percentages.

All percentages shall be determined on the basis of weight and shall be rounded off in accordance with instructions 

shown in the Pea and Lentil Handbook (see 606). Percentages shall be stated in whole and tenth percent to the 

nearest tenth percent.

605 Interpretive Line Prints. 

Interpretive line samples showing the official scoring line for factors that are determined by visual observation shall be 

maintained by the Federal Grain Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and shall be available for 

reference in all inspection offices that inspect and grade lentils.

606 References. 

The following publications are referenced in these standards and copies will be made available upon request to the 

Federal Grain Inspection Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture.

(a) Moisture Handbook, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Federal Grain Inspection Service.

(b) Pea and Lentil Handbook, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Federal Grain Inspection Service.
 

Official U.S Standards for Lentils July 2023

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GRADES, GRADE REQUIREMENTS, AND GRADE DESIGNATIONS

607 Grades and grade requirements for Dockage-Free Lentils. (See also 609.)

Grading Factors

Maximum percent limits of:

Grades U.S. Nos.

1 2 3

Defective Lentils

Total1 2.0 3.5 5.0

Weevil-Damaged Lentils 0.3 0.8 0.8

Heat-Damaged Lentils 0.2 0.5 1.0

Foreign Material

Total2 0.2 0.5 0.5

Stones 0.1 0.2 0.2

Skinned Lentils 4.0 7.0 10.0

Wrinkled Lentils3 5.0 10.0 >10.0

Contrasting Lentils4 2.0 4.0 >4.0

Inconspicuous Admixture 0.5 0.8 1.0

Minimum Requirements for Color Good Fair Poor

U.S. Sample Grade shall be lentils which:

a. Do not meet the requirements for the grades U.S. Nos. 1, 2, or 3; or

b. Contain more than 14.0 percent moisture, live weevils, or other live insects, metal 

fragments, broken glass, or a commercially objectionable odor; or

c. Are materially weathered, heating, or distinctly low quality.

1 Defective lentils total is weevil-damaged, heat-damaged, damaged, and split lentils 

combined.

2 Foreign material total includes stones.

3 Lentils with more than 10.0 percent wrinkled lentils shall grade no higher than U.S. No. 3.

4 Lentils with more than 4.0 percent contrasting lentils shall grade no higher than a 

U.S. No. 3.
 

Official U.S Standards for Lentils July 2023

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608 Grade Designation for Dockage-Free Lentils.

The grade designation for dockage-free lentils shall include, in the following order: (1) The letters “U.S.”; (2) the 

number of the grade or the words “Sample grade,” as warranted; (3) the words “or better” when applicable and 

requested by the applicant prior to inspection; (4) the name of each applicable special grade; and (5) the name of 

the class.

609 Special Grades and Requirements.

The following special grades shall be applicable:

(a) Large lentils. Lentils of the class Lentils of which not more than 3.0 percent will readily pass through a 15/64 

round-hole sieve.

(b) Small lentils. Lentils of the class Lentils of which 95 percent or more will readily pass through a 15/64 roundhole sieve, not less than 80 percent will readily pass through a 12/64 round-hole sieve, and not more than 3 

percent will readily pass through a 9/64 round-hole sieve.

(c) Green lentils. Clear seeded (green) lentils possessing a natural, uniformly green color.

[86 FR 31694]

610 Special Grade Designation. 

Large, Small, or Green lentils shall be graded and designated according to the grade requirements of the standards 

otherwise applicable to lentils, and there shall be added to and made a part of the grade designation preceding the 

name of the class, the applicable term “Large, Small, or Green.”

611 Thresher-Run Lentils. 

Thresher-Run Lentils shall be inspected without reference to grade in accordance with instructions shown in the 

Pea and Lentil Handbook (see 606).

(a) Factor determinations: Thresher-Run Lentils may be inspected for the following factors: class, dockage, 

weevil-damaged lentils, heat-damaged lentils, damaged lentils, split lentils, contrasting lentils, foreign material, 

and color description.

(b) The percentage of defective lentils and foreign material shall be combined and shown on the certificate as 

“Total Defects and Foreign Material.”