Marketing and

Regulatory

Programs

Agricultural

Marketing 

Service

Specialty

Crops

Program

Specialty

Crops

Inspection

Division

United States Standards

for Grades of Fresh 

Cranberries for

Processing

Effective September 6, 2016
This issue of the United States Standards for Grades of Fresh Cranberries for 

Processing (81 FR 51297) supersedes the previous issue which has been in effect 

since August 24, 1957.

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 fresh and processed fruits, vegetables, and specialty crops 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 U.S. grade standards and inspection instructions for all fresh and processed fruits,

vegetables, and specialty crops are available on the internet and upon request at the 

address below. These documents provide detailed interpretations of the grade standards 

and provide step-by-step procedures for grading the product.

Grade standards are issued by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) after careful 

consideration of all data and views submitted during rulemaking. The Department 

welcomes suggestions for improving the standards in future revisions. Comments may be 

submitted to, and copies of standards and inspection instructions obtained from:

Director, Specialty Crops Inspection Division

Specialty Crops Program,

USDA, Agricultural Marketing Service

1400 Independence Avenue, SW, STOP 0240

Washington, D.C. 20250

__________________________________________________________________________

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627.

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.

Non-Discrimination Policy: In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights 

regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA 

programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, religion, sex, gender identity (including gender 

expression), sexual orientation, disability, age, marital status, family/parental status, income derived from a public assistance program, 

political beliefs, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity, in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA (not all 

bases apply to all programs). Remedies and complaint filing deadlines vary by program or incident. 

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g., Braille, large print, audiotape, 

American Sign Language, etc.) should contact the responsible Agency or USDA’s TARGET Center at (202) 720-2600 (voice and TTY) 

or contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in 

languages other than English. 

To file a program discrimination complaint, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, AD-3027, found online at 

http://www.ascr.usda.gov/complaint_filing_cust.html and at any USDA office or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter 

all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form 

or letter to USDA by: (1) mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture, Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights, 1400 Independence 

Avenue, SW, Washington, D.C. 20250-9410; (2) fax: (202) 690-7442; or (3) email: program.intake@usda.gov. USDA is an equal 

opportunity provider, employer, and lender.
United States Standards for Grades of Fresh Cranberries for Processing

(September 6, 2016)

1

United States Standards for Grades of Fresh Cranberries for Processing

Section Page No.

General........................................................................................................................... 2

§51.3030 General........................................................................................................ 2

Grades............................................................................................................................ 2

§51.3031 U.S. No. 1.................................................................................................... 2

Reserved........................................................................................................................ 3

§51.3032 Reserved. .................................................................................................... 3

Definitions...................................................................................................................... 3

§51.3033 Clean. .......................................................................................................... 3

§51.3034 Mature. ........................................................................................................ 3

§51.3035 Fairly well colored........................................................................................ 3

§51.3036 Damage....................................................................................................... 3

§51.3037 Diameter...................................................................................................... 3
United States Standards for Grades of Fresh Cranberries for Processing

(September 6, 2016)

2

General

§51.3030 General.

(a) These standards apply only to the commonly cultivated Cranberry (Vaccinium 

macrocarpon).

(b) The primary purpose of these standards is for classifying Cranberries intended 

for manufacture of strained sauce. When used for other styles of packs such as 

cocktail, whole sauce, etc., other size and quality requirements may be specified 

using the quality factors and defects established in these standards.

Grades

§51.3031 U.S. No. 1.

“U.S. No. 1” consists of fresh cranberries which are clean, mature, fairly well colored 

and which are not soft or decayed and which are free from worms or worm holes and 

which are free from damage caused by bruises, scars, freezing, sunscald, foreign 

material, disease, insects or mechanical or other means.

(a) The minimum diameter shall be nine-thirty-seconds of an inch.

(b) Incident to proper grading and handling, the following tolerances, by count, shall 

be permitted in any lot:

(1) 3 percent for cranberries which fail to meet the size requirement;

(2) 20 percent for cranberries which fail to meet the color requirements for 

individual cranberries;

(3) 10 percent for cranberries which fail to meet the remaining requirements 

of the grade but not more than one-half of this amount, or 5 percent, shall 

be allowed for berries which have worm holes or which are soft or affected 

by decay: Provided, That an additional tolerance of 2 percent for berries 

which are soft or affected by decay, or a total of not more than 7 percent, 

for berries which have worm holes or which are soft or affected by decay, 

shall be allowed en route or at destination: And provided further, That not 

more than one-half of 1 percent, included in the above tolerances, shall be 

allowed for Black Rot; and,

(4) One-tenth (1/10) of 1 percent for cranberries infested with worms.
United States Standards for Grades of Fresh Cranberries for Processing

(September 6, 2016)

3

Reserved

§51.3032 Reserved.

Definitions

§51.3033 Clean.

“Clean” means that the cranberries are practically free from dirt, dust, spray residue, or 

other adhering foreign material.

§51.3034 Mature.

“Mature” means that the cranberry has reached the stage of development which will 

insure the proper completion of the ripening process.

§51.3035 Fairly well colored.

“Fairly well colored” means that 75 percent of the surface of the individual cranberry, 

in the aggregate, shows pink or red color characteristic of the variety.

§51.3036 Damage.

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

the cranberry. The following shall be considered as damage:

(a) Foreign material when the processing quality of the cranberries in the container 

is materially affected; and,

(b) 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:

(1) Bruises or scars which materially affect the edible or processing quality of 

the individual cranberry; and,

(2) Insects when any insect injury affects an aggregate area of the surface of 

the individual cranberry greater than that of a circle one-eighth inch in 

diameter.

§51.3037 Diameter.

“Diameter” means the greatest dimension measured at right angles to a line from stem 

to blossom end of the berry.