United States

Department of

Agriculture

Agricultural 

Marketing

Service

Fruit and

Vegetable

Division

Fresh

Products

Branch

United States Standards

for Grades of

Pears for Processing

Effective July 1, 1970

(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 Pears for Processing 1

General 

51.1345 General. 

Grades 

51.1346 U.S. No. 1. 

51.1347 U.S. No. 2. 

Culls 

51.1348 Culls. 

Size 

51.1349 Size. 

Application of Standards 

51.1350 Application of standards. 

Definitions 

51.1351 Mature. 

51.1352 Handpicked. 

51.1353 Firm. 

51.1354 Well formed. 

51.1355 Damage. 

51.1356 Pears grown from late blooms. 

51.1357 Seriously deformed. 

51.1358 Serious damage. 

51.1359 Diameter. 

General 

§51.1345 General. 

All percentages shall be calculated on the basis of weight. 

Grades 

§51.1346 U.S. No. 1. 

"U.S. No. 1" consists of pears of one variety which are mature, handpicked, firm, well formed,

free from scald, hard end, black end, internal breakdown, decay, worms and worm holes, and

from damage caused by broken skins, limbrubs, sprayburn, sunburn, scab, russeting, bruises, hail,

frost, drought spot, disease, insects, mechanical or other means. Unless otherwise specified, the

pears shall not be further advanced than yellowish green. Tree-ripened pears and pears grown

from late blooms shall not be considered as meeting the requirements of this grade. (See

§§51.1349 and 51.1350.) 

§51.1347 U.S. No. 2. 

"U.S. No. 2" consists of pears of one variety which are mature, handpicked, firm, not seriously
2

deformed, free from scald, hard end, black end, internal breakdown, decay, worms and worm

holes, and free from serious damage by any other cause. Unless otherwise specified, the pears

shall not be further advanced than yellowish green. Tree-ripened pears and pears grown from late

blooms shall not be considered as meeting the requirements of this grade. (See §§51.1349 and

51.1350.) 

Culls 

§51.1348 Culls. 

"Culls" are pears which do not meet the requirements of either of the foregoing grades. 

Size 

§51.1349 Size. 

Size may be specified in connection with a grade by agreement between buyer and seller and

stated in terms of minimum diameter or minimum and maximum diameters. Diameters shall be

specified in inches and not less than eighth-inch fractions thereof. In addition, size may be stated

in terms of ratio of length to diameter. 

Application of Standards 

§51.1350 Application of standards. 

(a) Tolerances shall not apply in the application of the standards to determine the percentages of

U.S. No. 1 and U.S. No. 2 quality, culls and off-size in a lot of pears; for example, when

determining compliance with a grower-processor contract. 

(b) Tolerances. The following tolerances, by weight, shall apply when a lot of pears has been

sorted to meet a specific grade, such as a shipment to a processor which is intended to meet the

requirements of the U.S. No. 1 grade: 

(1) For defects. 10 percent for pears which fail to meet the requirements of the grade: Provided,

That included in this amount not more than the following percentages shall be allowed for the

defects listed: 

(i) 2 percent for pears which are affected by decay. 

(ii) 5 percent for pears which are infested by worms or have worm holes. 

(2) For off-size. 5 percent for pears which are smaller than any specified minimum size, and 10

percent for pears larger than any specified maximum size. 

Definitions 

§51.1351 Mature. 

"Mature" means that the pear has reached the stage of maturity which will insure the proper

completion of the ripening process. 

§51.1352 Handpicked. 

"Handpicked" means that the pears do not show evidence of having been on the ground. 

§51.1353 Firm. 

"Firm" means that the pear is fairly solid and yields only very slightly to moderate pressure, and is

not wilted, shriveled, rubbery or flabby. 

§51.1354 Well formed. 

"Well formed" means that the pear has the shape characteristic of the variety, so that after paring,

cutting in halves, and coring, each half of the pear shall be well formed. Bartlett pears shall have

at least a fairly well developed neck. 
3

§51.1355 Damage. 

"Damage" means any injury or defect which materially affects the processing quality of the fruit.

After paring, cutting in halves, and coring, each half of the pear shall be well formed or the pear is

considered damaged. Pears showing surface blemishes shall be considered damaged when the

injury cannot be completely removed in the ordinary process of paring for commercial use. 

§51.1356 Pears grown from late blooms. 

"Pears grown from late blooms". Such pears often have excessively long stems (commonly termed

"rat tails"), or may be misshapen or slightly rough. Such pears do not ripen properly for ordinary

canning use. 

§51.1357 Seriously deformed. 

"Seriously deformed" means that the pear is so badly misshapen as to cause a loss during the usual

commercial preparation for use of over 20 percent, by weight, of the pear in excess of that which

would occur if the pear were well formed. Round or apple-shaped pears shall not be considered

seriously deformed. 

§51.1358 Serious damage. 

"Serious damage" means any injury or defect which cannot be removed during the usual

commercial preparation for use without a loss of over 20 percent, by weight, of the pear in excess

of that which would occur if the pear were not defective. 

§51.1359 Diameter. 

"Diameter" means the greatest dimension of the pear taken at right angles to a line running from

the stem to the blossom end.