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United States Standards

for Grades of

Peaches

Effective May 21, 2004
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United States Standards for Grades of Peaches

May 21, 2004

Grades

51.1210 U.S. Fancy.

51.1211 U.S. Extra No. 1.

51.1212 U.S. No. 1.

51.1213 U.S. No. 2.

Tolerances

51.1214 Tolerances.

Application of Tolerances

51.1215 Application of tolerances to individual packages.

Size

51.1216 Size requirements.

Standard pack

51.1217 Standard pack.

Definitions

51.1218 Mature.

51.1219 Well formed.

51.1220 Leaf or limb rub injury.

51.1221 Damage.

51.1222 Serious damage.

51.1223 Badly misshapen.

Grades

§51.1210 U.S. Fancy.

“U.S. Fancy” consists of peaches of one variety which are mature but not soft or overripe, well

formed and which are free from decay, bacterial spot, cuts which are not healed, growth cracks,

hail injury, scab, scale, split pits, worms, worm holes, leaf or limb rub injury; and free from

damage caused by bruises, dirt or other foreign material, other disease, insects or mechanical or

other means. In addition to the above requirements, each peach shall have not less than one-third

of its surface showing blushed, pink or red color.

§51.1211 U.S. Extra No. 1.

Any lot of peaches may be designated “U.S. Extra No. 1” when the peaches meet the

requirements of the U.S. No. 1 grade: Provided, That in addition to these requirements, 50

percent, by count, of the peaches in any lot shall have not less than one-fourth of the surface

showing blushed, pink or red color.

§51.1212 U.S. No. 1.

“U.S. No. 1” consists of peaches of one variety which are mature but not soft or overripe, well

formed, and which are free from decay, growth cracks, cuts which are not healed, worms, worm

holes, and free from damage caused by bruises, dirt, or other foreign material, bacterial spot,

scab, scale, hail injury, leaf or limb rubs, split pits, other disease, insects or mechanical or other

means.

§51.1213 U.S. No. 2.

“U.S. No. 2” consists of peaches of one variety which are mature but not soft or overripe, not

badly misshapen, and which are free from decay, cuts which are not healed, worms, worm holes,
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Shipping point, as used in these standards, means the point of origin of the shipment in the producing area or at

port of loading for ship stores or overseas shipment, or, in the case of shipments from outside the continental United 

States, the port of entry into the United States. 

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and free from serious damage caused by bruises, dirt or other foreign material, bacterial spot,

scab, scale, growth cracks, hail injury, leaf or limb rubs, split pits, other disease, insects, or

mechanical or other means.

§51.1214 Tolerances.

In order to allow for variations incident to proper grading and handling in each of the following

grades, the following tolerances, by count, based on a minimum 50-count sample, except when

packages contain less than 50 fruit, a minimum 25-count sample shall be examined, (when

packages contain less than 25 fruit adjoining packages shall be opened to obtain the 25-count

minimum sample), are provided as specified:

(a) U.S. Fancy, U.S. Extra No. 1, and U.S. No. 1 grades. (1) For defects at shipping point.1

10 percent of the peaches in any lot may fail to meet the requirements of the specified grade: 

Provided, That included in this amount 5 percent, shall be allowed for defects causing serious

damage, including in this latter amount not more than 1 percent for peaches which are affected

by decay.

(2) For defects en route or at destination. 14 percent for peaches in any lot that fail to meet

the requirements of the grade: Provided, That included in this amount not more than the

following percentages shall be allowed for defects listed:

(i) 10 percent for permanent defects;

(ii) 7 percent for defects causing serious damage, included therein not more than 5 percent for

serious damage by permanent defects and not more than 2 percent decayed peaches.

(3) For color. (i) U.S. Fancy grade. 10 percent for peaches in any lot which fail to meet the

requirements of the grade.

(ii) U.S. Extra No. 1 grade. Individual packages may contain not less than 40 percent of

peaches which meet the requirements of the grade: Provided, That the entire lot averages not

less than 50 percent.

(b) U.S. No. 2 grade. (1) For defects at shipping point. 10 percent of the peaches in any lot

may fail to meet the requirements of this grade: Provided, That included in this amount not

more than 1 percent for peaches which are affected by decay.

(2) For defects en route or at destination. 14 percent for peaches in any lot that fail to meet

the requirements of the grade: Provided, That included in this amount not more than the

following percentages shall be allowed for defects listed:

(i) 10 percent for permanent defects;

(ii) 2 percent for peaches which are affected by decay.

Application of tolerances

§51.1215 Application of tolerances to individual packages.

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

following limitations, provided the averages for the entire lot are within the tolerances specified
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for the grade:

(1) For packages which contain more than 10 pounds, and a tolerance of 10 percent or more is

provided (as in the case of oversize, where a tolerance of 15 percent is provided), individual

packages in any lot shall have not more than one and one-half times the tolerance specified. For

packages which contain more than 10 pounds and a tolerance of less than 10 percent is provided,

individual packages in any lot shall have not more than double the tolerance specified, except

that at least one peach which is seriously damaged by insects or affected by decay may be

permitted in any package.

(2) For packages which contain 10 pounds or less, individual packages in any lot are not

restricted as to the percentage of defects: Provided, That not more than one peach which is

seriously damaged by insects or affected by decay may be permitted in any package.

Size

§51.1216 Size requirements.

(a) The numerical count or a count-size based on equivalent tray pack size designations or the

minimum diameter of the peaches packed in a closed container shall be indicated on the

container.

(b) When the numerical count is not shown the minimum diameter shall be plainly stamped,

stenciled, or otherwise marked on the container in terms of whole inches, whole and half inches,

whole and quarter inches, or whole and eighth inches, as 2 inches minimum, 2-1/4 inches

minimum, 1-7/8 inches minimum, in accordance with the facts. The minimum and maximum

diameters may both be stated, as 1-7/8 to 2 inches, or 2 to 2-1/4 inches, in accordance with the

facts. 

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

blossom end of the fruit.

(d) In order to allow for variations incident to proper sizing, not more than 10 percent, by count,

of peaches in any lot may be below the specified minimum size and not more than 15 percent

may be above any specified maximum size.

Standard pack

§51.1217 Standard pack.

(a) Each package shall be packed so that the peaches in the shown face shall be reasonably

representative in size, color and quality of the contents of the package.

(b) Peaches packed in U.S. Standard bushel baskets, or half-bushel baskets shall be ring faced

and tightly packed with sufficient bulge to prevent any appreciable movement of the peaches

within the packages when lidded.

(c) Peaches packed in standard western boxes shall be reasonably uniform in size and arranged

in the packages according to the approved and recognized methods. Each wrapped peach shall

be fairly well enclosed by its individual wrapper. All packages shall be well filled and tightly

packed but the contents shall not show excessive or unnecessary bruising because of overfilled

packages. The number of peaches in the box shall not vary more than 4 from the number

indicated on the box.

(d) Peaches packed in other type boxes such as wire-bound boxes and fiber-board boxes may be

place packed, or jumble packed faced, and all packs shall be well filled.

(e) Peaches packed in boxes equipped with cell compartments or molded trays shall be of the

proper size for the cells or the molds which they are packed.
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(f) Peaches placed in individual paper cups and packed in boxes shall be in cups of the proper

size for the peaches.

(g) Peaches packed in loose or volume filled boxes shall be uniform in size and well filled.

(h) In order to allow for variations incident to proper packing, not more than 10 percent of the

packages in any lot may not meet these requirements.

(i) “Well filled” means that the peaches packed in loose or volume filled containers are packed

within 1 inch of the top of the container. 

Definitions

§51.1218 Mature.

“Mature” means that the peach has reached the stage of growth which will insure a proper

completion of the ripening process.

§51.1219 Well formed.

“Well formed” means that the shape of the peach may be slightly irregular but not to the extent

that its appearance is materially affected.

§51.1220 Leaf or limb rub injury.

“Leaf or limb rub injury” means that the scarring is not smooth, not light colored, or aggregates

more than 1/4 inch in diameter.

§51.1221 Damage.

“Damage” means any injury or defect which materially affects the appearance, or the edible or

shipping quality of the peach. Any one of the following defects, or any combination thereof, the

seriousness of which exceeds the maximum allowed for any one defect, shall be considered as

damage:

(a) Bacterial spot, when cracked, or when aggregating more than 3/8 inch in diameter;

(b) Scab spots, when cracked, or when aggregating more than 3/8 inch in diameter;

(c) Scale, when concentrated, or when scattered and aggregating more than 1/4 inch in diameter;

(d) Hail injury which is unhealed, or deep, or when aggregating more than 1/4 inch in diameter;

(e) Leaf or limb rubs, when not smooth, or when not light colored, or when aggregating more

than 1/2 inch in diameter;

(f) Split pit, when causing any unhealed crack, or when causing any crack which is readily

apparent, or when affecting shape to the extent that the fruit is not well formed.

§51.1222 Serious damage.

“Serious damage” means any injury or defect which seriously affects the appearance, or the

edible or shipping quality of the peach. Any one of the following defects, or any combination

thereof, the seriousness of which exceeds the maximum allowed for any one defect, shall be

considered as serious damage:

(a) Bacterial spot, when any cracks are not well healed, or when aggregating more than 3/4 inch

in diameter;

(b) Scab spots, when cracked, or when healed and aggregating more than one inch in diameter;

(c) Scale, when aggregating more than 1/2 inch in diameter;

(d) Growth cracks, when unhealed, or more than 1/2 inch in length;

(e) Hail injury, when unhealed, or shallow hail injury when aggregating more than 3/4 inch in

diameter, or deep hail injury which seriously deforms the fruit or which aggregates more than

1/2 inch in diameter;

(f) Leaf or limb rubs, when smooth and light colored and aggregating more than 1-1/2 inches in
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diameter, or dark or slightly rough and barklike scars aggregating more than 3/4 inch in

diameter;

(g) Split pit, when causing any unhealed crack, or when healed and aggregating more than 1/2

inch in length including any part of the crack which may be covered by the stem;

(h) Soft or overripe peaches;

(i) Wormy fruit or worm holes.

§51.1223 Badly misshapen.

“Badly misshapen” means that the peach is so decidedly deformed that its appearance is

seriously affected.