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 SPLIT PEAS

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

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

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Official U.S. Standards for Split Peas July 2023

Page 1

TERMS DEFINED

501 Definitions.

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

(a) Bleached Split Peas. Split peas of green-colored varieties which are bleached distinctly yellow in color or split 

peas of yellow-colored varieties which are bleached distinctly green in color.

(b) Classes. The following three classes:

(1) Green Split Peas. Split peas from smooth green dry pea varieties.

(2) Yellow Split Peas. Split peas from smooth yellow dry pea varieties.

(3) Miscellaneous Split Peas. Split peas from classes of whole peas other than smooth green or smooth 

yellow dry pea varieties.

(c) Contrasting Split Peas. Split peas which are of a color contrasting with the predominating class of split peas. 

Bleached split peas of the predominating class shall not be considered as contrasting split peas.

(d) Damaged Split Peas. Split peas which are distinctly damaged by frost, weather, disease, heat (other than to a 

material extent), or other causes (except weevil or material heat damage), or are distinctly soiled or stained by 

nightshade, dirt, or toxic material.

(e) Defective Split Peas. The categories of defective split peas shall be weevil-damaged split peas, heat-damaged 

split peas, damaged split peas, contrasting split peas, whole peas, white caps, and bleached split peas.

(f) Distinctly Low Quality. Split peas 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.

(g) Fair Color Split Peas. Split peas that in mass are off-color from the characteristic color of the predominating 

class as a result of age or any other cause.

(h) Foreign Material. All matter which will pass readily through a 21⁄2/64 round-hole sieve and all matter other than 

split peas which remains on the sieve. (Foreign material shall include detached seedcoats and pieces of 

detached seedcoats.)

(i) Good Color Split Peas. Split peas that in mass are practically free from discoloration and have the natural color 

and appearance characteristic of the predominating class.

(j) Heat-Damaged Split Peas. Split peas which have been materially discolored and damaged by heat.

(k) Poor Color Split Peas. Split peas that in mass are distinctly off-color from the characteristic color of the 

predominating class as a result of age or any other cause.

(l) Split Peas. Threshed seeds of the garden type pea plant (Pisum sativum L. and Pisum sativum var. arvense 

(L.) Poir.), which have 50.0 percent or more of the peas split into halves or smaller pieces and contain not more 

than 10.0 percent of foreign material.

(m) Weevil-Damaged Split Peas. Split peas which are distinctly damaged by the pea weevil or other insects.

(n) White Caps. Split peas with seedcoats attached.

(o) Whole Peas. Dry peas which are not split.

(p) 21⁄2/64 Round-Hole Sieve. A 21⁄2/64 round-hole sieve shall be a metal sieve 0.0319 inch thick, perforated with 

round holes 0.0391 (21⁄2/64) inch in diameter, which are 0.075 inch from center to center. (The perforations of 

each row shall be staggered in relation to the adjacent rows.)

(q) 6/64 Round-Hole Sieve. A 6/64 round-hole sieve shall be a metal sieve 0.0319 inch thick, perforated with round 

holes 0.0938 (6/64) inch in diameter which are 0.1562 (5/32) inch from center to center. (The perforations of 

each row shall be staggered in relation to the adjacent rows.)
 

Official U.S Standards for Split Peas July 2023

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(r) 8/64 Round-Hole Sieve. An 8/64 round-hole sieve shall be a metal sieve 0.0319 inch thick, perforated with 

round holes 0.1250 (8/64) 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.)

(s) 10/64 Round-Hole Sieve. A 10/64 round-hole sieve shall be a metal sieve 0.0319 inch thick, perforated with 

round holes 0.1562 (10/64) inch in diameter which are 0.2187 (7/32) inch from center to center. (The 

perforations of each row shall be staggered in relation to the adjacent rows.)

(t) 12/64 Round-Hole Sieve. A 12/64 round-hole sieve shall be 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.)

PRINCIPLES GOVERNING THE APPLICATION OF STANDARDS

502 Basis of determinations. 

(a) All factor determinations shall be made on the basis of the split peas as sampled.

(b) Defects in split peas shall be scored in accordance with the order shown in 501(e) and once an individual pea 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.

503 Moisture.

Water content in split peas as determined by an approved device according to procedures prescribed in 

FGIS instructions.

504 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 506). Percentages shall be stated in whole and tenth percent to the 

nearest tenth percent.

505 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 split peas. 

506 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) Equipment 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 Split Peas July 2023

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GRADES, GRADE REQUIREMENTS, AND GRADE DESIGNATIONS

507 Grades and grade requirements for Split Peas. (See also 509.)

508 Grade Designation for Split Peas. 

The grade designation for split peas 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 the class and (5) the name of each applicable special grade.

SPECIAL GRADES, SPECIAL GRADE REQUIREMENTS, AND SPECIAL GRADE DESIGNATIONS

509 Special Grade and Requirements.

The special grade “Split pea chips” shall be applied in accordance with the following requirements: The split peas 

shall readily pass through a 12/64 round-hole sieve. Additional size requirements for the respective numerical 

grades shall be as follows:

U.S. No. 1 – Not more than 3.0 percent shall readily pass through a 6/64 round-hole sieve. 

U.S. No. 2 – Not more than 6.0 percent shall readily pass through a 6/64 round-hole sieve. 

U.S. No. 3 – Not more than 10.0 percent shall readily pass through a 6/64 round-hole sieve.

510 Special Grade Designation. 

Split pea chips shall be graded and designated according to the grade requirements of the standards otherwise 

applicable to split peas, except for size, and there shall be added to and made a part of the grade designation, 

the word “Chips.” 

Grading Factors

Maximum percent limits of:

Grades U.S. Nos.

1 2 3

Split Peas Passing Through -

10/64-inch Round-Hole Sieve 3.0 15.0 25.0

8/64-inch Round-Hole Sieve 0.5 3.0 5.0

6/64-inch Round-Hole Sieve 0.1 0.2 0.3

Defective Peas

Weevil-Damaged Split Peas 0.5 1.0 1.5

Heat-Damaged Split Peas 0.2 0.5 1.0

Damaged Split Peas1 1.0 1.5 2.0

Contrasting Split Peas

In Green & Yellow Split Peas Only 0.3 0.8 1.5

In Miscellaneous Split Peas Only 0.5 1.0 2.0

Whole Peas 0.5 1.0 2.0

White Caps

In Green & Yellow Split Peas Only 1.0 2.0 3.0

In Miscellaneous Split Peas Only 1.5 3.0 5.0

Bleached Peas in Green & Yellow Split Peas 

Only

1.5 3.0 5.0

Foreign Material 0.1 0.2 0.5

Minimum Requirements for Color Good Fair Poor

U.S. Sample Grade shall be split peas which:

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

b. Contain more than 15.0 percent moisture; live weevils, other live insects, insect 

webbing or filth, metal fragments, broken glass, or commercially objectionable odor; or

c. Are heating, or are of distinctly low quality.

1 Damaged split peas do not include weevil-damaged or heat-damaged split peas.