United States

Department of

Agriculture

Agricultural

Marketing

Service

Fruit and

Vegetable

Program

Specialty Crops

Inspection

Division

United States Standards 

for Grades of

Frozen Squash

(Summer Type)

Effective date DRAFT

DRAFT
Discussion draft for the revision of the U.S. Standards for Grades of Frozen 

Squash (Summer Type) November 2012

Information about this draft may be obtained from:

Brian E. Griffin

Standardization Branch

Specialty Crops Inspection Division

STOP 0247

1400 Independence Ave. SW

Washington, DC 20250-0247

Telephone: 202 720-5021

Fax: 202 690-1527

Email: brian.griffin@ams.usda.gov

THIS DRAFT IS FOR DISCUSSION PURPOSES ONLY AND HAS NOT BEEN 

APPROVED FOR USE BY THE U.S. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE

DRAFT
This is the second issue of the United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Squash 

(Summer Type) published in the FEDERAL REGISTER _____________. This issue 

supersedes the first issue which was published in the federal Register March 3, 1953 

and became effective April 3, 1953. 

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 processed fruits and vegetables, 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 standards also serve as a basis for the inspection and grading of commodities by 

the Federal inspection service, the only activity authorized to approve the designation of 

U.S. grades as referenced in the standards, as provided under the Agricultural 

Marketing Act of 1946. This service, available as on-line (in-plant) or lot inspection and 

grading of all processed fruit and vegetable products, is offered to interested parties, 

upon application, on a fee-for-service basis. The verification of some specific 

recommendations, requirements, or tolerances contained in the standards can be 

accomplished only by the use of on-line inspection procedures. In all instances, a grade 

can be assigned based on final product factors or characteristics.

In addition to the U.S. grade standards, grading manuals or instructions for inspection of 

several processed fruits and vegetables are available upon request for a nominal 

fee. These manuals or instructions contain detailed interpretations of the grade 

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

Grade standards are issued by the Department after careful consideration of all data 

and views submitted, and the Department welcomes suggestions which might aid in 

improving the standards in future revisions. Comments may be submitted to, and 

copies of standards and grading manuals obtained from:

Director, Specialty Crops Inspection Division

Fruit and Vegetable Program, AMS

U.S. Department of Agriculture

1400 Independence Avenue, SW, STOP 0240

DRAFT

Washington, D.C. 20250
United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Squash (Summer Type)

Section Page No.

§52.1961 Product description. ................................................................................. 2 

§52.1962 Styles of frozen squash............................................................................ 2 

§52.1963 Grades of frozen summer squash............................................................ 2 

§52.1964 Ascertaining the grade............................................................................. 2 

§52.1965 Ascertaining the ratings for the factors which are scored......................... 3 

§52.1966 Color. ...................................................................................................... 3 

§52.1967 Absence of defects. ................................................................................. 4 

§52.1968 Character................................................................................................. 5 

§52.1969 Ascertaining the grade of a lot. ................................................................ 6 

§52.1970 Score sheet for frozen squash (summer type)......................................... 7 

Authority: Agricultural Marketing Act of 1946, Secs. 203, 205, 60 Stat. 1087, as 

amended, 1090, as amended (7 U.S.C. 1622, 1624).

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.

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2 

§52.1961 Product description.

Frozen squash is the fresh, sound, immature product from the squash (summer type) 

plant hereinafter called frozen squash, which has been properly prepared and properly 

blanched, and is then frozen in accordance with good commercial practice and 

maintained at temperatures necessary for the preservation of the product.

§52.1962 Styles of frozen squash.

(a) Sliced.

(b) Cut.

§52.1963 Grades of frozen summer squash.

(a) U.S. Grade A is the quality of frozen squash that possesses similar 

varietal characteristics; that possesses a good flavor and odor; that 

possesses a good color; that is practically free from defects; that 

possesses a good character; and that scores not less than 85 points when 

scored in accordance with the scoring system outlined in this subpart.

(b) U.S. Grade B is the quality of frozen squash that possesses similar 

varietal characteristics; that possesses a reasonably good flavor and odor; 

that possesses a reasonably good color; that is reasonably free from 

defects; that possesses a reasonably good character; and that scores not 

less than 70 points when scored in accordance with the scoring system 

outlined in this subpart. 

(c) Substandard is the quality of frozen squash that fails to meet the 

requirements of U.S. Grade B.

§52.1964 Ascertaining the grade.

(a) The grade of frozen squash may be ascertained by considering, in 

conjunction with the requirements of the respective grade, the respective 

ratings for the factors of color, absence of defects, and character.

(b) The relative importance of each scoring factor is expressed numerically on 

the scale of 100. The maximum number of points that may be given each 

factor is:

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3 

Factors Points

Color .....................................................................................

Absence of defects ...............................................................

Character ..............................................................................

Total Score .................................................................

20

40

 40

100

(c) The scores for the factors of color, absence of defects, and character are 

determined immediately after thawing so that the product is sufficiently 

free from ice crystals to permit proper handling as individual units, and a 

representative sample of the product is cooked to ascertain tenderness of 

the frozen squash before final evaluation of the score for character. Flavor 

and odor are also ascertained on the cooked product.

(d) Good flavor and odor means that the product after cooking has a good, 

characteristic normal flavor and odor and is free from objectionable odors 

of any kind.

(e) Reasonably good flavor and odor means that the product after cooking 

may be lacking in good flavor and odor but is free from objectionable 

flavors and objectionable odors of any kind. 

§52.1965 Ascertaining the ratings for the factors which are scored.

The essential variations within each factor which is scored are so described that the 

value may be ascertained for each factor and expressed numerically. The numerical 

range within each factor which is scored is inclusive (for example, 17 to 20 points 

means 17, 18, 19, or 20 points).

§52.1966 Color.

(a) "A" classification. Frozen squash that possesses a good color may be 

given a score of 17 to 20 points. Good color means that the color of the 

squash is bright and typical of young and tender squash of similar varietal 

characteristics which has been properly processed.

(b) "B" classification. If the frozen squash possesses a reasonably good 

color, a score of 14 to 16 points may be given. Frozen squash that falls 

into this classification shall not be graded above U.S. Grade B regardless 

of the total score for the product (this is a limiting rule). Reasonably good 

color means that the color of the squash is typical of reasonably young 

and tender squash of similar varietal characteristics which has been 

properly processed.

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4 

(c) "SStd" classification. Frozen squash that fails to meet the requirements 

of paragraph (b) of this section may be given a score of 0 to 13 points and 

shall not be graded above Substandard, regardless of the total score for 

the product (this is a limiting rule).

§52.1967 Absence of defects.

(a) General. The factor of absence of defects refers to the degree of freedom 

from harmless extraneous vegetable material, sand, grit, or silt, poorly cut 

units, units damaged by mechanical injury, and units damaged by 

discoloration, scars, insect injury, or damaged by other means.

(1) Unit means a whole squash or a portion of a squash.

(2) Damaged unit means any unit damaged by discoloration, scars, 

insect injury, or by any other means except damaged by 

mechanical injury to the extent that the appearance or eating quality 

of the product is materially affected.

(3) Seriously damaged means damaged to the extent that the 

appearance or eating quality of the unit is seriously affected.

(4) Harmless extraneous vegetable material means leaves, 

detached stems or portions thereof, or other similar vegetable 

material.

(5) Poorly cut means units with attached stems or stem material, very 

ragged units, or pieces of less than 1/2 slice in sliced style squash.

(6) Damaged by mechanical injury means broken or mashed to such 

an extent that the appearance or eating quality of the unit is 

seriously affected.

(7) Sand, grit, or silt means any particle of earthy material.

(b) "A" classification. Frozen squash that is practically free from defects 

may be given a score of 34 to 40 points. Practically free from defects 

means that the product contains no grit, sand, or silt that affects the eating 

quality or appearance of the frozen squash; that for each 12 ounces of 

units there may be present not more than one piece of harmless 

extraneous vegetable material. The combined weight of all other defects 

and defective units must not exceed 8 percent of the weight of the units: 

Provided, That

(1) Not more than 4 percent, by weight, is of damaged units and of 

such 4 percent, not more than one-fourth thereof or 1 percent, by 

weight, of all the units consist of units that are seriously damaged; 

or

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5 

(2) Not more than 6 percent, by weight, is of poorly cut units, or of units 

damaged by mechanical injury, or any combination thereof of not 

more than 6 percent, by weight.

(c) "B" classification. If the frozen squash is reasonably free from defects, a 

score of 28 to 33 points may be given. Frozen squash that falls into this 

classification shall not be graded above U.S. Grade B regardless of the 

total score for the product (this is a limiting rule). Reasonably free from 

defects means that the product may contain a trace of sand, grit, or silt 

that does not materially affect the eating quality or appearance of the 

frozen squash; that for each 12 ounces of units there may be present not 

more than two pieces of harmless extraneous vegetable material. The 

combined weight of all other defects and defective units must not exceed 

12 percent of the weight of the units: Provided, That

(1) Not more than 8 percent, by weight, is of damaged units and of 

such 8 percent, not more than one-fourth thereof or 2 percent, by 

weight, of all the units consist of units that are seriously damaged.

(2) Not more than 10 percent, by weight, is of poorly cut units, or of 

units damaged by mechanical injury, or any combination thereof of 

not more than 10 percent, by weight.

(d) "SStd" classification. Frozen squash that fails to meet the requirements 

of paragraph (c) of this section may be given a score of 0 to 27 points and 

shall not be graded above Substandard, regardless of the total score for 

the product (this is a limiting rule). 

§52.1968 Character.

(a) General. The factor of character refers to the fleshy texture, the 

tenderness, and the degree of development of the seeds.

(b) "A" classification. Frozen squash that possesses a good character may 

be given a score of 34 to 40 points. Good character means that the units 

are practically intact, are fleshy and tender, that the seeds are in the 

immature stage, and that not more than 5 percent, by weight of the units 

may be of reasonably good character.

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6 

(c) "B" classification. If the frozen squash possesses a reasonably good 

character, a score of 28 to 33 points may be given. Frozen squash that 

falls into this classification shall not be graded above U.S. Grade B 

regardless of the total score for the product (this is a limiting rule). 

Reasonably good character means that the units may show slight 

disintegration, may have list to a considerable extent their fleshy texture, 

may be reasonably tender, and that the seeds may have passed the 

immature stage of maturity, but are not hard and that not more than 10 

percent, by weight, of the units fails to meet the requirements for 

reasonably good character.

(d) "SStd" classification. Frozen squash that fails to meet the requirements 

of paragraph (c) of this section may be given a score of 0 to 27 points and 

shall not be graded above Substandard, regardless of the total score for 

the product (this is a limiting rule).

§52.1969 Ascertaining the grade of a lot.

The grade of a lot of Frozen Squash (Summer Type) covered by these standards is 

determined by the procedures set forth in the Regulations Governing Inspection and 

Certification of Processed Fruits and Vegetables, Processed Products Thereof, and 

Certain Other Processed Food Products (7 CFR 52.1 to 52.83).

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7 

§52.1970 Score sheet for frozen squash (summer type).

Size and kind of container.............................................................................

Container marks or identification................................................................... 

Label............................................................................................................. 

Net weight (ounces)...................................................................................... 

Style (whole, sliced, cut) ...............................................................................

Factors Score Points

Color................................................ 

Absence of defects .......................... 

Character......................................... 

Total Score............................

20

40

40

100

“A” 

“B” 

“SStd” 

“A” 

“B” 

“SStd” 

“A” 

“B” 

“SStd” 

17-20

14-16

0-13

34-40

28-33

0-27

24-40

28-33

0-27

1/ 

1/ 

1/ 

1/ 

1/ 

1/

Grade............................................................................................................

_1/ Indicates limiting rule

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