§ 52.746 Ascertaining the grade with respect to "U.S. Grade A" or "U.S. Fancy" and "U.S. Grade B" or "U.S. Choice."

(a) The grade of sulfured cherries is ascertained by considering, in addition to 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 factor which is scored is expressed numerically on the scale of 100. The maximum number of points that may be given each factor is:

(a) (A) classification. Sulfured cherries that possess a good color may be given a score of 17 to 20 points. "Good color" means that the cherries possess a practically uniform color typical of wellbleached sulfured cherries for the variety.

(b) (B) classification. If the sulfured cherries possess a reasonably good color, a score of 14 to 16 points may be given. "Reasonably good color" means that the cherries possess a reasonably uniform color typical of reasonably wellbleached sulfured cherries for the variety. Sulfured cherries that fall into this classification shall not be graded

above U. S. Grade B or U. S. Choice, regardless of the total score for the product (this is a limiting rule).

(c) (SStd) classification. Sulfured cherries that fail to meet the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section may be given a score of 0 to 13 points. Sulfured cherries that fall into this classification shall not be graded above U. S. Grade D or Seconds, regardless of the total score for the product (this is a limiting rule).

§ 52.749 Absence of defects.

(a) General. The factor of absence of defects refers to the degree of freedom from misshapen cherries, cherries damaged or seriously damaged by mechanical injury, and cherries blemished or seriously blemished by discoloration, rain or solution cracks, bird pecks, pathological injury, insect injury or blemished by other means.

(1) "Misshapen cherries" means any deformed cherries or double cherries.

(2) "Cherries damaged by mechanical injury" means any pitter tear or pitter tears which materially affect the appearance of the cherry; any open pitter hole measuring more than 1% inch across, but not more than 16 inch across, or open pitter holes aggregating more than 8 inch across, but not more than 316 inch across; any pitter hole where there is a material loss of flesh; and other mechanical injury which materially affects the appearance of the cherry.

(3) "Cherries seriously damaged by mechanical injury" means any pitter tear or pitter tears which seriously affect the appearance of the cherry; any open pitter hole measuring more than 16 inch across, or open pitter holes aggregating more than 16 inch across, any pitter hole where there is a serious loss of flesh; and other mechanical injury which seriously affects the appearance of the cherry.

(4) "Blemished cherry" means any cherry which is affected by:

(i) Dark surface discoloration exceeding in the aggregate the area of a circle 16 inch in diameter, but not exceeding in the aggregate % of the surface of the cherry;

(ii) Any rough surface areas which slightly affect the appearance of the cherry;

(iii) Light surface discoloration exceeding in the aggregate % of the sur

face of the cherry, but not exceeding in the aggregate 2 of the surface of the cherry;

(iv) Rain checks or rain cracks (a) in the stem basin more than 4 inch in length, but not more than 2 inch in length, (b) any rain checks or rain cracks outside the stem basin more than 16 inch in length but not more than % inch in length;

(v) Any solution cracks or other blemish or combination of any blemishes which materially affect the appearance of the cherry. The term "blemished cherry" also means any cherry the flesh of which is materially discolored.

(5) "Seriously blemished cherry” means any cherry which is affected by:

(i) Dark surface discoloration exceeding in the aggregate % of the surface of the cherry;

(ii) Any rough surface areas which materially affect the appearance of the cherry;

(iii) Light surface discoloration exceeding in the aggregate 1⁄2 of the surface of the cherry;

(iv) Rain checks or rain cracks (a) in the stem basin more than 1⁄2 inch in length, (b) any rain checks or rain cracks outside the stem basin, more than 6 inch in length.

(v) Any solution cracks or other blemish or combination of any blemishes which seriously affect the appearance of the cherry. The term "seriously blemished cherry" also means any cherry the flesh of which is seriously discolored.

(b) (A) classification. Sulfured cherries that are practically free from defects may be given a score of 34 to 40 points. "Practically free from defects" means that not more than a total of 10 percent, by weight, of cherries are misshapen cherries, cherries damaged by mechanical injury, seriously damaged by mechanical injury, blemished cherries or seriously blemished cherries of which not more than five percent, by weight, of all cherries are misshapen cherries, cherries seriously damaged by mechanical injury or seriously blemished cherries.

(c) (B) classification. Sulfured cherries that are reasonably free from defects may be given a score of 28 to 33 points. "Reasonably free from defects" means that not more than a total of 10 percent, by weight, of cherries are misshapen cherries, cherries seriously damaged by mechanical injury, or seriously

blemished cherries. Sulfured cherries that fall into this classification shall not be graded above U. S. Grade B or U. S. Choice, regardless of the total score for the product (this is a limiting rule).

(d) (SStd) classification. Sulfured cherries that fail to meet the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section for any reason may be given a score of 0 to 27 points and shall not be graded above U. S. Grade D or Seconds, regardless of the total score for the product (this is a limiting rule).

(a) General. The factor of character refers to the firmness of the cherries and to the condition of the flesh.

(b) (A) classification. Sulfured cherries that possess a good character may be given a score of 34 to 40 points. "Good character" means that the cherries possess a firm fleshy texture, retain their approximate original shape, are not shriveled or watery, and do not show more than slight collapsed areas of flesh. To score in this classification, sulfured cherries may contain not more than five percent, by weight, of cherries which fail to meet requirements for "good character."

(c) (B) classification. If the sulfured cherries possess a reasonably good character, a score of 28 to 33 points may be given. Sulfured cherries that fall into this classification shall not be graded above U. S. Grade B or U. S. Choice, regardless of the total score for the product (this is a limiting rule). "Reasonably good character" means that the cherries possess a reasonably firm texture, may have slightly lost their original shape, may be slightly shriveled, or may show moderate collapsed areas of flesh. To score in this classification, sulfured cherries may contain not more than 10 percent, by weight, of cherries which fail to meet the requirements for "reasonably good character."

(d) (SStd) classification. Sulfured cherries that are soft, flabby, wrinkled, leathery, or have materially lost their original shape, or show seriously collapsed areas of flesh, or fail to meet the requirements of paragraph (c) of this section for any reason may be given a score of 0 to 27 points and shall not be graded above U. S. Grade D or Seconds, regardless of the total score for the product (this is a limiting rule).

§ 52.751 Ascertaining the grade with respect to U.S. Combination grade.

(a) The combination grade of sulfured cherries is ascertained by considering color, absence of defects, character, and the cleanliness of the product.

(b) The definition for cleanliness and the terms defined with respect to ascertaining "U. S. Grade A" or "U. S. Fancy" and "U. S. Grade B" or "U. S. Choice" outlined under the factors of color, absence of defects and character for these grades are also applicable for ascertaining the U. S. Combination grade.

LOT CERTIFICATION TOLERANCES

§ 52.752 Tolerances for certification of officially drawn samples for U.S. Combination grade of sulfured cherries.

(a) When certifying samples that have been officially drawn and which represent a specific lot of sulfured cherries, the precent, by weight, of cherries which possess at least a reasonably good color and a reasonably good character, and are free from misshapen cherries, cherries seriously damaged by mechanical injury, and seriously blemished cherries is computed by averaging the percent, by weight, of such cherries in all samples of the lot if:

(1) None of the samples in the lot contain less than 80 percent, by weight of such cherries.

(b) The percent, by weight, of cherries for the lot which possess a good color and a good character, and are free from blemished cherries or seriously blemished cherries, misshapen cherries and cherries damaged by mechanical injury or cherries seriously damaged by mechanical injury, is computed by averaging the percent, by weight, of such cherries in all samples of the lot if:

(1) None of the samples in the lot contains less than 35 percent, by weight, of such cherries.

§ 52.753 Ascertaining the grade of a lot.

The grade of a lot of the processed product 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 (§§ 52.1 to 52.87).

[22 F. R. 3547, May 22, 1957]

IDENTITY AND GRADES

$ 52.771 Identity.

"Canned red tart pitted cherries" means the canned product prepared from mature pitted cherries of the red sour varietal group (Prunus cerasus), as such product is defined in the standard of identity for canned cherries (21 CFR 27.30), issued pursuant to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

§ 52.772 Grades of canned red tart pitted cherries.

(a) "U.S. Grade A" (or "U.S. Fancy") is the quality of canned red tart pitted cherries that (1) possess a good color; (2) are practically free from pits; (3) are practically free from defects; (4) have a good character; (5) possess a normal flavor; and (6) score not less than 90 points when scored in accordance with the scoring system outlined in this subpart. Canned cherries of this grade may contain not more than 5 percent, by count, of cherries that are less than 16 inch in diameter.

(b) "U.S. Grade C" (or "U.S. Standard") is the quality of canned red tart pitted cherries that (1) possess a fairly good color; (2) are fairly free from pits; (3) are fairly free from defects; (4) have a fairly good character; (5) possess a normal flavor; and (6) score not less than 80 points when scored in accordance with the scoring system outlined in this subpart. There is no size requirement for canned red tart pitted cherries of this grade.

(c) "Substandard" is the quality of canned red tart pitted cherries that fail to meet any requirement of “U.S.

§ 52.775

Recommended drained weight.

The drained weight recommendations in Table No. I of this subpart are not incorporated in the grades of the finished product since drained weight, as such, is not a factor of quality for the purpose of these grades. The drained weight of canned red tart pitted cherries is determined by emptying the contents of the container upon a circular sieve of proper diameter containing 8 meshes to the inch (0.097-inch square openings) and allowing to drain for two minutes. A sieve 8 inches in diameter is used for No. 3 size cans (404 x 414) and smaller, and a sieve 12 inches in diameter is used for containers larger than the No. 3 size can.

TABLE NO. I-RECOMMENDED DRAINED WEIGHTS

Container size or designation

303. 303 cylinder.

2

10.

FACTORS OF QUALITY

§ 52.776 Ascertaining the grade of a sample unit.

(a) General. The grade of a sample unit of canned red tart pitted cherries is ascertained by considering the flavor of the product and the requirement for size (in U.S. Grade A) which is not scored; the ratings for the factors of color, freedom from pits, freedom from defects, and character which are scored; the total score; and the limiting rules which may be applicable.

(b) Factors rated by score points. The relative importance of each factor is expressed numerically on the scale of 100. The maximum number of points that may be given each factor is:

(c) Definition of normal flavor. “Normal flavor" means that the flavor is characteristic of canned red tart pitted cherries and that the product is free from objectionable flavors of any kind. § 52.777 Ascertaining the rating for each factor which is scored.

The essential variations within each factor are so described that the value may be ascertained for each factor and expressed numerically. The numerical range for the rating of each factor is inclusive (for example, "18 to 20 points" means 18, 19, or 20 points).

§ 52.778 Color.

(a) (A) classification. Canned red tart pitted cherries that possess a good color may be given a score of 18 to 20 points. "Good color" means a practically uniform color that is bright and typical of canned red tart pitted cherries which have been properly prepared and properly processed from properly ripened cherries.

(b) (C) classification. If the canned red tart pitted cherries possess a fairly good color a score of 16 or 17 points may be given. Canned red tart pitted cherries that fall into this classification shall not be graded above U.S. Grade C, regardless of the total score for the product (this is limiting rule).

"Fairly good color" means a fairly uniform color, typical of canned red tart

pitted cherries which have been properly prepared and properly processed and which color may range from a brownish cast to mottled shades of brown.

(c) (SStd.) classification. Canned red tart pitted cherries that fail to meet the requirements of paragraph (b) of this section may be given a score of 0 to 15 points and shall not be graded above Substandard, regardless of the total score for the product (this is a limiting rule). § 52.779 Freedom from pits.

(a) General. The factor of freedom from pits concerns the degree of freedom from pits and pit fragments.

(b) Definitions. (1) A "pit," for the purposes of the allowances in this section, is a whole cherry pit or portions of pits computed as follows:

(1) A single piece of pit shell, whether or not within or attached to a whole cherry, that is larger than one-half pit shell is considered as one pit;

(ii) A single piece of pit shell, whether or not within or attached to a whole cherry, that is not larger than one-half pit shell is considered as one-half pit;

(iii) Pieces of pit shell, within or attached to a whole cherry, when their combined size is larger than one-half pit shell are considered as one pit; and

(iv) Pieces of pit shell, within or attached to a whole cherry, when their combined size is not larger than one-half pit shell are considered as one-half pit.

(2) "Drained cherries" means pitted cherries that have been drained of packing medium by the method prescribed in this subpart.

(c) (A) classification. Canned red tart pitted cherries that are practically free from pits may be given a score of 18 to 20 points. "Practically free from pits" means that the number of pits that may be present in the drained cherries does not exceed the allowances for this classification as set forth in Table No. II of this subpart.

(d) (C) classification. If the canned red tart pitted cherries are fairly free from pits a score of 16 or 17 points may be given. Canned red tart pitted cherries that fall into this classification shall not be graded above U.S. Grade C, regardless of the total score for the product (this is a limiting rule). Canned red tart pitted cherries are "fairly free from pits" if the number of pits (as defined) does not exceed the allowances for this classification as set forth in Table II of this subpart.