Grades of Canned Blackberries and other Similar Berries
- U.S. Grade A or U.S. Fancy is the quality of canned berries that possess similar varietal characteristics; that possess a good color; that are practically uniform in size; that are practically free from defects; that possess good character; that posses a normal flavor and odor; and that for those factors which are scored in accordance with the scoring system outlined in this subpart, the total score is not less than 90 points: Provided, that the canned berries may possess a reasonably good color and may be reasonably uniform in size if the total score is not less than 90 points.
- U.S. Grade B or U.S. Choice is the quality of canned berries that possess similar varietal characteristics; that possess a reasonably good color; that are reasonably uniform in size; that are reasonably free from defects; that possess reasonably good character; that possess a normal flavor and odor; and that for those factors which are scored in accordance with the scoring system outlined in this subpart the total score is not less than 80 points: Provided, that the canned berries may be fairly uniform in size if the total score is not less than 80 points.
- U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard is the quality of canned berries that possess similar varietal characteristics; that possess a fairly good color; that may be fairly uniform in size; that are fairly free from defects; that possess a fairly good character; that possess a normal flavor and odor; and that when scored in accordance with the scoring system outlined in this subpart, the total score is not less than 70 points.
- Substandard is the quality of canned berries that fail to meet the requirements of U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard.
Inspection Aid
- Headspace Gauge
- IA #30A Area Measurement Guide, 8 x 10 in English Units
- IA #30B Area Measurement Guide
See How to Purchase Inspection Aids for more details.
Detailed standards, Inspection Instructions & Other Resources:
- U.S. Grade Standards for Canned Blackberries (pdf)
- Inspection Instructions for Canned Blackberries (pdf)
- 21 CFR § 145.120 - Canned berries
- Certification Manual
- Condition of Container Manual
- FDA Food Defect Action Levels
- Foreign Material Manual
- General Procedures Manual
- Safety Manual
- Sampling Manual
- Sanitation Manual
- SC 364-11 Score Sheet for Canned Blackberries and other Similar Berries
- Technical Procedures Manual