Frozen Plums Grades and Standards

Grades of Frozen Plums

1. U.S. Grade A or U.S. Fancy is the quality of frozen plums that possess similar varietal characteristics; that possess a normal flavor; that possess a good color; that are practically uniform in size for the applicable styles; that are practically free from defects; that possess a good character; 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 85 points: Provided, that frozen plums may be only reasonably uniform in size for the applicable styles, if the total score is not less than 85 points.
2. U.S. Grade B or U.S. Choice is the quality of frozen plums that possess similar varietal characteristics; that possess a normal flavor; that possess a reasonably good color; that are reasonably uniform in size for the applicable styles; that are reasonably free from defects; that possess a reasonably good character; 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 70 points: Provided, that the frozen plums may vary in size if the total score is not less than 70 points.
3. Substandard is the quality of frozen plums that fail to meet the requirements of U.S. Grade B or U.S. Choice.

Detailed standards, Inspection Instructions & Other Resources:

• U.S. Grade Standards for Frozen Plums (pdf)
• Grading Manual for Frozen Plums (pdf)
• Certification Manual
• Condition of Container Manual
• Foreign Material Manual (pdf)
• General Procedures Manual 
• Safety Manual
• Sampling Manual
• Sanitation Manual
• SC-364-128 Score Sheet for Frozen Plums
• Technical Procedures Manual