Effective pursuant to §989.59, the minimum grade standards for packed raisins shall be as follows:
(a) Natural (sun-dried) Seedless, Dipped Seedless, and Other Seedless-Sulfured raisins. Packed Natural (sun-dried) Seedless, Dipped Seedless, and Other Seedless-Sulfured raisins shall meet the requirements of U.S. Grade C as defined in the effective United States Standards for Grades of Processed Raisins (§§52.1841 through 52.1858 of this title): Provided, That at least 70.0 percent, by weight, of the raisins shall be well-matured or reasonably well-matured. With respect to select-sized and mixed-sized raisin lots, the raisins shall at least meet the U.S. Grade B tolerances for pieces of stem, and underdeveloped and substandard raisins, and small sized raisins shall meet the U.S. Grade C tolerances for those factors.
(b) Golden Seedless Raisins. Packed Golden Seedless raisins shall at least meet the requirements prescribed in paragraph (a) of this section, and the color requirements for “colored” as defined in said standards.
(c) Monukka and Other Seedless Raisins. Packed Monukka and Other Seedless raisins shall at least meet the requirements prescribed in paragraph (a) of this section, except that the tolerance for moisture shall be 19 percent rather than 18 percent.
(d) Muscat (including other raisins with seeds) Raisins. Packed Muscat (including other raisins with seeds) raisins shall at least meet the requirements of U.S. Grade C of the said standards. Layer Muscat (including other raisins with seeds) raisins shall at least meet U.S. Grade B as defined for “Layer or Cluster Raisins With Seeds” in said standards, except for the provisions therein relating to moisture content.
(e) Sultana Raisins. Packed Sultana raisins shall at least meet the requirements of U.S. Grade C as defined in said standards.
(f) Zante Currant Raisins. Packed Zante Currant raisins shall at least meet the requirements of U.S. Grade B as defined in said standards.
(g) Cluster Seedless Raisins—(1) Description. Raisins referred to as Cluster Seedless raisins means the raisins have not been detached from the main bunch. Cluster Seedless raisins shall at least meet the requirements of Marketing Order Grade B prescribed in this paragraph. The processed raisins are prepared from clean, sound, dried grapes; are stored or cleaned, or both, and are washed with water to assure a wholesome product.
(2) Grades.
(i) Marketing Order Grade A is a quality of Cluster Seedless raisins that have similar varietal characteristics; have a good typical color; have a good characteristic flavor; are uniformly cured and show development characteristics of raisins prepared from well-matured grapes; contain not more than 23 percent, by weight, of moisture; that not less than 30 percent, by weight, of the raisins, exclusive of stems and branches, are “2 Crown” size or larger and meet the additional requirements as outlined in the table in paragraph (2)(iv) of this paragraph.
(ii) Marketing Order Grade B is the quality of the Cluster Seedless raisins that have similar varietal characteristics; have a reasonably good typical color; have a good characteristic flavor; are uniformly cured and show characteristics of raisins prepared from reasonably well-matured grapes; contain not more than 23 percent, by weight, of moisture; that not less than 30 percent, by weight, of raisins, exclusive of stems and branches, are “2 Crown” size or larger and meet the additional requirements as outlined in the table in paragraph (2)(iv) of this paragraph.
(iii) Substandard is the quality of Cluster Seedless raisins that fail to meet the requirements of Marketing Order Grade B.
(iv) Allowances for defects in Cluster Seedless raisins:
| Defects | Marketing order grade A | Marketing order grade B |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum (percent by weight) | ||
| Sugared | 5 | 10 |
| Discolored, damaged, or moldy | 5 | 7 |
| Provided these limits are not exceed: | ||
| Damaged | 3 | 4 |
| Moldy | 2 | 3 |
| Substandard Development and Undeveloped | 2 | 5 |
| Shattered (or loose) individual berries and small clusters of 2 or 3 berries each | Practically free | Reasonably free. |
| Appearance or edibility of product | ||
| Slightly discolored or damaged by fermentation or any other defect not described above | May not be affected | May not be more than slightly affected. |
| Grit, sand, or silt | None of any consequence may be present that affects the appearance or edibility of the product. | |
| Defects | Marketing order grade A | Marketing order grade B |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum (percent by weight) | ||
| Sugared | 5 | 10 |
| Discolored, damaged, or moldy | 5 | 7 |
| Provided these limits are not exceed: | ||
| Damaged | 3 | 4 |
| Moldy | 2 | 3 |
| Substandard Development and Undeveloped | 2 | 5 |
| Shattered (or loose) individual berries and small clusters of 2 or 3 berries each | Practically free | Reasonably free. |
| Appearance or edibility of product | ||
| Slightly discolored or damaged by fermentation or any other defect not described above | May not be affected | May not be more than slightly affected. |
| Grit, sand, or silt | None of any consequence may be present that affects the appearance or edibility of the product. | |
(h) A handler may grind raisins which do not meet the minimum grade standards prescribed in paragraphs (a) through (g) of this section because of mechanical damage or sugaring, into a raisin paste.
[49 FR 33994, Aug. 28, 1984, as amended at 50 FR 35772, Sept. 4, 1985; 53 FR 34715, Sept. 8, 1988; 67 FR 36793, May 28, 2002; 68 FR 42947, July 21, 2003; 81 FR 84403, Nov. 23, 2016]
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