"Canned plums," as defined in the standards of identity for canned fruits (21 CFR 27.45) issued pursuant to the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, is the food prepared from mature plums of the domestic (Prunus domestica L.) varietal groups; are packed in water or plum juice with or without nutritive sweetening ingredients; and are sealed in a container and so processed by heat as to prevent spoilage. The food may be seasoned with one or more of the optional ingredients permitted under the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act.

§ 52.1782 Varietal types.

(a) Purple plum groups.

(b) Green-yellow plum groups. § 52.1783

Styles.

(a) "Whole, unpeeled, unpitted."
(b) "Whole, peeled, unpitted."
(c) "Whole, unpeeled pitted."
(d) "Whole, peeled, pitted."
(e) "Halves, unpeeled, pitted."
(f) "Halves, peeled, pitted."

§ 52.1784 Grades.

(a) "U.S. Grade A" or "U.S. Fancy" is the quality of canned plums that:

(1) Have similar varietal characteristics;

(2) Have a normal flavor and odor; (3) Have a good, practically uniform color;

(4) Are at least reasonably uniform in size;

(5) Are practically free from defects; (6) Have a good character; and

(7) Score not less than 90 points when scored in accordance with the scoring system outlined in this subpart.

(b) "U.S. Grade B" or "U.S. Choice" is the quality of canned plums that:

1 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.

(1) Have similar varietal characteristics;

(2) Have a normal flavor and odor; (3) Have a reasonably good and reasonably uniform color;

(4) Are at least fairly uniform in size; (5) Are reasonably free from defects; (6) Have a reasonably good character; and

(7) Score not less than 80 points when scored in accordance with the scoring system outlined in this subpart.

(c) "U.S. Grade C" or "U.S. Standard" is the quality of canned plums that: (1) Have similar varietal characteristics;

(2) Have a normal flavor and odor; (3) Have a fairly good color; (4) Are fairly uniform in size; (5) Are fairly free from defects; (6) Have a fairly good character; and (7) Score not less than 70 points when scored in accordance with the scoring system outlined in this subpart.

(d) "Substandard" is the quality of canned plums that fail to meet the requirements of U.S. Grade C.

LIQUID MEDIA, FILL OF CONTAINER, DRAINED WEIGHTS, AND FILL WEIGHTS § 52.1785 Liquid media and Brix measurements for canned plums.

"Cut-out" requirements for liquid media in canned plums are not incorporated in the grades of the finished product since sirup or any other liquid medium, as such, is not a factor of quality for the purposes of these grades. The "cut-out" Brix measurements for the particular varieties and respective designations are specified in Table I:

TABLE I-BRIX REQUIREMENTS

minimum

(a) General. (1) The drained weight recommendations specifiled in Table II are not incorporated in the grades of the finished product since drained weight, as such, is not a factor of quality for the purposes of these grades. (2) The recommended minimum drained weights are based on equalization of the product 30 days or more after the product has been canned.

(b) Method for ascertaining drained weights. The drained weight is determined by emptying the contents of the container upon a U.S. Standard No. 8 circular sieve of proper diameter containing 8 meshes to the inch (0.0937-inch ±3 per

cent, square openings) so as to distribute the product evenly, turning the pit cavities down in halves, inclining the sieve slightly to facilitate drainage, and allowing to drain for 2 minutes. The drained weight is the weight of the sieve and plums less the weight of the dry sieve. A sieve 8 inches in diameter is used for the equivalent of No. 3 size cans (404 x 414) and smaller, and a sieve 12 inches in diameter is used for containers larger than the equivalent of the No. 3 size can.

(c) Compliance with recommended drained weights. A lot of canned plums is considered as meeting the minimum drained weight recommendations if the following criteria are met:

(1) The average of the drained weights from all the sample units in the sample meets the recommended minimum average drained weight (designated as "Xa" in Table II); and

(2) The number of sample units which fail to meet the recommended drained weight lower limit for individuals (designated as "LL" in Table II does not exceed the applicable acceptance number specified in the single sampling plan contained in the Regulations Governing Inspection and Certification of Processed Fruits and Vegetables and Related Products.

§ 52.1788 Recommended fill weights.

(a) General. The minimum fill weight recommendations specified in Table III are not incorporated in the grades of the finished product since fill weight, as such, is not a factor of quality for the purposes of these grades.

(b) Method for ascertaining fill weight. Fill weight is determined in accordance with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's "Variables Control Chart Plan" and adaptations thereto, as applicable to processed fruits and vegetables and related products.

(c) Definitions of terms and symbols. "Subgroup” means a group of sample units representing a portion of a sample. X'm 'min means the minimum lot average fill weight.

LWLY means the lower warning limit for subgroup averages.

LRLX means the lower reject limit for subgroup averages.

LWL means the lower warning limit for individual fill weight measurements.

LRL means the lower reject limit for individual fill weight measurements.

R' means a specified average range value. Rmax means a specified maximum range for a subgroup.

Sampling allowance code means a code letter on the Sampling Allowance Chart of the Variables Control Chart Plan. This letter identifies the appropriate line which gives the amount of sampling allowance to be applied to the specification average for all weights in order to determine compliance with requirements for fill weight averages for a sample.

(d) Subgroup size. The subgroup size for the determination of fill weights shall be 5 containers.

(e) Sampling frequency. (1) Small lots for lots consisting of 100 cases or less which require 4 hours or more to pack use the "optional fill weight procedure" contained in the Instructions for Adaptation of the Variables Control Chart Plan to Fill Weights.

(2) Other than small lots-draw at least one subgroup per code approximately every 40 minutes.

(f) Compliance with recommended fill weights. Compliance with the recommended fill weights shall be in accordance with the acceptance criteria specified in the U.S. Department of Agriculture's "Variables Control Chart Plan" and adaptations thereto, as applicable to processed fruits and vegetables and related products.

(a) General. The factor of color refers to the color of the skin and any exposed flesh typical for the varietal group and to the intensity and brightness of such characteristic color. Characteristic mottling on the skin for the varietal group is considered as typical color and not as lacking in uniformity of color.

(b) Definitions of color-(1) Well colored. The color is bright and well developed, typical of well-matured plums. Any exposed flesh is at least reasonably bright and with respect to purple plums the packing media is a practically clear and highly colored purple liquid.

(2) Reasonably well colored. The color is reasonably bright and reasonably well developed, typical of reasonably wellmatured plums. Any exposed flesh is at least fairly bright and with respect to purple plums and packing media is a

reasonably clear and reasonably highcolored purple liquid.

(3) Fairly well colored. The color is fairly bright and fairly well developed, typical of fairly well-matured plums. Any exposed flesh may be lightly dull.

(4) Poorly colored. The color may be dull, poorly developed, typical of immature plums, including the "dead brown" color of canned purple plums. Any exposed flesh may be excessively dull; or the plums may be off-color due to improper processing.

(c) (A) classification. Canned plums that possess a good color may be given a score of 18 to 20 points. "Good color" means that the plums are well colored and as a mass possess a practically uniform color, typical of a single varietal group; and the number of reasonably well colored plums does not exceed the number specified for the style in § 52.1796.

(d) (B) classification. Canned plums that possess a reasonably good color may be given a score of 16 or 17 points. Canned plums that fall into this classification shall not be graded above U.S. Grade B, regardless of the total score (this is a limiting rule). "Reasonably good color" means that the plums are reasonably well colored and as a mass possess a reasonably uniform color, typical of a single varietal group; and the number of fairly well colored units does not exceed the number specified for the style in § 52.1796.

(e) (C) classification. Canned plums that possess a fairly good color may be given a score of 14 or 15 points. Canned plums 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). "Fairly good color" means that the plums may be at least fairly well colored; possess a color typical of a single varietal group which have been properly processed; that such characteristic color may be markedly variable; and the number of poorly colored plums does not exceed the number specified for the style in § 52.1796. (f) (SStd) classification. plums that fail to meet the requirements of paragraph (e) 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).

Canned

§ 52.1793 Uniformity of size.

(a) General. Compliance with uniformity of size is ascertained by determining the percent by which the weight of the largest full-sized unit exceeds the weight of the smallest full-sized unit in the sample unit. Plums of halved style that are not cleanly divided into halves shall be separated into two approximately equal halves before ascertaining uniformity of size.

(b) (A) classification. Canned plums that are practically uniform in size may be given a score of 18 to 20 points. "Practically uniform in size" means that the number of units that are in excess of the maximum weight variation does not exceed the number specified for the style for U.S. Grade A in § 52.1796.

(c) (B) classification. Canned plums that are reasonably uniform in size may be given a score of 16 or 17 points. "Reasonable uniform in size" means that the number of units that are in excess of the maximum weight variation does not exceed the number specified for the style for U.S. Grade B in § 52-1796.

(d) (C) classification. Canned plums that are fairly uniform in size may be given a score of 14 or 15 points. Canned plums that fall into this classification shall not be classified above U.S. Grade B, regardless of the total score (this is a partial limiting rule). "Fairly uniform in size" means that the number of units that are in excess of the maximum weight variation does not exceed the number specified for the style for U.S. Grade C in § 52.1796.

(e) (SStd) classification. Canned plums that fail to meet the requirements of paragraph (d) 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 (this is a limiting rule).

§ 52.1794 Defects.

(a) General. The factor of defects refers to the degree of freedom from stems, leaves, crushed or broken units, pits or loose pits for the applicable styledamaged and seriously damaged unitsand from any other defects not specifically mentioned which detract from the appearance or edibility of the product.

(b) Definitions. (1) A “unit," in whole style, means a whole or substantially

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