7 CFR § 51.2544 - Tolerances.

---
identifier: "/us/cfr/t7/s51.2544"
source: "ecfr"
legal_status: "authoritative_unofficial"
title: "7 CFR § 51.2544 - Tolerances."
title_number: 7
title_name: "Agriculture"
section_number: "51.2544"
section_name: "Tolerances."
chapter_name: "AGRICULTURAL MARKETING SERVICE (STANDARDS, INSPECTIONS, MARKETING PRACTICES), DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE"
subchapter_number: "C"
subchapter_name: "REQUIREMENTS AND STANDARDS UNDER THE AGRICULTURAL MARKETING ACT OF 1946 AND THE EGG PRODUCTS INSPECTION ACT"
part_number: "51"
part_name: "FRESH FRUITS, VEGETABLES, AND OTHER PRODUCTS (INSPECTION, CERTIFICATION, AND STANDARDS)"
positive_law: false
currency: "2026-04-05"
last_updated: "2026-04-05"
format_version: "1.1.0"
generator: "[email protected]"
authority: "7 U.S.C. 1621-1627."
cfr_part: "51"
---


# 51.2544 Tolerances.

(a) In order to allow for variations incident to proper grading and handling, the tolerances in Tables I, II, and III of this section are provided.

Table I—Tolerances

[Percent]

| Factor | U.S. fancy | U.S. extra No. 1 | U.S. No. 1 | U.S. select | U.S. artificially opened | U.S. non-split |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| External (shell) Defects (tolerances by weight): |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| (a) Non-split and not split on suture | 2 | 3 | 6 | 10 | 10 | N/A |
| (1) Non-split included in (a) | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | N/A |
| (b) Adhering hull material | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| (c) Light stained | 7 | 12 | 25 | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| (1) Dark stained, included in (c) | 2 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 | 3 |
| (d) Damage by other means | 1 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 10 | N/A |
| (e) Total External Defects | 9 | 16 | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| (f) Undersized (Less than ⁄ inch in diameter) | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 4 | 5 |

Table II—Tolerances

| Factorinternal (kernel) defects(tolerances by weight) | U.S. fancy(percent) | U.S. extraNo. 1(percent) | U.S. No. 1(percent) | U.S. select(percent) | U.S. artificially opened(percent) | U.S. non-split(percent) |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| (a) Damage | 3 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |
| (b) Serious Damage (Minor Insect or Vertebrate Injury, Mold, Rancid, Decay) | 3 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 4 |
| (1) Insect Damage, included in (b) | 1 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| (c) Total Internal Defects | 4 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |

Table III—Tolerances

[Percent]

| Factor | U.S. fancy | U.S. extra No. 1 | U.S. No. 1 | U.S. select | U.S. artificially opened | U.S. non-split |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| Other Defects (tolerances by weight): |  |  |  |  |  |  |
| (a) Shell pieces and blanks | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 2 |
| (1) Blanks, included in (a) | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 |
| (b) Foreign material (No glass, metal or live insects shall be permitted) | .25 | .25 | .25 | .25 | .25 | .25 |
| (c) Particles and dust | .25 | .25 | .25 | .25 | .25 | .25 |
| (d) Loose kernels | 4 | 5 | 6 | 6 | 6 | 6 |

(b) [Reserved]

[68 FR 50683, Aug. 22, 2003, as amended at 69 FR 76835, Dec. 23, 2004]