United States Standards for Grades of Dried Figs
Product description
Dried figs are the fruit of the fig tree (Ficus carica) from which the greater portion of moisture has been removed. The dried figs are prepared from clean and sound fruit and are sorted and thoroughly cleaned to assure a clean, sound, wholesome product. The figs may or may not be sulphured or otherwise bleached.
Color types of dried figs.
(a) White figs (or white type figs) are white to dark brown in color and include such varieties as Adriatic and Adriatic types (Conadria, DiRedo, Tena, Adam, etc.), Calimyrna, and Kadota. Calimyrna variety may not be co-mingled with other varieties.
(b) Black figs (or black type figs) are black or dark purple in color as in the Mission varieties.
Styles and types of packs of dried figs
(a) Style I, Whole (or whole figs) means dried figs in any of the following types of packs:
(1) Whole, loose, figs, referred to as Style I (a), are whole dried figs, not materially changed from their original dried form, that are packed without special arrangement in a container.
(2) Whole, pulled, figs, referred to as Style I (b), are whole dried figs which are changed from their original dried form by purposely flattening and shaping and are placed in a definite arrangement in a container. The dried figs may or may not be split slightly across the eye but are not split to the extent that the seed cavity is materially exposed.
(3) Whole, layered, figs, referred to as Style I (c), are whole dried figs which are changed from their original dried form by purposely flattening and shaping and are placed in a staggered-layer arrangement in a container. The figs are split across the base to the extent that the seed cavity may be materially exposed.
(b) Style II, Pieces (or fig pieces) means pieces of figs made from whole dried figs whose size does not exceed 3/8 in. x 3/8 in. x 3/4in.
Sizes of Style I (a), whole, loose, dried figs.
(a) Sizes. The sizes of Style I (a), whole, loose, dried figs for the respective varieties are as follows:
(1) White.
No. 1 size (jumbo size) – 1-9/16 inches or larger in width.
No. 2 size (extra fancy size) – 1-6/16 inches to, but not including, 1-9/16 inches in width.
No. 3 size (fancy size) – 1-3/16 inches to, but not including, 1-6/16 inches in width.
No. 4 size (extra choice size) – 1-1/16 inches to, but not including, 1- 3/16 inches in width.
No. 5 size (choice size) – 14/16 inch to, but not including, 1-1/16 inches in width.
No. 6 size (standard size) – Less than 14/16 inch in width.
(2) Black.
No. 1 size (jumbo size) – 1-5/16 inches or larger in width.
No. 2 size (extra fancy size) – 1- 3/16 inches to, but not including, 1-5/16 inches in width.
No. 3 size (fancy size) – 1-1/16 inches to, but not including, 1-3/16 inches in width.
No. 4 size (extra choice size) – 15/16 inch to, but not including, 1-1/16 inches in width.
No. 5 size (choice size) – 12/16 inch to, but not including, 15/16 inchin width.
No. 6 size (standard size) – Less than 12/16 inch in width.
(b) Ascertaining compliance for a single size. In ascertaining compliance with the size requirements of this section, Style I (a), whole, loose, dried figs will be considered as a single size if not less than 80 percent by count of the figs are of one predominant size and not more than 14 percent by count of the figs are of a size or sizes smaller than that predominating size and not more than 6 percent by count of the figs are of a size or sizes larger than that predominating size. Uniformity of size, as such, is not a grade requirement for Style I (a), whole,
loose, dried figs.
Definitions of terms
(a) Color.
(1) White figs.
(i) Practically uniform typical color means, with respect to white varieties of dried figs that are light in color, that there may not be more than 10 percent, by count, of dried figs that are markedly dark figs; and, with respect to white varieties that are dark in color, that there may not be more than 10 percent, by count, of dried figs that are markedly light-colored figs.
(ii) Reasonably uniform typical color means, that with respect to white varieties of dried figs that are light in color or are very light green in color, that there may not be more than 20 percent, by count, of dried figs that are markedly dark figs; and, with respect to white varieties that are dark in color, that there not be more than 20 percent, by count, of dried figs that are markedly light-colored figs.
(2) Black figs.
(i) Practically uniform typical color means, with respect to Black varieties of dried figs, that the color is reasonably uniform and a typical natural black or dark reddish brown color of dried figs and that not more than 20 percent, by count, of the dried figs may be, singly or in combination: Affected by very light-colored scars which are not calloused and which, singly or in aggregate on a whole dried fig, are more than one fourth but less than one half of the exterior surface of the dried fig; or Seriously damaged by scars or disease (as defined in
§52.1025(b) which affect the color of the dried fig.
(ii) Reasonably uniform typical color means, with respect to Black varieties of dried figs, that the color is fairly uniform and a typical natural black or dark reddish brown color of dried figs and that not more than 30 percent by count, of the dried figs may be, singly or in combination:
Affected by very light-colored scars which are not calloused and which, singly or in the aggregate on a whole dried fig, are more than one-fourth but less than one-half of the exterior surface of the dried fig; or
Seriously damaged by scars or disease (as defined in §52.1025
(b) which affect the color of the dried fig.
(b) Defects.
(1) Damaged by scars or disease means that the area of tough or calloused scars, singly or in the aggregate on a dried fig or portion of a dried fig, is equal to, or exceeds, the diameter of a circle 3/8 inch in diameter but is less than the area of a circle 1⁄2 inch in diameter.
(2) Seriously damaged by scars or disease means that the area of tough or calloused scars, singly or in the aggregate on a dried fig or portion of a dried fig, is equal to, or exceeds, the area of a circle 1⁄2 inch in diameter. Figs which possess very light colored scars that are not calloused are considered seriously damaged by scars if such scars, singly or in the aggregate on a whole dried fig, are equal to one-half or more of the exterior surface of the dried fig.
(3) Damaged by sunburn means any substantial damage from excessive heat to the skin evidenced by dry and tough surface areas.
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