United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Green and Frozen Wax Beans

Federal RegisterJul 19, 1996

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SUMMARY: In response to a petition from the National Food Processors

Association (NFPA), the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

is revising the United States Standards for Grades of frozen green and

frozen wax beans. The revision changes the U.S. grade standards for

frozen green and frozen wax beans by providing for the ``individual

attributes'' procedure for product grading with sample sizes,

acceptable quality levels (AQL's), tolerances and acceptance numbers

(number of allowable defects), establishing AQL's and acceptance

numbers based on a specified sample size of 13 sample units, and making

minor editorial changes.

EFFECTIVE DATE: August 19, 1996.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: James R. Rodeheaver, Processed

Products Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Division, Agricultural Marketing

Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, Room 0709, South Building,

P.O. Box 96456, Washington, D.C. 20090-6456, Telephone (202) 720-4693.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: The Department of Agriculture is issuing

this rule in conformance with Executive Order 12866.

This final rule has been reviewed under Executive Order 12778,

Civil Justice Reform. This action is not intended to have retroactive

effect. This final rule will not preempt any State or local laws,

regulations, or policies, unless they present an irreconcilable

conflict with this rule. There are no administrative procedures which

must be exhausted prior to any judicial challenge to the provisions of

this rule.

Pursuant to the requirements set forth in the Regulatory

Flexibility Act, as amended (5 U.S.C. 601 et seq.), the Administrator,

Agricultural Marketing Service, has determined that this action will

not have a significant economic impact on a substantial number of small

entities because the changes to the standards are made to reflect

current marketing practices. In addition, under the Agricultural

Marketing Act of 1946, the use of these standards is voluntary. A small

entity may avoid incurring any additional economic impact by not

employing the standards.

Agencies periodically review existing regulations. An objective of

the regulatory review is to ensure that the grade standards are serving

their intended purpose, the language is clear, and the standards are

consistent with AMS policy and authority.

USDA received a petition from the National Food Processors

Association (NFPA), requesting that the U.S. grade standards for frozen

green beans be revised. NFPA is a trade association representing over

450 food industry companies.

NFPA's grade standards review subcommittee is responsible for

reviewing the existing U.S. grade standards for canned and frozen

fruits and vegetables to ascertain whether the standards remain current

and reflect processing and marketing practices. Based on the

subcommittee's recommendation, NFPA requested that the U.S. grade

standards for frozen green beans, which are currently based on ``full

attributes,'' where defects are grouped into four categories (minor,

major, severe, and critical) with acceptable quality levels (AQL's) for

each grouping, be revised.

Their recommendation was to convert the U.S. grade standards to

statistically-based individual attributes grade standards, similar to

the revised U.S. grade standards for canned green and wax beans (58 FR

4295, January 14, 1993) where each defect has its own AQL. Canned green

beans and frozen green beans standards would be similar in design and

format.

The proposal was based on discussion drafts provided to the

industry in December 1993, March 1994, and April 1994 through their

major trade associations, the American Frozen Food Institute (AFFI) and

NFPA. The drafts incorporated a grading system where individual

tolerances were assigned to each individual defect. The proposal

provided statistically derived acceptable quality levels (AQL's) based

on the tolerances in the current standards (except some tolerances were

changed to be similar to the tolerances in canned green beans). The

proposal also included minor editorial changes and provides a uniform

format consistent with recent revisions of other U.S. grade standards.

The format is designed to provide industry personnel and agricultural

commodity graders with simpler and more comprehensive standards.

Definitions of terms and easy-to-read tables have been incorporated to

assure a better understanding and uniform application of the standards.

USDA believes that this proposed rule would facilitate trade between

processors and buyers and improve the marketing of frozen green beans.

Proposed Rule

The proposal to revise the U.S. Standards for Grades of frozen

green and frozen wax beans was published in the Federal Register on

February 15, 1995, (60 FR 8573) with a sixty-day comment period. The

comment period closed on April 17, 1995. USDA received one comment from

the National Food Processor's Association (NFPA), one comment from

Lakeside Foods, Incorporated, Manitowoc, Wisconsin, one comment from

the American Frozen Food Institute, and one comment from Twin City

Foods, Incorporated, Stanwood, Washington.

NFPA represents the $400 billion food processing industry on

scientific and public policy involving issues of food safety,

nutrition, and regulatory and consumer affairs. Most of their members

are in the canning industry, while many members operate both canning

and freezing facilities. NFPA's review of the proposed rule generally

agreed with the rule but pointed out four areas where the grade

standards for frozen green and frozen wax beans were not consistent

with the grade standards for canned green and canned wax beans. NFPA

urged that these differences be closely examined and that USDA

promulgate

[[Page 37664]]

grade standards that are consistent with, as much as possible, the

canned green and wax beans grade standards. The first point NFPA raised

was the definition of ``Short piece'' in whole style is 44 mm (1.75 in)

in the proposal and the same definition in the canned green and wax

beans is 32 mm (1.25 in). The second point was the AQL for Extraneous

Vegetable Material in Grade A in the proposal was 0.162 and that the

AQL in the canned green and wax beans standards for the same quality

factor and grade was 0.40. The lower the AQL, the more restrictive the

tolerance is for the defect. The third point raised was the AQL for

stems in Grade A Whole and Cut styles is 0.58 in the proposal and the

AQL in the canned green beans standards for the same factors is 1.50.

And the fourth point raised by NFPA was that the AQL for ``Mechanical

damage'' in Grade A in Whole style is 2.60 for frozen green and wax

beans and is 4.0 in the canned green beans standards. Lakeside Foods

basically cited the same four points in their comment, believing that

USDA ``misunderstands'' the industry's request that these grade

standards be similar for both canned and frozen green beans, whenever

possible. Lakeside Foods believed these differences will have an

unjustified economic impact on the frozen green and wax bean industry.

The American Frozen Food Institute, representing its 560 member

companies and accounting for over 90 percent of frozen food production

in the United States, also commented on the proposal. AFFI's Western

Technical Advisory Committee includes almost all frozen green and wax

bean processors in the United States. The comment supported the

proposed revision since most frozen green and wax bean processors'

recommendations were incorporated into the proposal. The Institute

argued however, that ``small pieces'' should be a classified defect

instead of a prerequisite as specified in the proposal citing that if a

``small piece'' continues to be included as a prerequisite, the

potential exists for one failing sample unit to down-grade an entire

lot, resulting in an inappropriate rejection of the overall quality of

the lot.

Twin City Foods, Incorporated, also commented on the proposal,

opposing the increased sample unit sizes as more time-consuming when

grading, and opposing ``small pieces and odd cuts'' in lengthwise style

only, being considered as a Prerequisite quality factor. In their

comment, Twin City Foods compared the sample unit sizes in the existing

frozen green and wax bean grade standards (250 g, 100 units, 200 units)

with the sample sizes in the proposal (500 g, 400 units). As stated in

their comment, ``One of the operational requirements of Twin City

Foods, Inc. is to have each tote bin of product be USDA Grade

Certifiable (in our plants processing under Continuous U.S.D.A.

Inspection). In order to establish a grade, the U.S.D.A. must grade a

minimum of three samples per Lot, or in this case, per tote bin. When

we are processing green beans, we fill a tote bin (1450 lbs for cut

green beans, 900 lbs. for sliced lengthwise, and 800 lbs. for whole

beans) about every 5 minutes. With the defect grading sample size twice

as large for cut and sliced lengthwise green beans, and four times

larger for whole green beans, accurate grade checks could not be

completed in time.'' Twin City Foods also opposed ``small pieces and

odd cuts'' in lengthwise style only, being categorized as a

Prerequisite quality factor in the proposal, agreed with AFFI that

``small pieces and odd cuts'' in lengthwise style only should be a

Classified quality factor, and the AQL/Tolerance for this factor should

be in terms of weight, not count.

The published proposal incorporated the positions of both canning

and freezing segments of the green and wax bean industry. With regard

to NFPA's comments, USDA agrees in principle that AQL's and tolerances

found in the frozen green and wax bean standards should be consistent

with the canned green and wax beans standards ``whenever possible.'' In

practice there will reasonably be certain differences. For each point

raised by NFPA, which note instances where the tolerances for defects

in the grade standards for canned green and wax beans and the proposed

grade standards for frozen green and wax beans differ, USDA has

received comments from AFFI which support making these specific changes

in the tolerances. AFFI, in these specific instances, is favoring

tighter tolerances for frozen green and wax beans than those for the

same defects in the canned green beans. This is consistent with the

position of the frozen food industry has taken in the past relative to

developing and revising grade standards.

Taking all the comments into account, USDA believes that effective

marketing of frozen bean and wax beans will be best served by

incorporating the provisions with respect the sample sizes set forth in

the proposed rule.

USDA agrees with AFFI's comment to make ``small pieces'' a

classified defect with an AQL to represent overall lot quality for

small pieces and has incorporated this change in the final rule. In

addition to this change, USDA makes ``small pieces and odd cuts'' in

French Style only a classified defect with an AQL to represent overall

lot quality in this rule as well.

Regarding the comment from Twin City Foods, Incorporated, they have

adopted a sampling rate that is higher than USDA minimum sampling

rates. For most of the industry, which tends to use USDA minimum

sampling rates, the increased sample unit sizes would have minimal

impact while the impact would be greater on the operations of a frozen

processor with higher sampling rates. Nonetheless, for most processors,

the proposed change would be beneficial to the industry as a whole, and

accordingly, it has been included in the final rule.

USDA found, upon additional review, that definitions for ``flavor

and odor'' were different in the current grade standards for canned and

frozen green and wax beans. USDA believes commodity graders and the

industry will apply the standards more uniformly if flavor and odor

definitions are similar for both commodities. USDA is removing ``fairly

good flavor and odor'' from the definitions of terms to make the terms

similar for both agricultural products.

Accordingly, based on all the information collected and to promote

efficient marketing of this product, USDA revises the United States

Standards for Grades of Frozen Green and Frozen Wax Beans.

List of Subjects in 7 CFR Part 52

Food grades and standards, Food labeling, Frozen foods, Fruit

juices, Fruits, Reporting and recordkeeping requirements, Vegetables.

For the reasons set forth in the preamble, 7 CFR part 52 is amended

as follows:

PART 52--[AMENDED]

1. The authority citation for Part 52 is revised to read as

follows:

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627.

2. In part 52, Subpart--United States Standards for Grades of

Frozen Green Beans and Frozen Wax Beans is revised to read as follows:

Subpart--United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Green Beans and

Frozen Wax Beans

Sec.

52.2321 Product description.

52.2322 Styles.

52.2323 Types.

52.2324 Kinds of pack.

52.2325 Definitions of terms.

52.2326 Grades.

52.2327 Factors of quality.

52.2328 Allowances for defects.

[[Page 37665]]

52.2329 Sample size.

52.2330 Quality requirements criteria.

Subpart--United States Standards for Grades of Frozen Green Beans

and Frozen Wax Beans

Sec. 52.2321 Product description.

Frozen green beans and frozen wax beans, hereinafter called frozen

beans, means the frozen product prepared from the clean, sound,

succulent pods of the bean plant. The pods are stemmed, washed,

blanched, sorted, and properly drained. The product is frozen in

accordance with good commercial practice and maintained at temperatures

necessary for the preservation of the product.

Sec. 52.2322 Styles.

(a) Whole means frozen beans consisting of whole pods, which after

removal of either or both ends, are not less than 44 mm (1.75 in) in

length.

(b) Cut or cuts means frozen beans consisting of pods that are cut

transversely into pieces less than 70 mm (2.75 in) but not less than 19

mm (0.75 in) in length.

of pods of which 75 percent or more are less than 19 mm (0.75 in) in

length and not more than 1 percent are more than 32 mm (1.25 in) in

length.

(d) Mixed means a mixture of two or more of the following styles of

frozen beans: whole, cut, or short cut.

(e) Sliced lengthwise, or French style means frozen green beans

consisting of pods that are sliced lengthwise.

Sec. 52.2323 Types.

The type of frozen beans is not incorporated in the grades of

finished product, since it is not a factor of quality. The types of

frozen beans are described as round type and Romano or Italian type.

(a) Round type means frozen beans having a width not greater than

1\1/2\ times the thickness of the beans.

(b) Romano or Italian type means frozen beans having a width

greater than 1\1/2\ times the thickness of the beans.

Sec. 52.2324 Kinds of pack.

The kind of pack of frozen beans is not incorporated in the grades

of finished product, since it is not a factor of quality. The kinds of

pack of frozen beans are described as regular process, extended blanch

process, and special pack.

(a) Regular process means the frozen beans are processed in such a

manner that the brightness is not affected by the process.

(b) Extended blanch process means the frozen beans are

intentionally processed in such a manner that the brightness is

affected by the process.

beans of two or more varietal characteristics (such as a mixture of

green and wax beans).

Sec. 52.2325 Definitions of terms.

(a) Acceptable Quality Level (AQL) means the maximum percent of

defective units or the maximum number of defects per hundred units of

product that, for the purpose of acceptance sampling, can be considered

satisfactory as a process average.

(b) Blemish--(1) Minor blemish means any unit which is affected by

scars, pathological injury, insect injury or other means in which the

aggregate area affected exceeds the area of a circle 3 mm (0.125 in) in

diameter or the appearance or eating quality of the unit is slightly

affected.

(2) Major blemish means any unit which is affected or damaged by

discoloration or any other means to the extent that the appearance or

eating quality of the unit is more than slightly affected.

(3) Total blemish means the total of the major and minor blemishes.

sample unit as a mass is affected by dullness. (Applies to regular

process only).

(1) Grade A: Not affected.

(2) Grade B: Slightly affected.

(3) Grade C: Materially affected.

(4) Substandard: Seriously affected.

(d) Character--(1) Round type--Green Beans--(i) Good character

means the pods are full fleshed; after cooking, the pods are tender and

the seeds are not mealy.

(ii) Reasonably good character means the pods are reasonably

fleshy; after cooking, the pods are tender and the seeds are not mealy.

(iii) Fairly good character means the pods have not entirely lost

their fleshy structure; after cooking, the pods are fairly tender and

the seeds may be slightly mealy.

(iv) Poor character means the beans fail the requirements for

fairly good character.

(2) Round type--Wax Beans--(i) Good character means the pods are

full fleshed and may show slight breakdown of the flesh between seed

cavities; after cooking, the pods are tender and the seeds are not

mealy.

(ii) Reasonably good character means the pods are reasonably fleshy

and may show substantial breakdown of the flesh between the seed

cavities; after cooking, the pods are tender and the seeds are not

mealy.

(iii) Fairly good character means the pods may show total breakdown

of the flesh between the seed cavities with no definite seed pocket,

but still retain flesh on the inside pod wall; after cooking, the pods

are fairly tender and the seeds may be slightly mealy.

(iv) Poor character means the beans fail the requirements for

fairly good character.

(3) Romano or Italian type--(i) Good character means the pods have

a full inner membrane, typical of the variety and are tender after

cooking.

(ii) Reasonably good character means the pods have a reasonably

well developed inner membrane and are reasonably tender after cooking.

(iii) Fairly good character means the pods may lack an inner

membrane; and are fairly tender after cooking.

(iv) Poor character means the beans fail the requirements for

fairly good character.

(e) Color defective means a unit that varies markedly from the

color that is normally expected for the variety and grade.

(f) Defect means any nonconformance of a unit of product from a

specified requirement of a single quality characteristic.

(g) Extraneous vegetable material (EVM) means harmless vegetable

material (other than the bean pods) including, but not limited to,

stalk, vine material, [vine material with stem(s) attached], leaves of

the bean plant, and leaves or portions of other harmless plants.

(h) Fiber--(1) Edible fiber means fiber developed in the wall of

the bean pod that, after cooking, is noticeable upon chewing, but can

be consumed with the rest of the bean material without objection.

(2) Inedible fiber means fiber developed in the wall of the bean

pod that, after cooking, is objectionable upon chewing and tends to

separate from the rest of the bean material.

(i) Flavor and odor. Good flavor and odor means the product, after

cooking, has a characteristic green bean or wax bean flavor and odor

typical of the varietal type and is free from objectionable flavors and

odors.

(j) Mechanical damage means a unit, in all styles except French,

that is broken or split into two parts (equals 1 defect), is crushed,

or is damaged by mechanical means to such an extent that the appearance

is seriously affected; and for whole and cut styles has very ragged

edges that are greater than 8 mm (\5/16\ in).

[[Page 37666]]

(k) Short piece means a unit in cut style, that is less than 13 mm

(0.50 in) in length, and a unit in whole style that is less than 44 mm

(1.75 in) in length, measured along the longest dimension parallel to

the bean suture line.

(l) Single sample unit means the amount of product specified (500

grams for French style and 400 units for all other styles) to be used

for unofficial inspection. It may be:

(1) The entire contents of a container;

(2) A portion of the contents of a container; or

(3) A combination of the contents of two or more containers.

(m) Sloughing means the separation of the outer surface layer of

tissue from the pod.

(n) Small pieces and odd cuts, in French style only, mean pieces of

pod less than 19 mm (0.75 in) in length or pieces of pod not conforming

to the normal appearance of a sliced lengthwise bean unit.

(o) Stem means any part or portion (loose or attached) of the hard

or tough fibrous material that attaches the bean pod to the vine.

(p) Tolerance means the percentage of defective units allowed for

each quality factor for a specified sample size.

(q) Unit means a bean pod or any individual portion thereof.

Sec. 52.2326 Grades.

(a) U.S. Grade A is the quality of frozen beans that:

(1) Meets the following prerequisites in which the beans:

(i) Have similar varietal characteristics (except special packs);

(ii) Have a good flavor and odor;

(iii)Have a good overall brightness that is not affected by

dullness (regular process only); and

(iv) Are not materially affected by sloughing.

(2) Is within the limits for defects as specified in Section

52.2328, as applicable for the style.

(b) U.S. Grade B is the quality of frozen beans that:

(1) Meets the following prerequisites in which the beans:

(i) Have similar varietal characteristics (except special packs);

(ii) Have a good flavor and odor;

(iii) Have a reasonably good overall brightness (regular process

only); and

(iv) Are not materially affected by sloughing.

(2) Is within the limits for defects as specified in Section

52.2328, as applicable for the style.

(1) Meets the following prerequisites in which the beans:

(i) Have similar varietal characteristics (except special packs);

(ii) Have a good flavor and odor;

(iii) Have a fairly good overall brightness (regular process only);

and

(iv) Are not seriously affected by sloughing.

(2) Is within the limits for defects as specified in Section

52.2328, as applicable for the style.

(d) Substandard is the quality of frozen beans that fail the

requirements of U.S. Grade C.

Sec. 52.2327 Factors of quality.

The grade of frozen beans is based on requirements for the

following quality factors:

(a) Prerequisite quality factors. (1) Varietal characteristics

(except special packs);

(2) Flavor and odor;

(3) Brightness (regular process only); and

(4) Sloughing.

(b) Classified quality factors. (1) Extraneous vegetable material

(EVM);

(2) Stems;

(3) Major blemishes;

(4) Total blemishes;

(5) Mechanical damage;

(6) Short pieces (Cut, Whole Style);

(7) Small pieces and odd cuts (French Style);

(8) Color defectives;

(9) Character;

(10) Inedible fiber; and

(11) Edible fiber.

Sec. 52.2328 Allowances for defects.

Table I--Prerequisite Factors for Frozen Green Beans and Wax Beans \1\

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Factors Grade A Grade B Grade C

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Varietal characteristics............. Similar................ Similar................ Similar.

Flavor and odor...................... Good................... Good................... Good.

Brightness........................... Good................... Reasonably good........ Fairly good.

Sloughing............................ Not materially affected Not materially affected Not seriously affected.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

\1\ Determined container-by-container.

Table II.--Acceptance Numbers for Whole, and Cut Style Frozen Green Beans and Wax Beans (Grade A)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sample Units x Sample Unit

Size....................... 1 x 400 1.5 x 400 3 x 400 6 x 400 13 x 400 21 x 400 29 x 400

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Units of Product............ \1\ 400 \2\ 600 1200 2400 5200 8400 11600

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TOL AQL \3\ Quality factors

(6)Acce

ptance

number

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

0.25... 0.162 Extraneous Vegetable Material............................ 2 2 4 7 13 19 26

0.75... 0.58 Stems.................................................... 5 6 11 20 39 60 81

1.25... 1.02 Major Blemishes.......................................... 7 10 18 33 65 101 136

3.75... 3.30 Total Blemishes (Major + Minor).......................... 19 27 50 94 193 304 415

3.00... 2.60 Mechanical Damage........................................ 16 22 40 75 154 242 330

20.00.. 19.10 Short Pieces, Whole Style................................ 89 130 251 490 1040 1664 2285

8.50... 7.90 Short Pieces, Cut Style.................................. 41 59 111 212 444 706 966

1.75... 1.48 Edible Fiber............................................. 10 14 25 45 91 142 193

0.10... 0.05 Inedible Fiber........................................... 1 1 2 3 5 7 10

5.50... 5.00 Color Defectives......................................... 27 39 73 138 286 454 620

10.75.. 10.10 Character--``B''......................................... 50 72 138 266 561 894 1225

1.25... 1.02 Character--``C''......................................... 7 10 18 33 65 101 136

0.10... 0.05 Character--``SStd''...................................... 1 1 2 3 5 7 10

\1\ For unofficial samples. \2\ For use with small container sizes only. \3\ AQL calculated from tolerance (TOL) at 5200.

[[Page 37667]]

Table IIa.--Acceptance Numbers for Whole, and Cut Style Frozen Green Beans and Wax Beans (Grade B)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sample Units x Sample Unit

Size....................... 1 x 400 1.5 x 400 3 x 400 6 x 400 13 x 400 21 x 400 29 x 400

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Units of Product............ \1\ 400 \2\ 600 1200 2400 5200 8400 11600

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TOL AQL \3\ Quality factors

(6)

ance

number

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

.50.... 0.366 Extraneous Vegetable Material............................ 3 4 8 13 26 40 53

1.50... 1.25 Stems.................................................... 8 12 21 39 78 122 165

2.50... 2.17 Major Blemishes.......................................... 13 19 34 64 130 204 278

6.75... 6.20 Total Blemishes (Major + Minor).......................... 33 47 88 169 352 559 763

6.00... 5.50 Mechanical Damage........................................ 30 42 79 151 314 498 680

N/A.... N/A Short Pieces, Whole Style................................ N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

12.50.. 11.80 Short Pieces, Cut Style.................................. 58 84 160 309 652 1040 1426

4.50... 4.00 Edible Fiber............................................. 22 32 59 112 232 366 500

1.50... 1.25 Inedible Fiber........................................... 8 12 21 39 78 122 165

10.75.. 10.10 Color Defectives......................................... 50 72 138 266 561 894 1225

N/A.... N/A Character-- ``B''........................................ N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

10.75.. 10.10 Character-- ``C''........................................ 50 72 138 266 561 894 1225

1.25... 1.02 Character-- ``SStd''..................................... 7 10 18 33 65 101 136

\1\ For unofficial samples.

\2\ For use with small container sizes only.

\3\ AQL calculated from tolerance (TOL) at 5200.

Table IIb.--Acceptance Numbers for Whole, and Cut Style Frozen Green Beans and Wax Beans (Grade C)

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sample Units x Sample Unit

Size....................... 1 x 400 1.5 x 400 3 x 400 6 x 400 13 x 400 21 x 400 29 x 400

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Units of Product............ \1\ 400 \2\ 600 1200 2400 5200 8400 11600

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

TOL AQL \3\ Quality factors

(6)Acce

ptance

number

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

1.00... 0.80 Extraneous Vegetable Material............................ 6 8 15 26 52 80 108

3.00... 2.60 Stems.................................................... 16 22 40 75 154 242 330

3.75... 3.30 Major Blemishes.......................................... 19 27 50 94 193 304 415

12.75.. 12.00 Total Blemishes (Major + Minor).......................... 58 85 162 314 663 1057 1449

10.75.. 10.10 Mechanical Damage........................................ 50 72 138 266 561 894 1225

N/A.... N/A Short Pieces, Whole Style................................ N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

18.25.. 17.40 Short Pieces, Cut Style.................................. 82 119 230 448 950 1519 2085

8.50... 7.90 Edible Fiber............................................. 41 59 111 212 444 706 966

3.75... 3.30 Inedible Fiber........................................... 19 27 50 94 193 304 415

17.75.. 16.90 Color Defectives......................................... 80 116 224 435 923 1476 2027

N/A.... N/A Character--``B''......................................... N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

N/A.... N/A Character--``C''......................................... N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A N/A

10.75.. 10.10 Character--``SStd''...................................... 50 72 138 266 561 894 1225

\1\ For unofficial samples.

\2\ For use with small container sizes only.

\3\ AQL calculated from tolerance (TOL) at 5200.

Table III.--Acceptance Numbers for Short Cut, and Mixed Cut Style Frozen Green Beans and Wax Beans (Grade A)