Concentrated Tomato Juice Grades and Standards

Grades of Concentrated Tomato Juice

1. U.S. Grade A or U.S. Fancy is the quality of concentrated tomato juice that, when properly reconstituted, has a good color; has a good consistency; is practically free from defects; has a good flavor; and scores not less than 85 points when scored in accordance with the scoring system outlined in this subpart: Provided, That the reconstituted tomato juice may have only a fairly good color, scoring not less than 25 points and a fairly good consistency, if the total score is not less than 85 points.

2. U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard is the quality of concentrated tomato juice that, when properly reconstituted, has a fairly good color; has a fairly good consistency; is fairly free from defects; has a fairly good flavor; and scores not less than 70 points when scored in accordance with the scoring system outlined in this subpart.

3. Substandard is the quality of concentrated tomato juice that fails to meet the requirements of U.S. Grade C.

Color Standards

Color Standards for Tomato Products are available for Purchase.  See How to Purchase Visual Aids for more details.

Detailed standards, Inspection Instructions & Other Resources:

• U.S. Grade Standards for Concentrated Tomato Juice (pdf)
• FDA Food Defect Action Level
• FDA Macroanalytical Procedures Manual
• Tomato Products Spectrophotometer Studies (pdf)
• 21 CFR § 156.145 - Tomato Juice
• A-478 Solids Determination
• A-445 Determining Lot Compliance for Declaring Natural Tomato Soluble Solids (NTSS)
• AOAC Official Method 965.41 Mold in Tomato Products
• AOAC Official Method 984.29 Mold in Tomato Products
• AOAC Official Method 955.46 Filth in Tomato Products
• Certification Manual
• Condition of Container Manual
• Determination of Consistency of Tomato Products (pdf)
• General Procedures Manual 
• Methods of Analyses for Tomato Products Mold Count (pdf)
• Methods of Analyses for Tomato Products Solid Content Determinations (pdf)
• Methods of Analyses for Tomato Products Fly Egg and Maggot Determination (pdf)
• Methods of Analyses for Tomato Products Sand and Inorganic Residue Determination (pdf)
• Safety Manual
• Sampling Manual
• Sanitation Manual
• SC-364-158 Score Sheet for Concentrated Tomato Juice
• Technical Procedures Manual