Dried Peaches Grades and Standards

Dried peaches are the halved and pitted fruit of the peach tree (Prunus persica) from which the greater portion of moisture has been removed. Before packing, the dried fruit is processed to cleanse the fruit and may be sulfured sufficiently to retain a characteristic color.
   
Grades of Dried Peaches

  1. U.S. Grade A or U.S. Fancy
    1. U.S. Grade A or U.S. Fancy dried peaches possess similar varietal characteristics; and possess a practically uniform, bright typical color, characteristic of well-matured peaches. Not more than 5 percent by weight of the fruit may be of a color described in U.S. Grade B or U.S. Choice, and none of the fruit may be of a color described in U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard.
    2. Not more than a total tolerance of 10 percent by weight may be slabs, immature, or may possess pits or pieces of pits; may be damaged by discoloration, sunburn, hail marks, scab, disease, insect injury, or other similar defects; or may be affected by mold, decay, insect infestation (no live insects are permitted), imbedded dirt, or other foreign material: Provided, that not more than three-tenths of the total tolerance or 3 percent by weight, may possess pits, or pieces of pits, not more than two-fifths of the total tolerance, or 4 percent by weight, may be affected by mold, decay, insect infestation (no live insects are permitted), imbedded dirt, or other foreign material: And further provided, that, not more than one-tenth of the total tolerance, or 1 percent by weight, may be affected by decay.
  2. U.S. Grade B or U.S. Choice
    1. ​​​​​​​U.S. Grade B or U.S. Choice dried peaches possess similar varietal characteristics; and possess a reasonably uniform, bright typical color, characteristic of reasonably well-matured peaches. Not more than 10 percent by weight of the fruit may be of a color described in U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard.
    2. Not more than a total tolerance of 15 percent by weight may be slabs, immature, or may possess pits or pieces of pits; may be damaged by discoloration, sunburn, hail marks, scab, disease, insect injury, or other similar defects; or may be affected by mold, decay, insect infestation (no live insects are permitted), imbedded dirt, or other foreign material: Provided, that, not more than one-third of the total tolerance, or 5 percent by weight, may possess pits or pieces of pits; not more than one-third of the total tolerance, or 5 percent by weight, may be affected by mold, decay, insect infestation (no live insects are permitted), imbedded dirt, or other foreign material: and further provided, that, not more than one-fifteenth of the total tolerance, or 1 percent by weight, may be affected by decay.
  3. U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard
    1. ​​​​​​​U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard dried peaches possess similar varietal characteristics; and possess a fairly uniform typical color, characteristic of fairly well-matured peaches.
    2. Not more than a total tolerance of 20 percent by weight of the fruit may be slabs, immature, or possess pits or pieces of pits; may be damaged by discoloration, sunburn, hail marks, scab, disease, insect injury, or other similar defects; or may be affected by mold, decay, insect infestation (no live insects are permitted), imbedded dirt, or other foreign material: Provided, that, not more than one-half of the total tolerance, or 10 percent by weight, may possess pits or pieces of pits; not more than one-fourth of the total tolerance, or 5 percent by weight, may be affected by mold, decay, insect infestation (no live insects are permitted), imbedded dirt, or other foreign material: and further provided, that, no more than one-tenth of the total tolerance, or 2 percent by weight, may be affected by decay.
  4. U.S. Grade D or Substandard dried peaches are wholesome and edible fruit that fails to meet the requirements of U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard: Provided, that, not more than 5 percent by weight of the total fruit may be affected by mold, decay, insect infestation (no live insects are permitted), imbedded dirt, or other foreign material: and further provided, that, not more than 2 percent by weight of the total fruit may be affected by decay.


Detailed standards, Inspection Instructions & Other Resources: