Dried Pears Grades and Standards

Dried pears are the halved fruit of the pear tree (Pyrus communis) which may or may not be cored, from which the external stems and calyx cups have been removed, and from which the greater portion of the 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 Pears

  1. U.S. Grade A or U.S. Fancy
    1. U.S. Grade A or U.S. Fancy dried pears possess similar varietal characteristics; possess a practically uniform, bright typical color characteristic of well-matured pears; and are well shaped. No 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 scraps; may be affected by russet or similar discoloration; may be damaged by discoloration, sunburn, hailmarks, limb-rubs hard end, black end, external stems and calyx cups, 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 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 pears possess similar varietal characteristics; possess a reasonably uniform, bright typical color, characteristic of reasonably well-matured pears; and are reasonably well shaped. 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 scraps; may be affected by russet or similar discoloration; may be damaged by discoloration, sunburn, hailmarks, limb-rub, hard end, black end, external stems and calyx cups, scabs, 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 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 pears possess similar varietal characteristics; possess a fairly uniform color; characteristic of fairly well matured pears; and are fairly well shaped.
    2. Not more than a total tolerance of 20 percent by weight may be slabs, immature, or scraps; may be affected by russet or similar discoloration, may be damaged by discoloration, sunburn, hail marks, limb-rubs, hard end, black end, external stems and calyx cups, scab, disease, insect infestation (no live insects are permitted), imbedded dirt, or other foreign material: Provided, that 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 not 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 pears 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: