The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is revising seven U.S. grade standards for canned tomato products.
Revisions will be made to:
- U.S. Standards for Grades of Tomato Ketchup.
- U.S. Standards for Grades of Tomato Sauce.
- U.S. Standards for Grades of Tomato Juice.
- U.S. Standards for Grades of Canned Tomato Paste.
- U.S. Standards for Grades of Canned Tomato Puree.
- U.S. Standards for Grades of Canned Tomatoes.
- U.S. Standards for Grades of Concentrated Tomato Juice.
AMS is updating the color sections in the grade standards, replacing the two-term grading system (dual-nomenclature) with a single term, and making editorial changes. AMS is also changing the spelling of “catsup” to the more commonly used term “ketchup.”
AMS works with industry representatives and others to establish or revise U.S. standards for nearly 240 agricultural products. Standards facilitate commerce by providing a common language for trade and a means of measuring value in the marketing of agricultural products
The final notice establishing the revised standards was published in the Federal Register on May 13, 2026. The new standards go into effect June 12, 2026 and can be viewed on the AMS website on or after this date.
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