INSPECTION OF FRUIT AND VEGETABLE CANNERIES. 9 



chines, but grading for quality — such as uniform texture and color — 

 is done by hand. The inspector should know how carefully the grad- 

 ing is done, the means for supervising or controlling it, how the 

 grades are designated upon the labels, and to what extent differences 

 in grade are emphasized upon the labels. 



In issuing instructions to inspectors of canned foods the Army 

 defined grades as follows : 



Foods may be graded according to size or quality, or both. Grading for size 

 s largely mechanical, whereas grading for quality (uniform texture, color, 

 ite.) is usually by hand. The various grades do not follow fixed standards, 

 )ut vary according to locality and weather conditions of the season. There is 

 I tendency at present toward uniformity and standardization of grades. 



FEtriTS. 



The higher grades differ mainly in the size of the pieces of fruit and in the 

 itrength of the sirup. Sirup strength is usually measured by degrees on a 

 lydrometer. The Balling and Brix hydrometers both give directly the percent- 

 ige of sugar in solution. For example, a 40° sirup consists of 40 pounds 

 )f sugar and 60 pounds of water in 100 pounds of sirup. Since the Brix 

 lydrometer is used most frequently in the large fruit-canning sections in the 

 Vest, densities in this manual will be expressed in Brix degrees unless other- 

 rise stated. 



The Baume hydrometer, which has an arbitrary scale, is sometimes used. 

 'he following table shows the relation between the Baum6 and Brix readings : 



Degrees Brix (per cent of sugar) . Degrees Baume. 



! 10.0 5.6 



' 20.0 11.1 



30.0 16.5 



40.0 21.9 



50.0 27.2 



It should be borne hi mind that after the fruit is cooked with the sirup the 



ensity of the latter on the finished product will not be the same as when 



dded. 



California Frwits. 



California fruits present the greatest number of grades, which in general 

 re as follows : 



(1) Special extra. — Choicest specimens of prime, ripe, large fruit, even in 

 ilor and texture, and perfectly peeled, pitted, or prepared. Very heavy sirup 

 about 50°) is used and the product is almost a preserve. The production of 

 lis grade is limited in quantity. 



(2) Extra. — Large, prime, ripe fruit of uniform size, evenly colored, of fine 

 ixture, free from blemish, and packed in heavy sirup (about 40°). Cleaning, 

 eeling, pitting, etc., must be perfect. 



(3) Extra standard. — Prime, ripe fruit of slightly smaller size and less 

 igular than extra, and packed in about 30° sirup. The quality of the fruit 

 id its preparation are almost equal to the extra. The quality of this grade is 

 gh in value. 



(4) Standard. — Fruit smaller in size than extra standard, or orchard run 

 "ter removal of culls; not so uniform in ripeness nor so even in color as (3) ; 

 ay have some blemishes ; packed in about 20° sirup. 



102636—22 2 



