130 MISC. PUB. 190, U.S. DEPT. OF AGRICULTURE 
UNITED STATES STANDARDS FOR PLUMS 
AND PRUNES (FRESH) 
(Effective May 15, 19381) 
GRADES 
U.S. Fancy shall consist of plums or prunes of one 
variety which are well formed; mature but not soft, 
overripe, or Shriveled; which are free from decay, 
hail marks, sunburn, cuts, and skin breaks (except 
those caused by pulled stems where the skin is not 
torn beyond the stem basin), and from damage 
caused by dirt or other foreign material, growth 
cracks, drought, russeting, scars, disease, insects or 
mechanical or other means. Italian type prunes shall 
be well colored and, unless otherwise specified, the 
minimum size of such prunes shall be not less than 
144 inches in diameter. 
In order to allow for variations incident to proper 
grading and handling, not more than a total of 10 > 
percent, by count. of the plums or prunes in any 
container ™* may not meet the requirements of this 
grade for defects other than color and size of Italian 
type prunes but not more than 5 percent, by count, 
may be allowed for defects causing serious damage 
and not more than 1 percent may be allowed for 
decay. In addition, not more than 10 percent, by 
count, of the Italian type prunes in any container™ 
may not meet the color requirements, and not more 
than 10 percent, by count, may not meet the size 
Specifications, but the combined tolerance for all 
defects shall not exceed 15 percent. 
U.S. No. 1 shall consist of plums or prunes of one 
variety which are well formed; mature but not soft, 
overripe, or shriveled; which are free from decay, 
cuts, and skin breaks (except those caused by pulied 
stems where the skin is not torn beyond the stem 
basin) and from damage caused by dirt or other 
foreign material, growth cracks, sunburn, hail, 
drought, russeting, scars, disease, insects, or mechani- 
cal or other means. Italian type prunes shall be 
54 The tolerances specified for the various grades are placed 
on a container basis. However, any lot of plums or prunes 
shall be considered as meeting the requirements of a speci- 
fied grade, if upon inspection, no sample from the containers 
in any lot is found to exceed the tolerances specified by more 
than one half the amount allowed, provided that the entire 
lot shall average within the tolerances specified. 
