Quality Control Aids 



USDA has developed a number of 

 visual aids, color standards, and 

 guides for uniform interpretation of the 

 various quality factors in the U.S. 

 grade standards. While these were de- 

 signed primarily for use by the inspec- 

 tion service, many of them are also 

 available to you as an industry mem- 

 ber. Processors, particularly, find these 

 visual aids and color guides valuable 

 tools in maintaining quality control 

 during their processing operations. 



Among the types of visual aids used 

 by the inspection force are wax models 

 depicting shape, color, types of de- 

 fects; special plastic and glass color 

 comparators; photographic color slides 

 and prints; and black and white 

 photographs and drawings. USDA has 

 granted licenses to qualified firms to 

 manufacture and sell some of these 

 visual aids. You can get details on 

 available aids and the firms who manu- 

 facture them from the inspection office 

 nearest you. 



USDA has also developed two stand- 

 ards for statistical procedures. One 



standard covers inspection by variables 

 (those characteristics that can be 

 measured against a specified require- 

 ment). This standard contains certain 

 basic information such as definitions of 

 statistical terms and symbols, the re- 

 cording of data and the principles of 

 acceptance and rejection. The other 

 standard supplements the first and is of 

 an instructional nature specific for the 

 determination of the amount of fruit or 

 vegetable ingredients filled into a con- 

 tainer at the time of processing. To- 

 gether these standards represent a part 

 of USDA's efforts to use new concepts 

 for product control in its standardiza- 

 tion and inspection programs. They are 

 also available for use by processors. 

 You can get details on the standards 

 and find out how they can fit into 

 your quality control program by con- 

 tacting the Washington, D.C., office of 

 the inspection service. 



Relationship with FDA 



USDA's processed fruit and vege- 

 table inspection is a service activity, 

 administered by USDA's Agricultural 



USDA inspectors check quality of samples 

 of frozen corn. 



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