Code of Federal Regulations (alpha)

CFR /  Title 7  /  Part 51  /  Sec. 51.1010 Damage.

Damage means any defect which materially affects the appearance, or the edible or shipping quality of the fruit. Any one of the following defects, or any combination of defects the seriousness of which exceeds the maximum allowed for any one defect, shall be considered as damage:

(a) Dryness or mushy condition which extends into all segments more than one-eighth of an inch at the stem end, or more than the equivalent of this amount, by volume, when occurring in other portions of the fruit;

(b) Sprayburn which changes the color to such an extent that the appearance of the fruit is materially affected, or which causes scarring that in the aggregate exceeds the area of a circle one-fourth inch in diameter;

(c) Exanthema (ammoniation) which materially detracts from the appearance of the fruit, or which occurs as small, thinly scattered spots over more than 10 percent of the fruit surface, or as solid scarring (not cracked) or depressions which in the aggregate exceed the area of a circle one-half inch in diameter;

(d) Scars which are dark, rough, or deep and in the aggregate exceed the area of a circle one-fourth inch in diameter, or scars which are fairly light in color, slightly rough, or of slight depth and in the aggregate exceed the area of a circle one-half inch in diameter, or scars which are light colored, fairly smooth, with no depth and aggregate more than 10 percent of the fruit surface;

(e) Thorn scratches when the injury is not well healed, or when dark colored, rough or deep and in the aggregate exceeds the area of a circle one-fourth inch in diameter, or when light colored, fairly smooth and concentrated and in the aggregate exceeds the area of a circle one-half inch in diameter, or light colored and scattered thorn injury which detracts from the appearance of the fruit to a greater extent than the aggregate area of one-half inch permitted for light colored concentrated injury;

(f) Scale when the appearance of the fruit is affected to a greater extent than that of a lime which has 10 medium to large California red or purple scale attached;

(g) Sunburn which causes appreciable flattening of the fruit, drying of the skin, material change in the color of the skin, appreciable drying of the flesh underneath the affected area, or which affects more than 5 percent of the fruit surface;

(h) Scab which materially affects the shape or texture;

(i) Blanching when more than 25 percent, in the aggregate, of the fruit surface shows a whitish to yellowish green area or areas because of shading, resting on the surface of the ground, or contact with other fruit on the tree. Such areas are not to be confused with limes which are turning yellow due to the ripening process;

(j) Yellow color when plainly visible and caused by the ripening process;

(k) Discoloration caused by rust mite, melanose or other means, when fairly smooth and more than 10 percent of the fruit surface is affected, or when slightly rough and in the aggregate exceeds the area of a circle one-half inch in diameter; and,

(l) Buckskin when more unsightly than the maximum discoloration allowed, or the fruit texture is materially affected.