Table IV--Metal Containers
[Rigid and semi-rigid]----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Categories
Defects -----------------------------------------------
Critical Major Minor----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Type or size of container or component parts not as specified... None permitted
-----------------------------------------------Closure incomplete, not located correctly or not sealed,
crimped, or fitted properly:
(a) Heat processed primary container........................ 1 ..............
(b) Non-heat processed primary container.................... .............. 101
(c) Other than primary container............................ .............. .............. 201Dirty, stained, or smeared container............................ .............. .............. 202Key opening metal containers (when required):
(a) Key missing............................................. .............. 102
(b) Key does not fit tab.................................... .............. 103
(c) Tab of opening band insufficient to provide .............. 104
accessibility to key.......................................
(d) Improper scoring (band would not be removed in one .............. 105
continuous strip)..........................................Metal pop-top:
(a) Missing or broken pull tab.............................. .............. 106
(b) Missing or incomplete score line (not conforming to a .............. 107
relevant product specification)............................Flexible pop-top:
(a) Poor seal (wrinkle, entrapped matter, etc.)............. .............. 108
(b) Short pull tab (not conforming to a relevant product .............. .............. 203
specification).............................................
(c) Missing pull tab........................................ .............. 109
(d) Torn pull tab........................................... .............. .............. 204Open top with plastic overcap (when required):
(a) Plastic overcap missing................................. .............. 110
(b) Plastic overcap warped (making opening or reapplication .............. 111
difficult).................................................Outside tinplate or coating (when required):
(a) Missing or incomplete................................... .............. .............. 205
(b) Blistered, flaked, sagged, or wrinkled.................. .............. .............. 206
(c) Scratched or scored..................................... .............. .............. 207
(d) Fine cracks............................................. .............. .............. 208Rust (rust stain confined to the top or bottom double seam or
rust that can be removed with a soft cloth is not scored a
defect):
(a) Rust stain.............................................. .............. .............. 209
(b) Pitted rust............................................. .............. 112Wet cans (excluding refrigerated containers).................... .............. .............. 210Dent:
(a) Materially affecting appearance but not usability....... .............. .............. 211
(b) Materially affecting usability.......................... .............. 113Buckle:
(a) Not involving end seam.................................. .............. .............. 212
(b) Extending into the end seam............................. .............. 114
Collapsed container............................................. .............. 115Paneled side materially affecting appearance but not usability.. .............. .............. 213Solder missing when required.................................... .............. 116Cable cut exposing seam......................................... .............. 117Improper side seam.............................................. .............. 118Swell, springer, or flipper (not applicable to gas or pressure 2 ..............
packed product nor frozen products)............................Leaker or blown container....................................... 3 ..............Frozen products only:
(a) Bulging ends \3/16\-inch to \1/4\-inch beyond lip....... .............. .............. 214
(b) Bulging ends more than \1/4\-inch beyond lip............ .............. 119Metal drums: leaking filling seal (bung) swell \1\.............. 4 120----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------\1\ Defect classification depends on the severity of the defect.
Table V--Composite Containers
[Fiberboard body with metal lids or metal bottoms, plastic or foil top with cap]----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Categories
Defects -----------------------------------------------
Critical Major Minor----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Type or size of container or component parts not as specified... None permitted
-----------------------------------------------Closure incomplete, not located correctly or not sealed, 1 ..............
crimped, or fitted properly....................................Dirty, stained, or smeared container............................ .............. .............. 201Easy open closure:
(a) Pull tab: .............. ..............
1. Missing or broken pull tab........................... .............. 101
2. Missing or incomplete score line..................... .............. 102
(b) Membrane top: .............. ..............
1. Poor seal (wrinkle, entrapped matter, etc.).......... .............. 103
2. Short pull tab....................................... .............. 104
3. Missing pull tab..................................... .............. 105
4. Torn pull tab........................................ .............. 106
(c) Open top with plastic overcap (when required): .............. ..............
1. Plastic overcap missing.............................. .............. 107
2. Plastic overcap warped (making opening or .............. 108
reapplication difficult)...............................Outside tinplate or coating on ends (when required):
(a) Missing or incomplete................................... .............. .............. 202
(b) Blistered, flaked, sagged, or wrinkled.................. .............. .............. 203
(c) Scratched or scored..................................... .............. .............. 204
(d) Fine cracks............................................. .............. .............. 205Collapsed container............................................. .............. 109Paneled side materially affecting appearance but not usability.. .............. .............. 206Leaker.......................................................... 2 ..............Wet or damp:
(a) Materially affecting appearance but not usability....... .............. .............. 207
(b) Materially affecting usability.......................... .............. 110Crushed or torn area:
(a) Materially affecting appearance but not usability....... .............. .............. 208
(b) Materially affecting usability.......................... .............. 111 ..............----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table VI--Glass Containers
[Bottles, Jars]----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Categories
Defects -----------------------------------------------
Critical Major Minor----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Type or size of container or component parts not as specified... None permitted
-----------------------------------------------Closure not sealed, crimped, or fitted properly:
(a) Heat processed.......................................... 1 ..............
(b) Non-heat processed...................................... .............. 101Dirty, stained, or smeared container............................ .............. .............. 201Chip in glass................................................... .............. .............. 202
Stone (unmelted material) in glass.............................. .............. .............. 203Pits in surface of glass........................................ .............. .............. 204Sagging surface................................................. .............. .............. 205Bead (bubble within glass):
(a) \1/8\-inch to \1/16\-inch in diameter................... .............. .............. 206
(b) Exceeding \1/8\-inch in diameter........................ .............. 102Checked......................................................... .............. 103Thin spot in glass.............................................. .............. 104Blister (structural defect)..................................... .............. 105Bird swing (glass appendage inside container)................... 2 ..............Broken or leaking container..................................... 3 ..............Cap (nonheat processed):
(a) Cross-threaded.......................................... .............. .............. 207
(b) Loose but not leaking................................... .............. .............. 208
(c) Pitted rust............................................. .............. 106Cap (heat processed):
(a) Cross-threaded or loose................................. 4 ..............
(b) Pitted rust............................................. .............. 107Sealing tape or cello band (when required):
(a) Improperly placed....................................... .............. .............. 209
(b) Not covering juncture of cap and glass.................. .............. 108
(c) Ends overlap by less than \1/2\-inch.................... .............. 109
(d) Loose or deteriorating.................................. .............. 110Missing or torn outer safety seal............................... .............. 111Inner safety seal--missing, torn, poor seal..................... .............. 112 ..............----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table VII--Plastic Containers
[Rigid and Semi-Rigid, Bottles, Jars, Tubs, Trays, Pails, etc.]----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Categories
Defects -----------------------------------------------
Critical Major Minor----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Type or size of container or component parts not as specified... None permitted
-----------------------------------------------Closure not sealed, crimped, or fitted properly:
(a) Heat processed.......................................... 1 ..............
(b) Non-heat processed...................................... .............. 101Dirty, stained, or smeared container............................ .............. .............. 201Chip in plastic................................................. .............. .............. 202Un-melted gels in plastic....................................... .............. .............. 203Pits in surface of plastic...................................... .............. .............. 204Sagging surface................................................. .............. .............. 205Air bubble within plastic:
(a) \1/8\-inch to \1/16\-inch in diameter................... .............. .............. 206
(b) Exceeding \1/8\-inch in diameter........................ .............. 102Checked......................................................... .............. 103Thin spot in plastic............................................ .............. 104Blister (structural defect)..................................... .............. 105Broken or leaking container..................................... 2 ..............Cap (non-heat processed):
(a) Cross-threaded.......................................... .............. .............. 207
(b) Loose but not leaking................................... .............. .............. 208Cap (heat processed), cross-threaded or loose................... 3 ..............Security seals:
(a) Closure ring missing.................................... .............. 106
(b) Missing or torn outer safety seal....................... .............. 107(c) Inner safety seal--missing, torn, or poor seal.............. .............. 108
(d) Sealing tape or cello band (when required):
1. Improperly placed.................................... .............. .............. 209
2. Not covering juncture of cap and plastic............. .............. 109
3. Ends overlap by less than \1/2\-inch................. .............. 110
4. Loose or deteriorating............................... .............. 111 ..............---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Table VIII--Rigid and Semi-Rigid Containers--Corrugated or Solid Fiberboard, Chipboard, Wood, Paperboard Aseptic
Cartons, Polymeric Trays, etc.
[Excluding metal, glass, and plastic]----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Categories
Defects -----------------------------------------------
Critical Major Minor----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Type or size of container or component parts not as specified... None permitted
-----------------------------------------------Component part missing.......................................... .............. 101
-----------------------------------------------Closure not sealed, crimped, or fitted properly:
(a) Primary container....................................... 1 ..............
(b) Other than primary container............................ .............. .............. 201Dirty, stained, or smeared container............................ .............. .............. 202Wet or damp (excluding ice packs):
(a) Materially affecting appearance but not usability....... .............. .............. 203
(b) Materially affecting usability.......................... .............. 102Moldy area...................................................... 2 ..............Crushed or torn area:
(a) Materially affecting appearance but not usability....... .............. .............. 204
(b) Materially affecting usability.......................... .............. 103Separation of lamination (corrugated fiberboard):
(a) Materially affecting appearance but not usability....... .............. .............. 205
(b) Materially affecting usability.......................... .............. 104Product sifting or leaking...................................... .............. 105Nails or staples (when required):
(a) Not as required, insufficient number or improperly .............. .............. 206
positioned.................................................
(b) Nails or staples protruding............................. .............. 106Glue or adhesive (when required); not holding properly, not
covering area specified, or not covering sufficient area to
hold properly:
(a) Primary container....................................... .............. 107
(b) Other than primary container............................ .............. .............. 207Flap:
(a) Projects beyond edge of container more than \1/4\-inch.. .............. .............. 208
(b) Does not meet properly, allowing space of more than \1/ .............. .............. 209
4\-inch....................................................Sealing tape or strapping (when required):
(a) Missing................................................. .............. 108
(b) Improperly placed or applied............................ .............. .............. 210Missing component (straw, etc.)................................. .............. .............. 211Paperboard Aseptic Cartons:
(a) Missing re-sealable cap or tab.......................... .............. 109
(b) Inner or outer safety seal--missing, torn, poor seal.... 3 ..............Thermostabilized polymeric trays:Tray body:
(a) Swollen container....................................... 4 ..............
(b) Tear, crack, hole, abrasion through more than one layer 5 ..............
of multi-layer laminate for the tray.......................
(c) Presence of delamination in multi-layered laminate...... .............. .............. 212
(d) Presence of any permanent deformation, such that .............. .............. 213
deformed area is discolored or roughened in texture........Lid material:
(a) Closure seal not continuous along tray flange surface... 6 ..............
(b) Foldover wrinkle in seal area extends into the closure 7 ..............
seal such that the closure seal is reduced to less than \1/
8\-inch....................................................
(c) Any impression or design on the seal surfaces which .............. 110
conceals or impairs visual detection of seal defects.......
(d) Areas of ``wave-like'' striations or wrinkles along the .............. .............. 214
seal area that spans the entire width of seal..............
(e) Abrasion of lid material:
1. Within \1/16\-inch of food product edge of seal such 8 ..............
that barrier layer is exposed..........................
2. Greater than \1/16\-inch from food product edge of .............. .............. 215
seal that barrier layer is exposed.....................
(f) Presence of entrapped matter within \1/16\-inch of the 9 ..............
food product edge of seal or entrapped moisture or vapor
with \1/16\-inch of the food product edge of seal that
results in less than \1/16\-inch of defect free seal width
at the outside edge........................................
(g) Presence of any seal defect or anomaly (for example, .............. 111
entrapped moisture, gases, etc.) within \1/16\-inch of food
product edge of seal.......................................
(h) Closure seal width less than \1/8\-inch................. .............. .............. 216----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table IX--Flexible Containers
[Plastic, Cellophane, Paper, Textile, Laminated Multi-Layer Pouch, Bag, etc.]----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Categories
Defects -----------------------------------------------
Critical Major Minor----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Type or size of container or component parts not as specified... None permitted
-----------------------------------------------Closure not sealed, crimped, stitched, or fitted properly:
(a) Heat processed primary container........................ 1 ..............
(b) Non-heat processed primary container.................... .............. 101
(c) Other than primary container............................ .............. .............. 201Dirty, stained, or smeared container............................ .............. .............. 202Unmelted gels in plastic........................................ .............. .............. 203Torn or cut container or abrasion (non-leaker):
(a) Materially affecting appearance but not usability....... .............. .............. 204
(b) Materially affecting usability.......................... .............. 102Moldy area...................................................... 2 ..............Individual packages sticking together or to shipping case (tear .............. 103
when separated)................................................Not fully covering product...................................... .............. 104Wet or damp (excluding ice packs):
(a) Materially affecting appearance but not usability....... .............. .............. 205
(b) Materially affecting usability.......................... .............. 105Over wrap (when required):
(a) Missing................................................. .............. 106
(b) Loose, not sealed, or closed............................ .............. .............. 206
(c) Improperly applied...................................... .............. .............. 207Sealing tape, strapping, or adhesives (when required):
(a) Missing................................................. .............. 107
(b) Improperly placed, applied, torn, or wrinkled........... .............. .............. 208Tape over bottom and top closures (when required):
(a) Not covering stitching.................................. .............. 108
(b) Torn (exposing stitching)............................... .............. 109
(c) Wrinkled (exposing stitching)........................... .............. 110
(d) Not adhering to bag: .............. ..............
1. Exposing stitching................................... .............. 111
2. Not exposing stitching............................... .............. .............. 209
(e) Improper placement...................................... .............. .............. 210Product sifting or leaking:
(a) Non-heat processed...................................... .............. 112
(b) Heat processed.......................................... 3 ..............Flexible pop-top:
(a) Poor seal (wrinkle, entrapped matter, etc.) reducing 4 ..............
intact seal to less than \1/16\-inch.......................
(b) Short pull tab (materially affecting usability)......... .............. .............. 212
(c) Missing pull tab........................................ .............. 113
(d) Torn pull tab (materially affecting usability).......... .............. .............. 213Missing component (straw, etc.)................................. .............. .............. 214Two part container (poly lined box or bag in box):
(a) Outer case torn......................................... .............. .............. 215
(b) Poly liner: .............. ..............
1. Missing.............................................. 5 ..............
2. Improper closure..................................... .............. 114Missing ``zip lock'' (re-sealable containers)................... .............. .............. 216Loss of vacuum (in vacuum-packed)............................... .............. 115Pre-formed containers:
(a) Dented or crushed area.................................. .............. .............. 217
(b) Deformed container...................................... .............. .............. 218Missing re-sealable cap......................................... .............. 116Inner or outer safety seal--missing, torn, poor seal............ 6 ..............Air bubble in plastic........................................... .............. 117Thermostabilized products (includes but not limited to tubes,
pouches, etc.):Foldover wrinkle in seal area (thermostabilized pouches):
(a) Extends through all plies across seal area or reduces 7 ..............
seal less than \1/16\-inch.................................
(b) Does not extend through all plies and effective seal is .............. .............. 219
\1/16\-inch or greater.....................................Incomplete seal (thermostabilized pouches)...................... 8 ..............Non-bonding seal (thermostabilized pouches)..................... 9 ..............Laminate separation in body of pouch or in seal within \1/16\-
inch of food product edge:
(a) If food contact layer is exposed........................ 10 ..............
(b) If food contact surface is exposed after manipulation or .............. 118
laminate separation expands after manipulation.............
(c) If lamination separation is limited to isolated spots .............. .............. 220
that do not propagate with manipulation or is outer ply
separation in seal within \1/16\-inch of food product edge
of seal....................................................Flex cracks (cracks in foil layer only)......................... .............. .............. 221Swollen container............................................... 11 ..............Blister (in seal) reducing intact seal to less than \1/16\-inch. 12 ..............Compressed seal (overheated to bubble or expose inner layer) 13 ..............
reducing intact seal to less than \1/16\-inch..................Stringy seal (excessive plastic threads showing at edge of seal .............. .............. 222
area)..........................................................Contaminated seal (entrapped matter) reducing intact seal to 14 ..............
less than \1/16\-inch..........................................Seal creep (product in pouch ``creeping'' into seal) reducing 15 ..............
intact seal to less than \1/16\ inch...........................Misaligned or crooked seal reducing intact seal to less than \1/ 16 ..............
16\-inch.......................................................Seal formed greater than 1-inch from edge of pouch (unclosed .............. .............. 223
edge flaps)....................................................Waffling (embossing on surface from retort racks; not scorable .............. .............. 224
unless severe).................................................Poor or missing tear notch (when required)...................... .............. .............. 225----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Table X--Unitizing
[Plastic or other type of casing/unitizing]------------------------------------------------------------------------
Categories
Defects -------------------------------
Major Minor------------------------------------------------------------------------Not specified method.................... 101Missing tray (when required)............ 102Missing shrink wrap (when required)..... 103Loose or improperly applied wrap........ .............. 201Torn or mutilated....................... .............. 202Off-center wrap (does not overlap both .............. 203
ends)..................................------------------------------------------------------------------------ [78 FR 57041, Sept. 17, 2013]