7 CFR § 51.1278 - Damage.
Damage means any injury or defect which materially affects the appearance, or the edible or shipping quality.
(a) Hard end shall be considered as damage if the pear shows a distinctly constricted protrusion at the blossom end, or an abnormally yellow color at the blossom end, or an abnormally smooth rounded base with little or no depression at the calyx, or if the flesh near the calyx is abnormally dry and tough or woody.
(b) Slight handling bruises and package bruises such as are incident to good commercial handling in the preparation of a tight pack shall not be considered damage.
(c) Any pear with one skin break larger than three-sixteenths inch in diameter or depth, or with more than one skin break one-eighth inch or larger in diameter or depth shall be considered damaged, and scored against the grade tolerance. 2
2 The area refers to that of a circle of the specified diameter.
(1) Small inconspicuous skin breaks, less than one-eighth inch in diameter or depth, shall not be considered damage. In addition, not more than 15 percent of the pears in any container may have not more than one skin break from one-eighth inch to three-sixteenths inch, inclusive, in diameter or depth. 2
(d) Russeting which exceeds the following shall be considered as damage:
(1) On all varieties excessively rough russeting (russeting which shows “frogging” or slight cracking) when the aggregate area exceeds one-half inch in diameter. 2
(2) On Bartlett and other smooth-skinned varieties, slightly rough russeting, or thick russeting such as is characteristic of frost injury, when the aggregate area exceeds three-fourths inch in diameter. 2
(3) On Bartlett and other smooth-skinned varieties, smooth solid or smooth netlike russeting when the aggregate area exceeds 15 percent of the surface.
(4) On Hardy, Sand and other similar varieties, rough or thick russeting such as is characteristic of frost injury, when the aggregate area exceeds three-fourths inch in diameter. On any of these varieties any amount of characteristic russeting is permitted whether due to natural causes such as weather or stimulated by artificial means; leaf whips or light limbrubs which resemble and blend into russeted areas shall be considered as russet. 2
(e) Any one of the following defects or any combination thereof, the seriousness of which exceeds the maximum allowed for any one defect, shall be considered as damage:
(1) Any limbrubs which are cracked, softened, or more than slightly depressed.
(2) Black discoloration caused by limbrubs, which exceeds an aggregate area of three-eighths inch in diameter. 2
(3) Dark brown discoloration or excessive roughness caused by limbrubs which exceeds an aggregate area of one-half inch in diameter. 2
(4) Slightly rough, light colored discoloration caused by limbrubs which exceeds an aggregate area of three-fourths inch in diameter. 2
(5) Smooth, light colored discoloration caused by limbrubs which exceeds an aggregate area of 1 inch in diameter. 2
(6) Hail marks or other similar depressions or scars which are not shallow or superficial, or where the injury affects an aggregate area of more than three-eighths inch in diameter. 2
(7) Drought spot when more than one in number, or when the external injury exceeds an aggregate area of three-eighths inch in diameter, or when the appearance of the flesh is materially affected by corky tissue or brownish discoloration. 2
(8) Sunburn or sprayburn where the skin is blistered, cracked, or shows any light tan or brownish color, or the shape of the pear is appreciably flattened, or the flesh is appreciably softened or changed in color, except that sprayburn of a russet character shall be considered under the definition of russeting.
(9) Insects: (i) More than two healed codling moth stings, or any insect sting which is over three thirty-seconds of an inch in diameter, or other insect stings affecting the appearance to an equal extent. 2
(ii) Blister mite or canker worm injury which is not shallow or superficial, or where the injury affects an aggregate area of more than three-eighths inch in diameter. 2
(10) Disease: (i) Scab spots which are black and which cover an aggregate area of more than one-fourth inch in diameter except that scab spots of a russet character shall be considered under the definition of russeting.
(ii) Sooty blotch which is thinly scattered over more than 5 percent of the surface, or dark, heavily concentrated spots which affect an area of more than three-eighths inch in diameter. 2
2 The area refers to that of a circle of the specified diameter.