Notice2026-09504
Revision of Seven U.S. Grade Standards for Canned Tomato Products
Primary source
Metadata and text below are from the Federal Register, a public-domain U.S. government work. Always verify the official published version before relying on it for any legal matter.
Published
May 13, 2026
Issuing agencies
Agriculture DepartmentAgricultural Marketing Service
Abstract
The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is revising seven U.S. grade standards for canned tomato products. AMS is updating the color sections in the grade standards, replacing the two-term grading system (dual-nomenclature) with a single term, and making editorial changes. AMS is also changing the spelling of "catsup" to the more commonly used term "ketchup."
Full Text
<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 92 (Wednesday, May 13, 2026)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 92 (Wednesday, May 13, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 26985-26987]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-09504]
========================================================================
Notices
Federal Register
________________________________________________________________________
This section of the FEDERAL REGISTER contains documents other than rules
or proposed rules that are applicable to the public. Notices of hearings
and investigations, committee meetings, agency decisions and rulings,
delegations of authority, filing of petitions and applications and agency
statements of organization and functions are examples of documents
appearing in this section.
========================================================================
Federal Register / Vol. 91, No. 92 / Wednesday, May 13, 2026 /
Notices
[[Page 26985]]
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Agricultural Marketing Service
[Doc. No. AMS-SC-24-0079]
Revision of Seven U.S. Grade Standards for Canned Tomato Products
AGENCY: Agricultural Marketing Service, USDA.
ACTION: Final notice.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
SUMMARY: The Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) is revising seven
U.S. grade standards for canned tomato products. AMS is updating the
color sections in the grade standards, replacing the two-term grading
system (dual-nomenclature) with a single term, and making editorial
changes. AMS is also changing the spelling of ``catsup'' to the more
commonly used term ``ketchup.''
DATES: June 12, 2026.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Dana N. White, by phone at (202) 720-
5021; fax at (540) 361-1199; or email to <a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#9cd8fdf2fdb2cbf4f5e8f9dce9eff8fdb2fbf3ea"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="1155707f703f467978657451646275703f767e67">[email protected]</span></a>. Copies of
the current U.S. Standards for Grades of Tomato Ketchup, U.S. Standards
for Grades of Tomato Sauce, U.S. Standards for Grades of Tomato Juice,
U.S. Standards for Grades of Canned Tomato Paste, U.S. Standards for
Grades of Canned Tomato Puree, U.S. Standards for Grades of Canned
Tomatoes, and U.S. Standards for Grades of Concentrated Tomato Juice
are available on the Specialty Crops Inspection Division website at
<a href="https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/vegetables">https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/vegetables</a>.
SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 203(c) of the Agricultural Marketing
Act of 1946 (7 U.S.C. 1621-1627) as amended, directs and authorizes the
Secretary of Agriculture ``to develop and improve standards of quality,
condition, quantity, grade, and packaging, and recommend and
demonstrate such standards in order to encourage uniformity and
consistency in commercial practices.''
AMS is committed to carrying out this authority in a manner that
facilitates the marketing of agricultural commodities and makes copies
of official standards available upon request. The U.S. Standards for
Grades of Fruits and Vegetables that no longer appear in the Code of
Federal Regulations are maintained by AMS at: <a href="https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards">https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards</a>. AMS is revising certain parts of these U.S. Standards
for Grades using the procedures that appear in part 36 of title 7 of
the Code of Federal Regulations (7 CFR part 36).
Background
AMS continually reviews all fruit and vegetable grade standards to
ensure their usefulness to industry, modernize language, and remove
duplicative terminology. AMS is revising seven grade standards: U.S.
Standards for Grades of Tomato Catsup, U.S. Standards for Grades of
Tomato Sauce, U.S. Standards for Grades of Tomato Juice, U.S. Standards
for Grades of Canned Tomato Paste, U.S. Standards for Grades of Canned
Tomato Puree, U.S. Standards for Grades of Canned Tomatoes, and U.S.
Standards for Grades of Concentrated Tomato Juice. The color section of
these grade standards references Munsell color discs that are no longer
used to determine color. The color sections will be updated to remove
specific references to the Munsell color discs and to instead reference
the USDA color chip information (A1, A2, C1, and C2) and use guidance.
Color chip information is available on the Listing of Fresh and
Processed Commodity Visual Aids on the AMS website at: <a href="https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/how-purchase-equipment-and-visual-aids">https://www.ams.usda.gov/grades-standards/how-purchase-equipment-and-visual-aids</a>. The color sections will note that the availability and procedure
for using USDA color standards can be obtained by contacting USDA at
the website above. AMS is also removing specific addresses for licensed
suppliers of color standards. Contact information for current licensed
suppliers is available in the Fresh and Processed Equipment Catalog at
the website above.
More recently developed grade standards use a single term, such as
``U.S. Grade A'' or ``U.S. Grade B,'' to describe each level of quality
within a grade standard. Older grade standards used dual nomenclature,
such as ``U.S. Grade A or U.S. Fancy,'' ``U.S. Grade B or U.S. Extra
Standard,'' and ``U.S. Grade C or U.S. Standard,'' to describe the same
level of quality. The terms ``U.S. Fancy,'' ``U.S. Extra Standard,''
and ``U.S. Standard'' will be removed and the terms ``U.S. Grade A,''
``U.S. Grade B,'' and ``U.S. Grade C'' will be used exclusively.
AMS is adding a table to section 52.5170 of the U.S. Standards for
Grades of Canned Tomatoes named ``Table II Low Individual Drained
Weights for Canned Tomatoes and Stewed Tomatoes, All Grades, All Styles
(ounces).'' This table shows the individual drained weights allowed for
each level of quality and container size.
Finally, AMS is making editorial changes, including inserting
section headings and changing ``catsup'' to the more commonly used term
``ketchup'' to align with the Food and Drug Administration's standard
of identity and commercial practices.
The following table summarizes the revisions being made by AMS.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
U.S. standards for grades of canned Effective
tomato products date Color section revisions Other revisions
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Tomato Catsup........................ 02/26/92 Remove text under section Add section headings from the
52.2106, ``Color,'' previous version of the
pertaining to the use of the standards, which had been
Munsell color discs. erroneously removed.
Add information about the Change ``catsup'' to
USDA Color Standards for ``ketchup'' throughout the
Tomato Products for standard.
determining color.
[[Page 26986]]
Tomato Sauce......................... 11/17/94 Remove text under section Add section headings from the
52.2372, ``Color,'' previous version of the
pertaining to the use of the standards, which had been
Munsell color discs. erroneously removed.
Add information about the Revise section 52.2371,
USDA Color Standards for ``Product description,'' to
Tomato Products for highlight the refractive
determining color. index criteria and include
the low individual sample
allowance.
Revise table 1 of section
52.2375, column ``U.S. Grade
B'' Reasonably Good
Consistency to align with
the definition, ``3.0 to
less than 4.0 or more than
12.0 but not more than
15.0.''
Tomato Juice......................... 07/22/85 Remove text under section Add section headings from the
52.3622, ``Definitions of previous version of the
terms,'' pertaining to the standards, which had been
use of the Munsell color erroneously removed.
discs.
Add information about the
USDA Color Standards for
Tomato Products for
determining color.
Remove Munsell address as a
contact to order the tomato
color standards.
Canned Tomato Paste.................. 09/19/77 Remove text under section Add section headings from the
52.5048, ``Color,'' previous version of the
pertaining to the use of the standards, which had been
Munsell color discs. erroneously removed.
Add information about the Replace two-term grading
USDA Color Standards for language (dual nomenclature)
Tomato Products for with a single term to
determining color. describe each quality level
Remove Munsell address as a with the grade statements.
contact to order the tomato For example, the term ``U.S.
color standards. Grade A or U.S. Fancy''
would be revised to use the
term ``U.S. Grade A'' under
section 52.5044.
Canned Tomato Puree (Tomato Pulp).... 05/01/78 Remove text under section Add section headings from the
52.5088, ``Color,'' previous version of the
pertaining to the use of the standards, which had been
Munsell color discs. erroneously removed.
Add information about the
USDA Color Standards for
Tomato Products for
determining color.
Remove Munsell address as a
contact to order the tomato
color standards.
Canned Tomatoes...................... 04/13/90 Remove text under section Add section headings from the
52.5164, ``Definitions of previous version of the
terms,'' pertaining to the standard, which had been
use of the Munsell color erroneously removed.
discs. Revise section 52.5166,
Add information about the including changing the title
USDA Color Standards for from ``Minimum drained
Canned Tomatoes for weight averages'' to
determining color. ``Drained weight'' and
reorganizing content into a
better order. Reorganize
section 52.5166 for clarity,
including moving sections.
Add a new table in section
52.5170 to show the low
individual drained weights
and re-number all subsequent
tables.
Concentrated Tomato Juice............ 02/25/70 Remove text under section Add section headings from the
52.5205 pertaining to the previous version of the
use of the Munsell color standards, which had been
discs. erroneously removed.
Add information about the Replace two-term grading
USDA Color Standards for language (dual nomenclature)
Tomato Products for with a single term to
determining color. describe each quality level
with the grade statements.
For example, the term ``U.S.
Grade A or U.S. Fancy''
would be revised to use the
term ``U.S. Grade A'' under
section 52.5202.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Comments
A 60-day period was provided for interested persons to submit
comments on the proposed grade standards (90 FR 44360, September 15,
2025). In response to its request, AMS received two anonymous comments.
All comments were posted on <a href="http://www.regulations.gov">http://www.regulations.gov</a>. One commenter
offered support for changing the term ``catsup'' to ``ketchup'' as it
``will allow the product to be more identifiable with the everyday
consumer.'' The other commenter offered their support for updating
``catsup'' to ``ketchup'' stating it ``will improve consumer clarity.''
This commenter also offered support for removing dual nomenclature
stating it ``strengthens consistency within the entire food industry
that follows USDA guidelines.'' While offering their support in the two
aforementioned areas, the commenter questioned how these changes would:
(1) ``affect export or import requirements in terms of international
standards already in place,'' and (2) ``affect small and midsize
producers in terms of implementation costs.'' In response to these
questions: (1) This will not affect export or import requirements as
U.S. standards are voluntary and are standalone from international
standards. Buyers will need to declare which standard they wish to use
when doing business. (2) This is not expected to affect implementation
costs for small and midsize producers since the revised content in the
standard was all identified as being no longer applicable to industry,
with the exception of ``Table II Low Individual Drained Weights for
Canned Tomatoes and Stewed Tomatoes, All Grades, All Styles (ounces)''
for which the information
[[Page 26987]]
used to make the table was previously in the standard, but it's now
added in table form for easy referencing.
AMS is moving forward with the revisions as proposed and determined
by AMS since these grade standards will provide a common language for
trade and better reflect the current marketing of fruits and
vegetables.
Authority: 7 U.S.C. 1621-1627.
Erin Morris,
Administrator, Agricultural Marketing Service.
[FR Doc. 2026-09504 Filed 5-12-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 3410-02-P
</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>Indexed from Federal Register on May 13, 2026.
This is legal information, not legal advice. Laws vary by jurisdiction and change frequently. Always verify current law with official sources and consult a licensed attorney in your jurisdiction for advice on your specific situation.