Defects of containers: Tables IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, and X.

  1. Law
  2. CFR 7
  3. Agriculture
  4. Regulations of the Department of Agriculture
  5. Agricultural Marketing Service (Standards, Inspections, Marketing Practices), Department of Agriculture
  6. Commodity Standards and Container Requirements
  7. Standards for Condition of Food Containers
  8. Procedures for Stationary Lot Sampling and Inspection
  9. Defects of containers: Tables IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, and X.

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§ 42.112 Defects of containers: Tables IV, V, VI, VII, VIII, IX, and X.

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Table IV - Metal Containers

[Rigid and semi-rigid]

Defects Categories
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 201
Dirty, stained, or smeared container 202
Key opening metal containers (when required):
(a) Key missing 102
(b) Key does not fit tab 103
(c) Tab of opening band insufficient to provide accessibility to key 104
(d) Improper scoring (band would not be removed in one continuous strip) 105
Metal pop-top:
(a) Missing or broken pull tab 106
(b) Missing or incomplete score line (not conforming to a relevant product specification) 107
Flexible pop-top:
(a) Poor seal (wrinkle, entrapped matter, etc.) 108
(b) Short pull tab (not conforming to a relevant product specification) 203
(c) Missing pull tab 109
(d) Torn pull tab 204
Open top with plastic overcap (when required):
(a) Plastic overcap missing 110
(b) Plastic overcap warped (making opening or reapplication difficult) 111
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 208
Rust (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 112
Wet cans (excluding refrigerated containers) 210
Dent:
(a) Materially affecting appearance but not usability 211
(b) Materially affecting usability 113
Buckle:
(a) Not involving end seam 212
(b) Extending into the end seam 114
Collapsed container 115
Paneled side materially affecting appearance but not usability 213
Solder missing when required 116
Cable cut exposing seam 117
Improper side seam 118
Swell, springer, or flipper (not applicable to gas or pressure packed product nor frozen products) 2
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 119
Metal drums: leaking filling seal (bung) swell1 4 120

1 Defect classification depends on the severity of the defect.

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Table V - Composite Containers

[Fiberboard body with metal lids or metal bottoms, plastic or foil top with cap]

Defects Categories
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 1
Dirty, stained, or smeared container 201
Easy 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 reapplication difficult) 108
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 205
Collapsed container 109
Paneled side materially affecting appearance but not usability 206
Leaker 2
Wet or damp:
(a) Materially affecting appearance but not usability 207
(b) Materially affecting usability 110
Crushed or torn area:
(a) Materially affecting appearance but not usability 208
(b) Materially affecting usability 111
Expand Table

Table VI - Glass Containers

[Bottles, Jars]

Defects Categories
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 101
Dirty, stained, or smeared container 201
Chip in glass 202
Stone (unmelted material) in glass 203
Pits in surface of glass 204
Sagging surface 205
Bead (bubble within glass):
(a) 1⁄8-inch to 1⁄16-inch in diameter 206
(b) Exceeding 1⁄8-inch in diameter 102
Checked 103
Thin spot in glass 104
Blister (structural defect) 105
Bird 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 106
Cap (heat processed):
(a) Cross-threaded or loose 4
(b) Pitted rust 107
Sealing 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 110
Missing or torn outer safety seal 111
Inner safety seal - missing, torn, poor seal 112
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Table VII - Plastic Containers

[Rigid and Semi-Rigid, Bottles, Jars, Tubs, Trays, Pails, etc.]

Defects Categories
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 101
Dirty, stained, or smeared container 201
Chip in plastic 202
Un-melted gels in plastic 203
Pits in surface of plastic 204
Sagging surface 205
Air bubble within plastic:
(a) 1⁄8-inch to 1⁄16-inch in diameter 206
(b) Exceeding 1⁄8-inch in diameter 102
Checked 103
Thin spot in plastic 104
Blister (structural defect) 105
Broken or leaking container 2
Cap (non-heat processed):
(a) Cross-threaded 207
(b) Loose but not leaking 208
Cap (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
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Table VIII - Rigid and Semi-Rigid Containers - Corrugated or Solid Fiberboard, Chipboard, Wood, Paperboard Aseptic Cartons, Polymeric Trays, etc.

[Excluding metal, glass, and plastic]

Defects Categories
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 201
Dirty, stained, or smeared container 202
Wet or damp (excluding ice packs):
(a) Materially affecting appearance but not usability 203
(b) Materially affecting usability 102
Moldy area 2
Crushed or torn area:
(a) Materially affecting appearance but not usability 204
(b) Materially affecting usability 103
Separation of lamination (corrugated fiberboard):
(a) Materially affecting appearance but not usability 205
(b) Materially affecting usability 104
Product sifting or leaking 105
Nails or staples (when required):
(a) Not as required, insufficient number or improperly positioned 206
(b) Nails or staples protruding 106
Glue 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 207
Flap:
(a) Projects beyond edge of container more than 1⁄4-inch 208
(b) Does not meet properly, allowing space of more than 1⁄4-inch 209
Sealing tape or strapping (when required):
(a) Missing 108
(b) Improperly placed or applied 210
Missing component (straw, etc.) 211
Paperboard 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 of multi-layer laminate for the tray 5
(c) Presence of delamination in multi-layered laminate 212
(d) Presence of any permanent deformation, such that deformed area is discolored or roughened in texture 213
Lid material:
(a) Closure seal not continuous along tray flange surface 6
(b) Foldover wrinkle in seal area extends into the closure seal such that the closure seal is reduced to less than 1⁄8-inch 7
(c) Any impression or design on the seal surfaces which conceals or impairs visual detection of seal defects 110
(d) Areas of “wave-like” striations or wrinkles along the seal area that spans the entire width of seal 214
(e) Abrasion of lid material:
1. Within 1⁄16-inch of food product edge of seal such that barrier layer is exposed 8
2. Greater than 1⁄16-inch from food product edge of seal that barrier layer is exposed 215
(f) Presence of entrapped matter within 1⁄16-inch of the 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 9
(g) Presence of any seal defect or anomaly (for example, entrapped moisture, gases, etc.) within 1⁄16-inch of food product edge of seal 111
(h) Closure seal width less than 1⁄8-inch 216
Expand Table

Table IX - Flexible Containers

[Plastic, Cellophane, Paper, Textile, Laminated Multi-Layer Pouch, Bag, etc.]

Defects Categories
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 201
Dirty, stained, or smeared container 202
Unmelted gels in plastic 203
Torn or cut container or abrasion (non-leaker):
(a) Materially affecting appearance but not usability 204
(b) Materially affecting usability 102
Moldy area 2
Individual packages sticking together or to shipping case (tear when separated) 103
Not fully covering product 104
Wet or damp (excluding ice packs):
(a) Materially affecting appearance but not usability 205
(b) Materially affecting usability 105
Over wrap (when required):
(a) Missing 106
(b) Loose, not sealed, or closed 206
(c) Improperly applied 207
Sealing tape, strapping, or adhesives (when required):
(a) Missing 107
(b) Improperly placed, applied, torn, or wrinkled 208
Tape 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 210
Product sifting or leaking:
(a) Non-heat processed 112
(b) Heat processed 3
Flexible pop-top:
(a) Poor seal (wrinkle, entrapped matter, etc.) reducing intact seal to less than 1⁄16-inch 4
(b) Short pull tab (materially affecting usability) 212
(c) Missing pull tab 113
(d) Torn pull tab (materially affecting usability) 213
Missing component (straw, etc.) 214
Two part container (poly lined box or bag in box):
(a) Outer case torn 215
(b) Poly liner:
1. Missing 5
2. Improper closure 114
Missing “zip lock” (re-sealable containers) 216
Loss of vacuum (in vacuum-packed) 115
Pre-formed containers:
(a) Dented or crushed area 217
(b) Deformed container 218
Missing re-sealable cap 116
Inner or outer safety seal - missing, torn, poor seal 6
Air bubble in plastic 117
Thermostabilized 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 seal less than 1⁄16-inch 7
(b) Does not extend through all plies and effective seal is 1⁄16-inch or greater 219
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 laminate separation expands after manipulation 118
(c) If lamination separation is limited to isolated spots that do not propagate with manipulation or is outer ply separation in seal within 1⁄16-inch of food product edge of seal 220
Flex cracks (cracks in foil layer only) 221
Swollen container 11
Blister (in seal) reducing intact seal to less than 1⁄16-inch 12
Compressed seal (overheated to bubble or expose inner layer) reducing intact seal to less than 1⁄16-inch 13
Stringy seal (excessive plastic threads showing at edge of seal area) 222
Contaminated seal (entrapped matter) reducing intact seal to less than 1⁄16-inch 14
Seal creep (product in pouch “creeping” into seal) reducing intact seal to less than 1⁄16 inch 15
Misaligned or crooked seal reducing intact seal to less than 1⁄16-inch 16
Seal formed greater than 1-inch from edge of pouch (unclosed edge flaps) 223
Waffling (embossing on surface from retort racks; not scorable unless severe) 224
Poor or missing tear notch (when required) 225
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Table X - Unitizing

[Plastic or other type of casing/unitizing]

Defects Categories
Major Minor
Not specified method 101
Missing tray (when required) 102
Missing shrink wrap (when required) 103
Loose or improperly applied wrap 201
Torn or mutilated 202
Off-center wrap (does not overlap both ends) 203

[78 FR 57041, Sept. 17, 2013]


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