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

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) 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]

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

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

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

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

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

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