Does Your Local Grocery Store Rate Their Oranges?

Just like meat, oranges are sold by a grading system.  But when was the last time you saw a sign that listed the quality of the oranges, navel or otherwise, in your local grocery store?

If they had a sign would you know what the different grades meant?

Your grocery store may not show you the grades of the oranges they sell and you end up buying.  But, the orchard they buy from has to tell the store the quality of the oranges they are buying.

Do you know what the grades are?

The very best oranges are called Fancy.  The next lower grade is a Number 1 or choice orange.  Below them are oranges that are only used for juicing.

What qualities are known as a “fancy” orange?  Those oranges have to have the correct “orange” color. And the skin of the orange must be clean and completely blemish free.

Here is the actual grading requirements. "U.S. Fancy" consists of oranges of similar varietal characteristics which are mature, well colored, firm, well formed, of smooth texture, and which are free from decay, broken skins which are not healed, hard or dry skins, exanthema, growth cracks, dryness or mushy condition, and free from injury caused by bruises, split, rough, wide or protruding navels, creasing, scars, oil spots, scale, skin breakdown, sunburn, dirt or other foreign material disease, insects or mechanical or other means.

A choice orange is described as; "U.S. No. 1" consists of oranges of similar varietal characteristics which are mature, firm, well formed, of fairly smooth texture, and which are free from decay, broken skins which are not healed, hard or dry skins, exanthema, growth cracks, and free from damage caused by bruises, dryness or mushy condition, split, rough, wide or protruding navels, creasing, scars, oil spots, scale, skin breakdown, sunburn, dirt or other foreign material, disease, insects or mechanical or other means. Each fruit shall be well colored except Valencia oranges which shall be at least fairly well colored: Provided, that navel oranges in any lot which is destined for export and which is certified as meeting the standards for export need be only fairly well colored.

The next step down is; "U.S. No. 2" consists of oranges of similar varietal characteristics which are mature, fairly well colored, fairly firm, fairly well formed, which may be of slightly rough texture, and which are free from decay, broken skins which are not healed, hard or dry skins, exanthema, growth cracks, and free from serious damage caused by bruises, dryness or mushy condition, split or protruding navels, creasing, scars, oil spots, scale, skin breakdown, sunburn, dirt or other foreign material, disease, insects or mechanical or other means.

So does your store let you know what they are selling to you?  The lower the grade the less the store pays for the oranges. Do they pass those savings on to you?

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Sunburst Packing Co.
180 South “E” Street
Porterville, CA  93257
559-783-0500