§ 911.344 - Florida lime grade, size, and container regulation.

(a) No handler shall handle any variety of limes grown in the production area unless:

(1) Such limes of the group known as seeded or true limes (also known as Mexican, West Indian, and Key limes and by other synonyms) meet the requirements specified for U.S. No. 2 Grade limes in the U.S. Standards for Persian (Tahiti) Limes, except as to color: Provided, That such limes not meeting these requirements may be handled within the production area, if they meet the minimum juice content requirement of at least 42% by volume specified in the U.S. Standards for Persian (Tahiti) Limes, and if they are handled in containers other than those authorized in § 911.329.

(2) Such limes of the group known as seedless, large-fruited, or Persian limes (including Tahiti, Bearss, and similar varieties) meet the requirements of §§ 911.311 and 911.329 and grade at least U.S. Combination, Mixed Color: Provided, That at least 75 percent, by count, of the limes in the lot meet the requirements of the U.S. No. 1 grade, and the remainder meet the requirements of the U.S. No. 2 grade: Provided further, That stem length shall not be considered a factor of grade: Provided further, That such limes not meeting these requirements may be handled within the production area if:

(i) They meet the size requirements in paragraph (a)(3) of this section;

(ii) They contain not less than 42 percent juice content by volume;

(iii) They are packed in containers other than those authorized under § 911.329: Provided, That they are packed in closed new or used rigid cardboard or wire-bound containers which are fairly well filled with the fruit not more than 1/2 inch below the top edge of the container, containing not more than 60 pounds, net weight, of limes; and

(iv) They are in containers marked with a Federal-State Inspection Service (FSIS) lot stamp number applied to an adhesive tape seal affixed to the container in a manner to prevent the container from being opened and/or the fruit being removed without breaking the seal. The stamp and tape shall be affixed to the container by the FSIS or by the handler under the supervision of the FSIS. Only stamps and tape which have been approved by the Fresh Products Branch, Fruit and Vegetable Division, Agricultural Marketing Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, may be used for purposes of stamping and sealing containers to meet these requirements.

(3) Such limes of the group known as seedless, large-fruited, or Persian limes (including Tahiti, Bearss, and similar varieties) shall be at least 2 inches in diameter from January 1 through May 31, and at least 17/8 inches in diameter from June 1 through December 31; Provided, That not more than 10 percent, by count, of the limes in any lot of containers may fail to meet these minimum size requirements; Provided further, That not more than 15 percent, by count, in any individual container containing more than four pounds of limes may fail to meet these minimum size requirements.

(b) Terms relating to grade and diameter shall mean the same as defined in the United States Standards for Grades of Persian (Tahiti) Limes (7 CFR 51.1000 through 51.1016).