USDA Grades for Eggplants

USDA grades for eggplants range from U.S. Fancy to U.S. No. 2, and are based on the vegetables' appearance and quality.eggplant image by TMLP from Fotolia.com

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) certifies eggplants produced in the United States according to minimum grade standards that require a minimum consistency of size, color, cleanliness and firmness. Additionally, graded eggplants must be free of decay and major damage. The Agricultural Marketing Service is responsible for setting and enforcing grade standards. In addition to grade standards, the USDA certifies eggplants as organic or conventional according to organic production standards.

U.S. Fancy

The highest USDA grade standard for eggplants is called "U.S. Fancy." In order to be graded as U.S. Fancy, an eggplant must meet high standards for firmness, color consistency, size and be free of any wormholes, decay or processing damage. They must be clean, well colored and well shaped. Generally speaking, U.S. Fancy eggplants must only be similar in size and color characteristics with other eggplants in their lot---there is not minimum size requirement for highly graded eggplants. Individual states, however, may have size requirements for their grade standards.

U.S. No. 1 is the second-highest USDA grade standard for eggplants. As with U.S. Fancy, eggplants graded as U.S. No. 1 must be free from damage by insects, processing equipment, freezing or disease. Unlike U.S. Fancy, though, U.S. No. 1 eggplants are only required to be "fairly" well colored and well shaped, meaning they are allowed more variation in surface color and size.

U.S. No. 2 is the lowest USDA grade standard for fresh eggplant. U.S. No. 2 eggplants may suffer minor damage from insects, machinery, disease or freezing, but the damage cannot be considered serious---defects that substantially affect the eggplant's shape, shipping quality or edibility. U.S. No. 2 eggplants need not be fairly well shaped or well colored, so they can vary fairly considerably in terms of their appearance. Like higher USDA grades for eggplants, they must be firm and free from decay.

Unclassified eggplant lots have not been inspected according to a USDA grade standard. They are not necessarily of lower quality than those that have been graded, but their quality in general has not been determined. Off-grade eggplants typically sell more cheaply than those identified according to a USDA or state grade standard.

The USDA Organic certification is distinct from the grade standard for eggplants. USDA Organic eggplants may be U.S. Fancy, No. 1 or No. 2, but cannot be grown using artificial pesticides and fertilizers. In order to be sold as organic, eggplants must come from a producer whose agricultural operation is annually inspected and certified to be without prohibited substances---chemical fertilizers and pesticides---for a period of at least three years before the eggplants were grown.