1. (a) Sections 42.101-42.136 provide procedures for determining lot conformance with the U.S. Standards for Condition of Food Containers. This determination is based on the examination of the external characteristics of the food containers.
2. (b) As an option, if a user of the inspection service requests to have the interior characteristics of containers examined, and apply these results in the determination of lot acceptability, the defects listed in Table XII may be used.
3. (c) The determination of lot acceptability based on internal container defects shall be independent of the determination of lot acceptability for U.S. Standards for Condition of Food Containers. A user of the inspection service may choose to require inspection for internal can defects as well as inspection for U.S. Standards for Condition of Food Containers.

4. (d) If a user of the inspection service requests an examination for internal container defects in addition to an official USDA/USDC inspection for product quality and/or U.S. grade, the containers opened by the official inspection service for inspection of product quality and/or U.S. grade will be used for examination of interior container defects. The minimum sample size for evaluation of interior container defects will be 13 containers. As a result, additional containers will be required if the inspection for quality or U.S. grade calls for fewer than 13 containers. Table XIII provides acceptance numbers for internal container defects for selected sample sizes.

   Table XII—Interior Container Defects

   Defects	Categories
   Major	Minor
   De-tinning in metal container materially affecting usability	101
   De-tinning in metal container not materially affecting usability		201
   Black spots in metal container		202
   Enamel missing (when required) in metal container	102
   Enamel breakdown in metal container material affecting usability	103
   Enamel breakdown in metal container material not affecting usability		203
   Other defect(s) of the interior of the container (metal, plastic, paper, rigid, etc.) e.g., interior damage, tear, delamination, missing layer, off-odor, interior blisters, etc. that materially affects usability	104
   Defect(s) of the interior of the container (metal, plastic, paper, rigid, etc.) e.g., interior damage, tear, delamination, missing layer, off-odor, interior blisters, etc. that materially affects appearance but not usability		204

   Table XIII—Acceptance Numbers for Internal Container Defects

   Sample Size (n = number of containers)	Major	Total
   Interior Defects	Interior Defects
   Ac	Re	Ac	Re
   n—13	0	1	2	3
   n—21	1	2	3	4
   n—29	1	2	4	5
   n—38	2	3	5	6
   n—48	2	3	6	7
   n—60	2	3	7	8

[78 FR 57046, Sept. 17, 2013]