UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AQricultural Research Administration Bureau of AQricultural and Industrial Chemistry

PERMANENT

GLASS COLOR STANDARDS B. A. Brtce,

F.L.

A. Turner, Jr«,

SoutherZand.

FOR EXTRACTED J. W. Hhtte,

HONEY

Jr.

L. S••.Penn, and Eo P. Bostwtck

"

Eastern

Regional

Research

Laboratory

Philadel phic 18, Pennsylvania,

MAY 1951

Ale-307

• PERMANENT \

GlASS COLOR STANDARDS . B.A.

Brtce,A.

FOR EXTRACTED

Turner~.Jr •• J.lh

Whtte, Jr.

F.L •. Southe.rZand, L. S. Fenn. ana E. P. Bostwick

• Eastern Regional Research laboratory Bureau

of AQricultural and Industrial Chemistry Agricultural Research AdMinistration U. S. Departillent of Aariculture

HONEY

•

PERMANENT

GLASS COLOR STANDARDS

B. A. Brice2.,'A. F. L.

Souttierl

Turner,

and",

L.

FOR EXTRACTED

Jr.2,

S. Penn",

J.

HONEY'

White,

W.

Jr.2

and E. P. BClstwick3

Color has long been an important/, factor in the marketing of extracted honey. In recognition of the importance of this factor~ the Department established a colorclassi fication for extracted honey in.19274 and made it a part of the United States Standards for Grades of Extracted Honey. These colors are designated as Water White, Extra Vlhite;'Whit,e, Extra Light Amber, Light Amber, and Amber. The official instrument for determining color classification according to these standards has been the Pfund wedge comparator, which h as been despribed in previous publications4• 5 and is commercially available. This inst.rumentcontains a wedge of amber gJass, a wedge-shaped ceil for holding a honey sample, and -a millimeter scale wi th pointer to indicate wedge positions where a color match is obtained. The boundaries of the color ranges corresponding to the above color standards are specified6 in terms of scale readings on this instrument,.

•

The Pfund wedge comparator is sat~sfactory as a laboratory instrument but is impractical for field use. There is a great need in the industry for a' simpler and less expensive grading device. Attempts in this direction have been made 'in the past by use of cylindrical bottles or tubes as sample containers and colored solutions or colored glass as material standards but without success in this country •. The recent successful development of a simple . color comparator with permanent glass standards for maple sirup7 suggested application of a similar system to extracted honey. Test~ made during the past year confirmed its suitability. The purpose of the present publication is to briefly describe the new comparators and permanent glass standards for color classification of extracted honey and to announce their commerciaL availabili ty. It should be pointed out that although the United States Standards for Grades of Extracted Honey

r• 2.

3.

4.

5.

•

REPORT SEARCH EASTERN PHILADELPHIA FRUIT U. S. U.

STUDY MARKETING

REGIONAL

AND VEGETABLE' DEPARTMENT DE P To STATES

L.

5ECHRI COLOR

ST.

U.

5.

OF DEPT.

U •.

WERE

S.

24

(D

E C.

FOR

UNDER

OF

MARKETING 25. D.

1 927·).

FlEQUIREMENTS

ON

DEPA.RTMENT

PRODUCTION AND WASHINGTON NO.

CARRIED

THE

AGRI

RE-

CULTURE,

ADMINISTRATiON. C.

UN I TED HONEY

S 1 ATE

RECOMMENDED

S

G RA 0 ES • BY

THE

AGRICULTURE. AGRI

C ••

DEPT.

CI

RCULAR

364

(OCTOBER

1925).

HONEY.

AND MARKETING EXTRACTED HONEY.

REISSUED

B. A. SRI CEo A. AGRIC. AND INDUS. REG. RES. LAB.): ENT GLASS COLOR

R

PACKING

OF

PHASES

LABORATORY.

C I R CU LA

DEPARTMENT

GRADING

CER'TAIN 1946.

BRANCH. AGRICULTURE.

AND

U. 5. PRODUCTION FOR GRADES OF 1943:

WHICH ACT' OF

OF

A G RIC.

UNITED E.

IN

RESEARCH PA.

18.

STANDARDS.

30.

1.

S.

A

COLOR

THE

6 •.

OF AND

DEC.

15.

ADMINISTRATION. EFFECTIVE 1945.

M"'RCH

UNITED 15.1943.

STATES

5TANDA