USDA sets new seedless lemon standard

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) will implement a new federal definition for seedless lemons beginning May 13. The move seeks to standardize marketing and trade practices as seedless citrus gains more space in shoppers’ baskets.

The new, revised Standards for Grades of Lemons were published by the agency’s Agricultural Marketing Service (AMS) in the Federal Register on April 13. The policy change followed a petition led by industry body California Citrus Mutual, which represents 95 percent of America’s lemon producers.

Under the new definition, lemons marketed as “seedless” may contain no more than six seeded fruit in a 100-count sample. 

The document also establishes labeling requirements. AMS said that “the term ‘seedless’ shall be legibly marked on at least 95 percent of the containers, including consumer units.”

Growing demand for seedless citrus

The California Citrus Mutual submitted its petition to the USDA in March 2024, arguing that the industry needed a unified definition for seedless lemons as the fruit’s acreage and retail demand continued to grow.

AMS originally considered a stricter threshold of one percent seeded fruit, but ultimately adopted the six percent allowance proposed by California Citrus Mutual.

The agency said the standard focuses on the number of seeds per fruit rather than the total seed count per fruit because consumers generally expect them to contain no seeds at all.

The new definition does not alter existing USDA lemon grade standards tied to appearance, firmness, defects, and color.

AMS said the updated terminology and labeling rules will help buyers, retailers, and consumers distinguish seedless lemon shipments from conventional lots while creating greater consistency across the supply chain.

*All photos are referential.

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