Latest reviewed evidence
USDA's July 2023 Official U.S. Standards for Beans gives Pea Beans, also known as Navy Beans, an 18-percent moisture ceiling across U.S. Choice Handpicked, U.S. Prime Handpicked, U.S. No. 1 and U.S. No. 2. It sets total-defect ceilings of 1.5, 3.0, 2.0 and 3.0 percent respectively and class-mixture rules for contrasting and blending classes. These are classification and grade references, not results for an offered lot, current availability or price.
USDA Pea Beans grade moisture ceiling
18
percent; above this is graded High Moisture · Official U.S. Standards for Beans, July 2023
USDA Choice Handpicked Pea Beans total-defect ceiling
1.5
percent by weight, maximum · Official U.S. Standards for Beans, July 2023
USDA Prime Handpicked Pea Beans total-defect ceiling
3
percent by weight, maximum · Official U.S. Standards for Beans, July 2023
USDA No. 1 Pea Beans total-defect ceiling
2
percent by weight, maximum · Official U.S. Standards for Beans, July 2023
USDA Pea Beans contrasting-class mixed threshold
2
percent by weight; more than this is graded Mixed Beans · Official U.S. Standards for Beans, July 2023
USDA Pea Beans blending-class mixed threshold
15
percent by weight; more than this is graded Mixed Beans · Official U.S. Standards for Beans, July 2023
Codex beans long-storage or tropical moisture ceiling
15
percent, maximum on the standard's stated basis · Codex CXS 171-1989, revised 1995
Codex pulses extraneous-matter ceiling
1
percent, maximum · Codex CXS 171-1989, revised 1995
Navy beans are USDA Pea Beans, not every small white bean
USDA identifies Pea Beans as the Great Lakes type also known as Navy Beans. It lists Great Northern, Small White, Flat Small White, White Kidney and other bean classes separately. The Bean Inspection Handbook describes Pea Beans as small, oval, quite plump and white with visible gray vein-like markings. Kew accepts Phaseolus vulgaris as the common-bean species, but species identity alone does not establish the Navy or Pea Bean commercial class. Atlas retains both accepted species and the supported class determination.
U.S. grade factors attach to the exact Pea Bean lot
The Pea Beans table sets ceilings for moisture, total defects, badly damaged beans, foreign material, stones, contrasting classes and classes that blend. USDA defines defects for non-Lima classes as splits, damaged beans, contrasting classes and foreign material, and it distinguishes U.S. Sample Grade conditions such as mustiness, sourness, heating, weathering, weevils, objectionable odor, filth, glass or metal. Atlas retains the representative sample, inspection authority, methods, date and actual factor results with the lot. A table citation or supplier target is not an inspection certificate.
Handpicked, numerical grade and buyer specification stay distinct
USDA provides Choice Handpicked, Prime Handpicked, U.S. No. 1 and U.S. No. 2 rows for Pea Beans with different factor ceilings. A buyer specification may add colour, count, uniformity, soaking or cooking performance, pesticide, microbiological, package or destination requirements that are not substituted by the grade name. Atlas records the complete named grade, every measured factor and any additional contract specification rather than treating handpicked, No. 1 or premium as interchangeable marketing terms.
Whole, split, canned and planting products stay separate
USDA's bean standard covers dry threshed edible beans that may be whole, broken or split, while Codex CXS 171 applies to whole, shelled or split Phaseolus pulses intended for direct human consumption and excludes factory grading, industrial processing and animal-feed scope. Canned beans and planting seed require separate product, processing, germination, treatment and destination evidence. Atlas retains physical form, process, intended use, treatment status, package and conversion basis instead of merging observations across these products.
A grade or national crop statistic does not establish a delivered navy-bean price
A Pea Bean class, U.S. grade, Codex moisture ceiling or national production statistic does not establish an offered lot's identity, quality, current availability, transaction value or delivered cost. A physical comparison still needs permitted current observations for the exact Pea Bean class, variety where relevant, whole or split form, grade and test results, crop and processing origin, crop year, quantity, package, currency, Incoterm, destination, delivery window, route costs and information vintage. Atlas withholds a physical estimate when those observations or usage rights are missing.