---
kind: "section"
citation: "7 C.F.R. § 996.31"
title: "7"
number: "996.31"
heading: "Outgoing quality standards."
url: "https://uscodex.org/cfr/7/996.31"
---

# §996.31. Outgoing quality standards.

- (a) **Shelled peanuts—** No handler or importer shall ship or otherwise dispose of shelled peanuts for human consumption unless such peanuts are positive lot identified, chemically analyzed by a USDA laboratory or USDA-approved laboratory and certified “negative” as to aflatoxin, and certified by the Inspection Service as meeting the following quality standards:
- (b) **Cleaned-inshell peanuts—** No handler or importer shall ship or otherwise dispose of cleaned-inshell peanuts for human consumption unless such peanuts are Positive lot identified and are determined by the Inspection Service to contain:
  - (1) Not more than l.00 percent kernels with mold unless a sample of such peanuts, drawn by an inspector of the Inspection Service, is analyzed chemically by a USDA laboratory or a USDA-approved laboratory and certified “negative” as to aflatoxin;
  - (2) Not more than 3.50 percent peanuts with damaged or defective kernels;
  - (3) Not more than 10.00 percent moisture; or
  - (4) Not more than 0.50 percent foreign material.

## Notes

### Amendments

[67 FR 57140, Sept. 9, 2002; 67 FR 63503, Oct. 11, 2002, as amended at 68 FR 46924, Aug. 7, 2003; 68 FR 53490, Sept. 11, 2003; 81 FR 50288, Aug. 1, 2016]

### Authority

Authority: 7 U.S.C. 7958.

### Source

Source: 67 FR 57140, Sept. 9, 2002, unless otherwise noted.

### Amendments

[67 FR 57140, Sept. 9, 2002; 67 FR 63503, Oct. 11, 2002, as amended at 68 FR 46924, Aug. 7, 2003; 68 FR 53490, Sept. 11, 2003; 81 FR 50288, Aug. 1, 2016]