What are the recognized apple grades?

The recognized grading system for apples primarily includes classifications that reflect the quality and appearance of the fruit. The categories play an essential role in ensuring consumers receive apples that meet specific standards.

"Extra Fancy" is the top grade, indicating that these apples have an excellent size, color, shape, and are free from blemishes. "Fancy" apples also possess high quality but may have slight imperfections that do not significantly detract from their appearance or usability. The grade "C" is generally used to categorize apples that do not meet the higher standards of the previous two grades but are still acceptable for consumption, often used for processing rather than fresh sales.

This grading system assists producers, retailers, and consumers alike by providing a clear understanding of product quality, thus ensuring consistency in the market for apple products. The other options provided do not align with the recognized grading standards currently employed in the agricultural industry for apples, which contributes to the choice of the grading system in this context.