In a strict standard grading system, each attribute of a produce is evaluated independently and assigned with a grade:
- A (Excellent)
- B (Acceptable)
- C (Defective / Poor)
The final inspection grade is determined by the lowest grade among all attributes.
Example: Apple Inspection
A produce inspector evaluates apples through a process that collects the following attributes:
- Brix %
- Color
- Size
- Appearance
- Acidity
Each attribute is graded separately.
Scenario 1: Apple Grading
| Attribute | Grade |
| Brix (Sweetness) | A (Excellent) |
| Color | B (Acceptable) |
| Size | A (Excellent) |
| Appearance | C (Defective) |
| Acidity | A (Excellent) |
Final Grade Calculation of the inspection (Strict Rule)
- The lowest grade is C (Appearance).
- Final Grade = C (because the strict system assigns the lowest grade as the overall rating).
Scenario 2: Another Apple Grading Example
| Attribute | Grade |
| Brix | A |
| Color | B |
| Size | B |
| Appearance | B |
| Acidity | A |
Final Grade = B (Lowest grade is B).
Key Takeaways
- Each attribute is graded independently.
- The lowest individual grade determines the final rating.
- This ensures strict quality control, preventing one defect from being overlooked.
For explanations on how tolerance impacts the Strict Standard grading, please refer to Strict Grading with Attribute-Specific Tolerance: Balancing Quality and Flexibility.