The US Department of Agriculture has published criteria for grading pineapples.
Grades of Pineapples in the United States:
(1) Fancy
(2) No. 1
(3) No. 2
The examination focuses on:
(1) the external appearance
(2) the fruit
(3) the top (or crown)
Characteristics of Fancy:
(1) The fruit is mature and well-formed with stem removed.
(2) The fruit is free from:
(2a) fresh cracks
(2b) evidence of rodent feeding
(2c) frozen or freeze injury
(2d) overripe
(2e) decay
(2f) bruising
(2g) sunburn
(2h) gummosis (gum deposit that has penetrated the flesh or discolored the shell)
(2i) internal breakdown
(2j) insects
(2k) healed cracks
(2l) mechanical injury
(3) The top shows:
(3a) the characteristic color
(3b) single stem
(3c) moderately straight
(3d) well-attached
(3e) less than or equal to 1.5 times length of the fruit
(4) The top is free from:
(4a) crown slips (small secondary top growths at the crown of the fruit)
(4b) freezing injury
(4c) decay
(4d) discoloration
(4e) insects
