Short answer: For fruit curd sold under the reserved description in England, the Jam and Similar Products Regulations 2003 place items 8 to 11 at 65% or more soluble dry matter, determined by refractometer at 20°C. That legal context is narrower than a universal recipe target and applies according to the regulation's scope and exceptions. Milwaukee specifies the MA871 for 0 to 85% Brix with ±0.2% Brix accuracy, but its ATC range does not by itself prove legal-method compliance. A food business should confirm the applicable rule and documented sampling method with its competent adviser or authority.

Key takeaways

  • The 65% figure comes from an England regulation for specified products, not from the MA871 manufacturer.
  • The regulation refers to refractometer determination at 20°C.
  • The MA871 range covers 65% Brix, but suitability for a legal control method must be confirmed.

Where the 65% figure comes from

The Jam and Similar Products (England) Regulations 2003 state that products in items 8 to 11 of Schedule 1 must have soluble dry matter of 65% or more, subject to the regulation's qualifications. Fruit curd is within that schedule. This article does not extend the England rule to Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

PointEvidence
Product contextSpecified products in England regulations
Minimum stated for items 8 to 1165% soluble dry matter
Reference temperatureRefractometer at 20°C
MA871 legal-method approvalManufacturer does not specify

Apply the MA871 method carefully

Milwaukee documents one-point calibration with distilled or deionised water, full prism coverage, a READ step and cleaning after measurement. For fruit curd, the business must additionally define how a representative sample is prepared and brought to the required method temperature. Milwaukee does not publish a fruit-curd preparation method.

  1. Confirm that the product and sale location fall within the cited regulation.
  2. Define a representative fruit-curd sampling and temperature method.
  3. Calibrate and measure according to the Milwaukee manual.
  4. Record the raw result, temperature context and compliance decision separately.

Read range and accuracy separately

The MA871 range of 0 to 85% Brix includes a displayed value around 65%, and its resolution is 0.1% Brix. Milwaukee states accuracy of ±0.2% Brix. A display increment is not the same as legal certainty, and readings near a decision limit require the business's approved interpretation.

The regulations include definitions, scope provisions and exceptions, so 65% should not be copied into every curd recipe or label without checking applicability. The MA871 does not assess microbiological safety, allergens, acidity, shelf life or legal compliance by itself. Obtain qualified food-law or local-authority advice where the result controls sale.

Use the MA871 only within a documented 20°C sampling method, and verify the applicable legal rule rather than treating 65% as a universal kitchen endpoint. Read Honey Moisture Refractometer for a UK Beekeeper: MA871 Limit for related guidance. Read How to Measure Soluble Solids in Jam at 20°C for related guidance. Review the documented specification on the Milwaukee MA871 Digital Brix Refractometer product page before ordering.

Sources and safety context