Definition Of Produce

·       This Standard Applies To Commercial Varieties Of Longans Grown From Dimocarpus Longan Lour., Of The Sapindaceae Family, To Be Supplied Fresh To The Consumer, After Preparation And Packaging. Longans For Industrial Processing Are Excluded.

Provisions Concerning Quality

Minimum Requirements :-

In All Classes, Subject To The Special Provisions For Each Class And The Tolerances Allowed, The Longans Must Be:

·       Whole;

·       Sound, Produce Affected By Rotting Or Deterioration Such As To Make It Unfit For Consumption Is Excluded;

·       Clean, Practically Free Of Any Visible Foreign Matter;

·       Practically Free Of Pests Affecting The General Appearance Of The Produce;

·       Practically Free Of Damage Caused By Pests;

·       Free Of Abnormal External Moisture, Excluding Top Icing Condensation Following Removal From Cold Storage;

·       Free Of Any Foreign Smell And/Or Taste

·       Fresh In Appearance;Class Ii This Class Includes Longans Which Do Not Qualify For Inclusion In The Higher Classes, But Satisfy The Minimum Requirements Specified In Section 2.1 Above. The Following Defects, However, May Be Allowed, Provided The Longans Retain Their Essential Characteristics As Regards The Quality, The Keeping Quality And Presentation:

·       Free Of Damage Caused By Low And/Or High Temperatures;

·       Free Of Pronounced Blemishes.

The Longans Must Have Reached An Appropriate Degree Of Development And Ripeness In Accordance With Criteria Proper To The Variety And To The Area In Which They Are Grown.

·       To Withstand Transport And Handling;

·       To Arrive In Satisfactory Condition At The Place Of Destination.

Classification :-

·       Longans Are Classified In Three Classes Defined Below:

·       “Extra” Class Longans In This Class Must Be Of Superior Quality. They Must Be Characteristic Of The Variety. They Must Be Free Of Defects, With The Exception Of Very Slight Superficial Defects, Provided These Do Not Affect The General Appearance Of The Produce, The Quality, The Keeping Quality And Presentation In The Package. 

Class I Longans In This Class Must Be Of Good Quality. They Must Be Characteristic Of The Variety. The Following Slight Defects, However, May Be Allowed, Provided These Do Not Affect The General Appearance Of The Produce, The Quality, The Keeping Quality And Presentation In The Package:

·       Slight Skin Defects Such As Bruising, Scratches Or Other Mechanical Damage Not Exceeding A Total Area Of 0.5 Cm2.

Provisions Concerning Sizing

·       Provisions Concerning Sizing Size Is Determined By The Number Of Fruits Per Kilogram Or The Diameter Of The Equatorial Section Of The Fruit, In Accordance With The Following Table:

Size Code

Number Of Fruits (Per Kg)

Diameter (Mm)

1

<85

>28

2

85-94

>27-28

3

95-104

>26-27

4

105-114

>25-26

5

>115

24-25

Provisions Concerning Tolerances

·       Tolerances In Respect Of Quality And Size Shall Be Allowed In Each Package For Produce Not Satisfying The Requirements Of The Class Indicated.

Quality Tolerances :-

·       “Extra” Class Five Percent By Number Or Weight Of Longans Not Satisfying The Requirements Of The Class, But Meeting Those Of Class I Or, Exceptionally, Coming Within The Tolerances Of That Class.

·       Class I Ten Percent By Number Or Weight Of Longans Not Satisfying The Requirements Of The Class, But Meeting Those Of Class Ii Or, Exceptionally, Coming Within The Tolerances Of That Class.

·       Class Ii Ten Percent By Number Or Weight Of Longans Satisfying Neither The Requirements Of The Class Nor The Minimum Requirements, With The Exception Of Produce Affected By Rotting Or Any Other Deterioration Rendering It Unfit For Consumption.

·       Size Tolerances For All Classes, 20% By Number Or Weight Of Longans Corresponding To The Size Immediately Above And/Or Below That Indicated On The Package For Fruit Sold In Bunches And 10% For Fruit Sold Individually.

Provisions Concerning Presentation

·       Uniformity The Contents Of Each Package Must Be Uniform And Contain Only Longans Of The Same Origin, Variety, Quality And Size. The Visible Part Of The Contents Of The Package Must Be Representative Of The Entire Contents.

·       Packaging 2 Longans Must Be Packed In Such A Way As To Protect The Produce Properly. The Materials Used Inside The Package Must Be New , Clean, And Of A Quality Such As To Avoid Causing Any External Or Internal Damage To The Produce. The Use Of Materials, Particularly Of Paper Or Stamps Bearing Trade Specifications Is Allowed, Provided The Printing Or Labelling Has Been Done With Non-Toxic Ink Or Glue. Longans Shall Be Packed In Each Container In Compliance With The Code Of Practice For Packaging And Transport Of Fresh Fruits And Vegetables (Cxc 44-1995).

·       Description Of Containers The Containers Shall Meet The Quality, Hygiene, Ventilation And Resistance Characteristics To Ensure Suitable Handling, Shipping And Preserving Of The Longans. Packages Must Be Free Of All Foreign Matter And Smell.

·       Presentation The Longans Must Be Presented Under One Of The Following Forms:

·       Individually In This Case, The Pedicel Must Be Cut At The First Knot And The Maximum Length Of The Stalk Must Not Exceed 5 Mm Beyond The Top Of The Fruit.

·       In Bunches In This Case, Each Stem In A Bunch Should Have At Least Three Attached Longans. The Branch Must Not Exceed 15 Cm In Length. A Maximum Of 10% By Number Or Weight Of Detached Fruit Is Allowed In Each Package.

Marking Or Labelling

·       Consumer Packages In Addition To The Requirements Of The General Standard For The Labelling Of Prepackaged Foods (Cxs 1-1985), The Following Specific Provisions Apply:

·       Nature Of Produce If The Produce Is Not Visible From The Outside, Each Package Shall Be Labelled As To The Name Of The Produce And May Be Labelled As To Name Of The Variety.

·       Non-Retail Containers Each Package Must Bear The Following Particulars, In Letters Grouped On The Same Side, Legibly And Indelibly Marked, And Visible From The Outside, Or In The Documents Accompanying The Shipment.

·       Identification Name And Address Of Exporter, Packer And/Or Dispatcher. Identification Code (Optional)

·       Nature Of Produce  Name Of The Produce If The Contents Are Not Visible From The Outside. Name Of The Variety (Optional).

·       Origin Of Produce Country Of Origin And, Optionally, District Where Grown Or National, Regional Or Local Place Name.

Commercial Identification :-

·       Class;

·       Size (Size Code Or Minimum And Maximum Diameter In Millimetres);

·       Net Weight (Optional).

Contaminants

·       The Produce Covered By This Standard Shall Comply With The Maximum Levels Of The General Standard For Contaminants And Toxins In Food And Feed (Cxs 193-1995).

·       The Produce Covered By This Standard Shall Comply With The Maximum Residue Limits For Pesticides Established By The Codex Alimentarius Commission.

Hygiene

·       It Is Recommended That The Produce Covered By The Provisions Of This Standard Be Prepared And Handled In Accordance With The Appropriate Sections Of The General Principles Of Food Hygiene (Cxc 1-1969), Code Of Hygienic Practice For Fresh Fruits And Vegetables (Cxc 53-2003), And Other Relevant Codex Texts Such As Codes Of Hygienic Practice And Codes Of Practice.

·       The Produce Should Comply With Any Microbiological Criteria Established In Accordance With The Principles And Guidelines For The Establishment And Application Of Microbiological Criteria Related To Foods (Cxg 21-1997).