AUBERGINES​ CODEX

DEFINITION OF PRODUCE

·       THIS STANDARD APPLIES TO COMMERCIAL VARIETIES OF AUBERGINE OR EGGPLANT GROWN FROM SOLANUM MELONGENA L. OF THE SOLANACEAE FAMILY, TO BE SUPPLIED FRESH TO THE CONSUMER AFTER PREPARATION AND PACKAGING. AUBERGINES FOR INDUSTRIAL PROCESSING ARE EXCLUDED.

o   ELONGATED;

o   GLOBUS/ROUND;

o   OVAL AUBERGINES.

PROVISIONS CONCERNING QUALITY

·       MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

o   IN ALL CLASSES, SUBJECT TO THE SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR EACH CLASS AND THE TOLERANCES ALLOWED, THE AUBERGINE MUST BE:

§  INTACT;

§  WITH CALYX AND PEDUNCLE WHICH MAY BE SLIGHTLY DAMAGED;

§  FIRM;

§  FRESH IN APPEARANCE;

§  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;

§  FREE OF BRUISING OR EXTENSIVE HEALED OVER-CUTS;

§  PRACTICALLY FREE OF PESTS

§  PRACTICALLY FREE OF DAMAGE CAUSED BYPESTS

§  FREE OF ABNORMAL EXTERNAL MOISTURE, EXCLUDING CONDENSATION FOLLOWING REMOVAL FROM COLD STORAGE;

§  FREE OF ANY FOREIGN SMELL AND/OR TASTE;

§  FREE OF DAMAGE CAUSED BY LOW TEMPERATURE OR HIGH TEMPERATURE.

o   THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONDITION OF THE AUBERGINES MUST BE SUCH AS TO ENABLE THEM:

§  TO WITHSTAND TRANSPORTATION AND HANDLING; 

§  TO ARRIVE IN SATISFACTORY CONDITION AT THE PLACE OF DESTINATION.

·       MATURITY REQUIREMENTS THE AUBERGINES MUST BE SUFFICIENTLY DEVELOPED WITHOUT THE FLESH BEING FIBROUS OR WOODY AND WITHOUT HARD SEEDS.

·       CLASSIFICATION AUBERGINES ARE CLASSIFIED INTO THREE CLASSES DEFINED BELOW:

·       “EXTRA” CLASS AUBERGINES IN THIS CLASS MUST BE OF SUPERIOR QUALITY. THEY MUST BE FIRM AND MUST BE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VARIETY AND /OR COMMERCIAL TYPE. STALK MUST BE INTACT AND THE FLESH MUST BE SOUND. THEY MUST BE FREE OF DEFECTS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SLIGHT SUPERFICIAL DEFECTS, PROVIDED THEY DO NOT AFFECT THE GENERAL APPEARANCE OF THE PRODUCE, THE QUALITY, THE KEEPING QUALITY AND PRESENTATION IN THE PACKAGE.

·       CLASS I AUBERGINES IN THIS CLASS MUST BE OF GOOD QUALITY. THEY MUST BE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VARIETY AND/OR COMMERCIAL TYPE. 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:

o   A SLIGHT DEFECT IN SHAPE AND DEVELOPMENT;

o   SLIGHT DISCOLORATION DEPENDING UPON THE VARIETY;

o   SLIGHT SUPERFICIAL DEFECTS, SLIGHT BRUISING AND/OR SLIGHT HEALED CRACKS PROVIDED THEY DO NOT AFFECT THE FLESH OF THE FRUIT.

·       CLASS II THIS CLASS INCLUDES AUBERGINES WHICH DO NOT QUALIFY FOR INCLUSION IN THE HIGHER CLASSES BUT SATISFY THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIED IN THE FOLLOWING DEFECTS HOWEVER MAY BE ALLOWED, PROVIDED THE AUBERGINE RETAINS ITS ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS AS REGARDS THE QUALITY, THE KEEPING QUALITY AND PRESENTATION:

o   DEFECTS IN SHAPE AND DEVELOPMENT;

o   DISCOLORATION DEPENDING UPON VARIETY;

o   SLIGHT BRUISING AND/OR SLIGHT HEALED CRACKS OR SUN-SCORCHED;

o   SLIGHT DRY SKIN DEFECT PROVIDED THEY DO NOT AFFECT THE FLESH OF THE FRUIT.

PROVISIONS CONCERNING SIZING

·       AUBERGINES MAY BE SIZED BY DIAMETER (I.E MAXIMUM DIAMETER OF THE EQUATORIAL SECTION ON THE LONGITUDINAL AXIS), COUNT, LENGTH OR WEIGHT OR IN ACCORDANCE WITH EXISTING TRADING PRACTICES. WHEN SIZED IN ACCORDANCE WITH EXISTING TRADE PRACTICES THE PACKAGE MUST BE LABELLED WITH THE SIZE AND METHOD USED.

·       TO ENSURE UNIFORMITY IN SIZE, THE SIZE RANGE BETWEEN PRODUCE IN THE SAME PACKAGE SHALL NOT EXCEED:

o   FOR SIZING BY DIAMETER:

§  20 MM FOR ELONGATED AUBERGINES;

§  25 MM FOR GLOBUS/ROUND AND OVAL AUBERGINES.

o   FOR SIZING BY WEIGHT:

§  10 G FOR AUBERGINES BETWEEN 20-50 G;

§  20 G FOR AUBERGINES BETWEEN>50-100 G;

§  75 G FOR AUBERGINES BETWEEN>100-300 G;

§  100 G FOR AUBERGINES BETWEEN>300-500 G;

§  250 G FOR AUBERGINES ABOVE 500 G.

o   UNIFORMITY IN SIZE RANGE IS COMPULSORY ONLY FOR EXTRA CLASS, BUT NOT FOR THE AUBERGINES WITH A DIAMETER EQUAL OR BELOW 30MM.

PROVISIONS CONCERNING TOLERANCES

·       TOLERANCES IN RESPECT OF QUALITY AND SIZE SHALL BE ALLOWED IN EACH LOT FOR PRODUCE NOT SATISFYING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CLASS INDICATED. PRODUCE THAT FAIL CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT, MAY BE ALLOWED TO BE RESORTED AND BROUGH INTO CONFORMITY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RELEVANT PROVISIONS IN THE GUIDELINES FOR FOOD IMPORT CONTROL SYSTEMS (CXG 47-2003).

·       QUALITY TOLERANCES

o   “EXTRA” CLASS FIVE PER CENT BY NUMBER OR WEIGHT, OF AUBERGINE NOT SATISFYING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CLASS BUT MEETING THOSE OF CLASS I IS ALLOWED. INCLUDED THEREIN, IS 1% TOLERANCE FOR DECAY, SOFT ROT AND/OR INTERNAL BREAKDOWN.

o   CLASS I TEN PERCENT BY NUMBER OR WEIGHT, OF AUBERGINES NOT SATISFYING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CLASS I BUT MEETING THOSE OF CLASS II IS ALLOWED.INCLUDED THEREIN, IS 1% TOLERANCE FOR DECAY, SOFT ROT AND/OR INTERNAL BREAKDOWN.

o   CLASS II TEN PER CENT BY NUMBER OR WEIGHT, OF AUBERGINES NEITHER SATISFYING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CLASS II NOR THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENT IS ALLOWED. INCLUDED THEREIN, IS 2% TOLERANCE FOR DECAY, SOFT ROT AND/OR INTERNAL BREAKDOWN.

o   SIZE TOLERANCES FOR ALL CLASSES (IF SIZED), 10% BY NUMBER OR WEIGHT OF AUBERGINES NOT SATISFYING THE REQUIREMENTS AS REGARDS SIZING IS ALLOWED.

PROVISIONS CONCERNING PRESENTATION

·       UNIFORMITY THE CONTENTS OF EACH PACKAGE MUST BE UNIFORM AND CONTAIN AUBERGINES OF THE SAME ORIGIN, VARIETY OR COMMERCIAL TYPE, QUALITY, COLOUR AND SIZE (IF SIZED). THE VISIBLE PART OF THE CONTENTS OF THE PACKAGE MUST BE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ENTIRE CONTENTS. HOWEVER, A MIXTURE OF AUBERGINES OF DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT COMMERCIAL TYPES MAY BE PACKED TOGETHER IN A PACKAGE, PROVIDED THEY ARE UNIFORM IN QUALITY AND FOR EACH COMMERCIAL TYPE CONCERNED, IN ORIGIN. 

·       PACKAGING AUBERGINES MUST BE PACKED IN SUCH A WAY AS TO PROTECT THE PRODUCE PROPERLY. THE MATERIALS USED INSIDE THE PACKAGE MUST BE OF FOOD-GRADE QUALITY, 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 LABELING HAS BEEN DONE WITH NON-TOXIC INK OR GLUE. AUBERGINES 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 AUBERGINES. PACKAGES MUST BE FREE OF ALL FOREIGN MATTER AND SMELL.

PROVISIONS CONCERNING MARKING OR LABELLING

·       CONSUMER PACKAGES IN ADDITION TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE GENERAL STANDARD FOR THE LABELLING OF PREPACKAGED FOODS (CXS 11985), THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC PROVISIONS APPLY:

·       NAME OF PRODUCE EACH PACKAGE SHALL BE LABELLED AS TO THE NAME OF THE PRODUCE AND MAY BE LABELLED AS TO THE NAME OF COMMERCIAL TYPE.

·       ORIGIN OF PRODUCE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN 2AND, OPTIONALLY, DISTRICT WHERE GROWN, OR NATIONAL, REGIONAL OR LOCAL PLACE NAME. IN THE CASE OF A MIXTURE OF DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT COMMERCIAL TYPES OF AUBERGINES OF DIFFERENT ORIGINS, THE INDICATION OF EACH COUNTRY OF ORIGIN SHALL APPEAR NEXT TO THE NAME OF THE COMMERCIAL TYPES CONCERNED.

·       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.

·       IDENTIFICATION NAME AND ADDRESS OF EXPORTER, PACKER AND/OR DISPATCHER. IDENTIFICATION CODE (OPTIONAL).

·       NAME OF PRODUCE NAME OF THE PRODUCE “AUBERGINES” NAME OF THE COMMERCIAL TYPE (OPTIONAL). MIXTURE OF AUBERGINES, OR EQUIVALENT DENOMINATION, IN THE CASE OF A MIXTURE OF DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT COMMERCIAL TYPES OF AUBERGINES. IF THE PRODUCE IS NOT VISIBLE FROM THE OUTSIDE, THE COMMERCIAL TYPES AND THE QUANTITY OF EACH IN THE PACKAGE MUST BE INDICATED.

·       ORIGIN OF PRODUCE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN2 AND, OPTIONALLY, DISTRICT WHERE GROWN OR NATIONAL, REGIONAL OR LOCAL PLACE NAME. IN THE CASE OF A MIXTURE OF DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT COMMERCIAL TYPES OF AUBERGINES OF DIFFERENT ORIGINS, THE INDICATION OF EACH COUNTRY OF ORIGIN SHALL APPEAR NEXT TO THE NAME OF THE VARIETY CONCERNED.

·       COMMERCIAL SPECIFICATIONS

o   CLASS;

o   SIZE (IF SIZED) EXPRESSED:

§  BY THE MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM DIAMETER OF THE EQUATORIAL SECTION(IN MM) ON THE LONGITUDINAL AXES;

§  BY WEIGHT (IN G).

CONTAMINANTS

·       THE PRODUCE COVERED BY THIS STANDARD SHALL COMPLY WITH THE MAXIMUM RESIDUE LIMITS FOR PESTICIDES ESTABLISHED BY THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION.

·       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).

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 211997).