BABY CORN​ CODEX

Definition Of Produce

·       This Standard Applies To The Cobs, Without The Silk And Anthers, Of Commercial Varieties Of Baby Corn (Corn Inflorescence) Grown From Zea Mays L, Of The Gramineae Family, Separated From Silk, Husk And Anthers, To Be Supplied Fresh To The Consumer, After Preparation And Packaging. Baby Corn For Industrial Processing Is Excluded.

Provisions Concerning Quality

·       Minimum Requirements  :-

In All Classes, Subject To The Special Provisions For Each Class And The Tolerances Allowed, The Cobs Of Baby Corn 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;

·       Free Of Damage Caused By Pests;

·       Free Of Abnormal External Moisture;

·       Free Of Any Foreign Smell And/Or Taste;

·       Fresh In Appearance;

·       Practically Free Of Silk.

·       The Cut That Is Made On The Base Of The Cobs Should Be Clean And Well Defined. A Slight Discolouration Of The Cut Surface Due To Storage Is Acceptable.

The Development And Condition Of The Baby Corn Must Be Such As To Enable It:

·       To Withstand Transport And Handling;

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

Classification :-

·       The Cobs Of Baby Corn Are Classified In Three Classes Defined Below:

·       “Extra” Class The Cobs Of Baby Corn In This Class Must Be Well Trimmed, Free Of Husk, Stalk And Silk, Intact And Of Superior Quality. They Must Be Characteristic Of The Variety And/Or Commercial Type. 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 The Cobs Of Baby Corn In This Class Must Be Well Trimmed, Free Of Husk And Stalk And 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:

·       Slight Defects In Shape, Colour And Texture;

·       Slight Defects In Irregular Arrangement Of Undeveloped Kernels (Ovules);

·       Slight Defects On The Surface Due To Bruising, Scratches Or Other Mechanical Damage. The Total Area Affected Shall Not Exceed 5% Per Cob;

·       Silk Attached To And/Or Broken From The Cob Shall Be Minimal Without Affecting The Appearance.

Class II This Class Includes Cobs Of Baby Corn 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 Cobs Of Baby Corn Retain Their Essential Characteristics As Regards The Quality, The Keeping Quality And Presentation:

·       Defects In Shape, Colour And Texture;

·       Defects In Irregular Arrangement Of Undeveloped Kernels (Ovules);

·       Defects On The Surface Due To Bruising, Scratches Or Other Mechanical Damage. The Total Area Affected Shall Not Exceed 10% Per Cob

·       Silk Attached To And/Or Broken From The Cob Shall Be Minimal Without Affecting The Appearance.

Provisions Concerning Sizing.

·       Size Is Determined By The Length Of The Cob Of Baby Corn, In Accordance With The Following Table:

·       For All Sizes, The Minimum Width Should Not Be Less Than 1.0 Cm And The Maximum Width Not More Than 2.0 Cm.

Size Code

Length (In Centimetres)

A

5.0-7.0

B

7.0-9.0

C

9.0-12.0

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 Cobs Of Baby Corn 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 Cobs Of Baby Corn Not Satisfying The Requirements Of The Class, But Meeting Those Of Class II Or, Exceptionally, Coming Within The Tolerances Of That Class. In The Case Of Cobs Of Baby Corn With Incompletely Removed Husk And Stalk, Only 5% By Number Or Weight Of 0.5 Cm Long Of The Husk And Stalk Is Allowed.

·       Class II Ten Percent By Number Or Weight Of Cobs Of Baby Corn 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. In The Case Of Cobs Of Baby Corn With Incompletely Removed Husk And Stalk, Only 5% By Number Or Weight Of 0.5 Cm Long Of The Husk And Stalk Is Allowed.

Size Tolerances :-

·       For “Extra” Class, 5%; And For Class I Or Class II 10%; By Number Or Weight Of Cobs Of Baby Corn Not Satisfying The Requirements As Regards Sizing, But Falling Within The Class Immediately

Provisions Concerning Presentation

Uniformity :-

·       The Contents Of Each Package Must Be Uniform And Contain Only Cobs Of Baby Corn Of The Same Origin, Quality And Size. The Visible Part Of The Contents Of The Package Must Be Representative Of The Entire Contents.

Packaging :-

·       The Cobs Of Baby Corn Must Be Packed In Such A Way As To Protect The Produce Properly. The Materials Used Inside The Package Must Be New 1 , 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. The Cobs Of Baby Corn Shall Be Packed In Each Container In Compliance With The Recommended International Code Of Practice For Packaging And Transport Of Fresh Fruits And Vegetables (Cac/Rcp 441995).

Description Of Containers :-

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

Marking Or Labelling

Consumer Packages :-

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

Nature Of Produce :-

·       If The Produce Is Not Visible From The Outside, Each Package (Or Lot For Produce Presented In Bulk) 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. For Produce Transported In Bulk, These Particulars Must Appear On A Document Accompanying The Goods.

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 Or Commercial Type (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);

·       Net Weight (Optional).

Contaminants

·       The Produce Covered By This Standard Shall Comply With The Maximum Levels Of The Codex General Standard For Contaminants And Toxins In Food And Feed (CODEX STAN 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 Recommended International Code Of Practice – General Principles Of Food Hygiene (CAC/RCP 1-1969), Code Of Hygienic Practice For Fresh Fruits And Vegetables (CAC/RCP 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 For The Establishment And Application Of Microbiological Criteria For Foods (CAC/GL 21-1997).