DEFINITION
OF PRODUCE |
·
THIS STANDARD
APPLIES TO KIWIFRUIT (ALSO KNOWN AS ACTINIDIA) OF VARIETIES (CULTIVARS)
DERIVED FROM ACTINIDIA CHINENSIS PLANCH AND A. DELICIOSA (A. CHEV.) C.F.
LIANG & A.R. FERGUSON AND HYBRIDS DERIVED FROM AT LEAST ONE OF THEM, FROM
THE ACTINIDIACEAE FAMILY, TO BE SUPPLIED FRESH TO THE CONSUMER. KIWIFRUIT FOR
INDUSTRIAL PROCESSING ARE EXCLUDED. |
PROVISIONS
CONCERNING QUALITY |
· MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS o
IN ALL CLASSES, SUBJECT
TO THE SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR EACH CLASS AND THE TOLERANCES ALLOWED, THE
KIWIFRUIT MUST BE: § INTACT (BUT FREE OF PEDUNCLE); § SOUND; PRODUCE AFFECTED BY ROTTING OR
DETERIORATION SUCH AS TO MAKE IT UNFIT FOR CONSUMPTION IS EXCLUDED; § ADEQUATELY FIRM; NOT SOFT, SHRIVELLED OR
WATER-SOAKED; § WELL FORMED; DOUBLE/MULTIPLE FRUIT BEING EXCLUDED; § CLEAN, PRACTICALLY FREE OF ANY VISIBLE FOREIGN
MATTER; § PRACTICALLY FREE OF PESTS1; § PRACTICALLY FREE OF DAMAGE CAUSED BY PESTS1; § FREE OF ABNORMAL EXTERNAL MOISTURE, EXCLUDING
CONDENSATION FOLLOWING REMOVAL FROM COLD STORAGE; § FREE OF ANY FOREIGN SMELL AND/OR TASTE; § FRESH IN APPEARANCE; o
THE DEVELOPMENT AND
CONDITION OF THE KIWIFRUIT MUST BE SUCH AS TO ENABLE THEM: § TO WITHSTAND TRANSPORTATION AND HANDLING; § TO ARRIVE IN SATISFACTORY CONDITION AT THE PLACE
OF DESTINATION. |
·
MINIMUM MATURITY
REQUIREMENTS THE KIWIFRUIT MUST HAVE REACHED AN APPROPRIATE DEGREE OF
MATURITY, IN ACCORDANCE WITH CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VARIETY, TO ALLOW FOR
DEVELOPMENT OF SATISFACTORY ORGANOLEPTIC CHARACTERISTICS. THE FRUIT MUST HAVE
ATTAINED A DEGREE OF MATURITY OF AT LEAST 6.2° BRIX OR AN AVERAGE DRY MATTER
CONTENT OF 15%2. |
·
CLASSIFICATION
KIWIFRUIT ARE CLASSIFIED INTO THREE CLASSES, AS DEFINED BELOW: |
·
“EXTRA” CLASS
KIWIFRUIT IN THIS CLASS MUST BE OF SUPERIOR QUALITY. THEY MUST BE
CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VARIETY (CULTIVAR). THE FLESH MUST BE SOUND. FRUIT MUST
BE ROUND OR OVAL IN CROSS SECTION (NOT FLATTENED), AND THE RATIO OF THE
MINIMUM EQUATORIAL DIAMETER TO THE MAXIMUM EQUATORIAL DIAMETER OF THE FRUIT
MUST BE 0.8 OR GREATER. 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 KIWIFRUIT IN THIS CLASS MUST BE OF GOOD
QUALITY. THEY MUST BE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VARIETY (CULTIVAR). THE FLESH
MUST BE SOUND. FRUIT MUST BE ROUND OR OVAL IN CROSS SECTION (NOT FLATTENED),
AND THE RATIO OF THE MINIMUM EQUATORIAL DIAMETER TO THE MAXIMUM EQUATORIAL
DIAMETER OF THE FRUIT MUST BE 0.7 OR GREATER. 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 (BUT FREE OF SWELLING OR MALFORMATIONS); o
SLIGHT DEFECTS IN
COLOURING; o
SLIGHT, SUPERFICIAL
SKIN DEFECTS, PROVIDED THE TOTAL AREA AFFECTED DOES NOT EXCEED 1 CM2; o
SMALL “HAYWARD MARKS”
(LONGITUDINAL LINES) WITHOUT PROTUBERANCE. |
· CLASS II THIS CLASS INCLUDES KIWIFRUIT WHICH DO
NOT QUALIFY FOR INCLUSION IN THE HIGHER CLASSES, BUT SATISFY THE MINIMUM
REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIED IN SECTION 3.1 ABOVE. THE FLESH SHOULD NOT SHOW ANY
SERIOUS DEFECTS. THE FOLLOWING DEFECTS, HOWEVER, MAY BE ALLOWED, PROVIDED THE
KIWIFRUIT RETAIN THEIR ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS AS REGARDS THE QUALITY, THE
KEEPING QUALITY AND PRESENTATION: o
DEFECTS IN SHAPE
INCLUDING FLATTENED FRUIT; o
DEFECTS IN COLOURING; o
SKIN DEFECTS PROVIDED
THAT THE TOTAL AREA AFFECTED DOES NOT EXCEED 2 CM2; o
SEVERAL MORE-PRONOUNCED
“HAYWARD MARKS” WITH A SLIGHT PROTUBERANCE; o
SLIGHT BRUISING. |
PROVISIONS
CONCERNING SIZING |
· KIWIFRUIT MAY BE SIZED BY WEIGHT OR COUNT, OR IN
ACCORDANCE WITH EXISTING TRADING PRACTICES, AND LABELLED ACCORDINGLY. WHEN
SIZED IN ACCORDANCE WITH EXISTING TRADE PRACTICES, THE PACKAGE MUST BE
LABELLED WITH THE SIZE AND METHOD USED. (A) FOR FRUIT SIZED BY WEIGHT: FOR A.
CHINENSIS AND A. DELICIOSA AND HYBRIDS BETWEEN THESE SPECIES, THE MINIMUM
WEIGHT FOR “EXTRA” CLASS IS 90G, FOR CLASS I IS 70G AND FOR CLASS II IS 65G.
TO ENSURE UNIFORMITY IN SIZE, THE RANGE IN SIZE BETWEEN PRODUCE IN THE SAME
PACKAGE THAT IS SIZED BY WEIGHT SHALL NOT EXCEED: o
10 G FOR FRUIT LESS
THAN OR EQUAL TO 85 G; o
15 G FOR FRUIT WEIGHING
GREATER THAN 85 G AND UP TO 120 G; o
20 G FOR FRUIT WEIGHING
GREATER THAN 120 G AND UP TO 150 G; o
40 G FOR FRUIT WEIGHING
GREATER THAN 150 G. |
PROVISIONS
CONCERNING TOLERANCES |
·
QUALITY 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
FAILS CONFORMITY ASSESSMENT, MAY BE ALLOWED TO BE RE-SORTED AND BROUGHT INTO
CONFORMITY IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE RELEVANT PROVISIONS IN THE GUIDELINES FOR
FOOD IMPORT CONTROL SYSTEMS (CXG 47-2003). |
·
“EXTRA” CLASS FIVE
PERCENT, BY NUMBER OR WEIGHT, OF KIWIFRUIT NOT SATISFYING THE REQUIREMENTS OF
THE CLASS BUT MEETING THOSE OF CLASS I. INCLUDED THEREIN IS 0.5% TOLERANCE
FOR DECAY, SOFT ROT AND/OR INTERNAL BREAKDOWN WHICH ONLY APPLIES BEYOND THE
EXPORT CONTROL POINT. |
·
CLASS I TEN
PERCENT, BY NUMBER OR WEIGHT, OF KIWIFRUIT NOT SATISFYING THE REQUIREMENTS OF
THE CLASS BUT MEETING THOSE OF CLASS II. INCLUDED THEREIN IS 1% TOLERANCE FOR
DECAY, SOFT ROT AND/OR INTERNAL BREAKDOWN. |
·
CLASS II TEN
PERCENT BY NUMBER OR WEIGHT OF KIWIFRUIT SATISFYING NEITHER THE REQUIREMENTS
OF THE CLASS NOR THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS. INCLUDED THEREIN NOT BE MORE THAN
2% OF IN TOTAL MAY CONSIST OF PRODUCE AFFECTED BY DECAY, SOFT ROT AND/OR
INTERNAL BREAKDOWN. |
·
SIZE TOLERANCES FOR
ALL CLASSES (IF SIZED), 10% BY NUMBER OR WEIGHT OF KIWIFRUIT NOT SATISFYING
THE REQUIREMENTS AS REGARDS SIZING IS ALLOWED. |
PROVISIONS
CONCERNING PRESENTATION |
·
UNIFORMITY THE
CONTENTS OF EACH PACKAGE MUST BE UNIFORM AND CONTAIN ONLY KIWIFRUIT OF THE
SAME ORIGIN, VARIETY (CULTIVAR), QUALITY AND SIZE. HOWEVER, A MIXTURE OF
KIWIFRUIT OF DISTINCTLY DIFFERENT VARIETIES MAY BE PACKED TOGETHER IN A
PACKAGE PROVIDED THEY ARE UNIFORM IN QUALITY AND, FOR EACH VARIETY CONCERNED,
UNIFORM IN ORIGIN. THE VISIBLE PART OF THE CONTENTS OF THE PACKAGE MUST BE
REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ENTIRE CONTENTS. |
·
PACKAGING KIWIFRUIT
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 LABELLING HAS BEEN DONE
WITH NON-TOXIC INK OR GLUE. STICKERS INDIVIDUALLY AFFIXED TO THE PRODUCE
SHALL BE SUCH THAT, WHEN REMOVED, THEY NEITHER LEAVE VISIBLE TRACES OF GLUE
NOR LEAD TO SKIN DEFECTS. KIWIFRUIT 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 KIWIFRUIT. 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 1-1985), THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC PROVISIONS APPLY: |
·
NAME OF PRODUCE
EACH PACKAGE SHALL BE LABELLED AS TO THE NAME OF THE PRODUCE AND OPTIONALLY
THE NAME OF THE VARIETY(IES) OR CULTIVAR(S) OR THE PREDOMINANT FLESH COLOUR. |
·
ORIGIN OF PRODUCE
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN3 AND, OPTIONALLY, DISTRICT WHERE GROWN, OR NATIONAL,
REGIONAL OR LOCAL PLACE NAME. |
·
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. FOR KIWIFRUIT TRANSPORTED IN BULK (DIRECT LOADING INTO A TRANSPORT
VEHICLE) THESE PARTICULARS MUST APPEAR ON A DOCUMENT ACCOMPANYING THE GOODS,
AND ATTACHED IN A VISIBLE POSITION INSIDE THE TRANSPORT VEHICLE UNLESS THE
DOCUMENT IS REPLACED BY AN ELECTRONIC SOLUTION. IN THAT CASE THE
IDENTIFICATION MUST BE MACHINE READABLE AND EASILY ACCESSIBLE. |
·
IDENTIFICATION NAME
AND ADDRESS OF EXPORTER, PACKER AND/OR DISPATCHER. IDENTIFICATION CODE
(OPTIONAL)4 |
·
NAME OF PRODUCE
NAME OF THE PRODUCE AND OPTIONALLY THE NAME OF THE VARIETY(IES) OR
CULTIVAR(S) OR THE PREDOMINANT FLESH COLOUR THE NAME OF THE VARIETY CAN BE
REPLACED BY A SYNONYM. A TRADE NAME5 CAN ONLY BE GIVEN IN ADDITION TO THE
VARIETY OR THE SYNONYM. |
·
ORIGIN OF PRODUCE
COUNTRY OF ORIGIN3 AND, OPTIONALLY, DISTRICT WHERE GROWN OR NATIONAL,
REGIONAL OR LOCAL PLACE NAME. |
· COMMERCIAL SPECIFICATIONS o
CLASS; o
SIZE (IF SIZED),
EXPRESSED § BY THE MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM WEIGHT OF THE
FRUIT; § BY NUMBER OF FRUIT AND THE NET FRUIT WEIGHT; § BY THE SIZE AND METHOD USED. |
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 21-1997). |