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IN ALL
CLASSES, SUBJECT TO THE SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR EACH CLASS AND THE TOLERANCES
ALLOWED, THE PRODUCE MUST BE: |
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INTACT; |
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·
THE PRODUCE MUST
NOT HAVE ANY DAMAGE OR INJURY AFFECTING THE INTEGRITY OF THE PRODUCE. THE
ENTIRE EDIBLE PART MUST BE INTACT AND THE PRODUCE MUST HAVE A SUFFICIENT
NUMBER OF OUTER LEAVES IN ORDER TO BE PROPERLY PROTECTED, WITH THE EXCEPTION
OF PRODUCE INDIVIDUALLY WRAPPED IN FILM OR PACKED IN PLASTIC BAGS. SLIGHT
DAMAGE CAUSED DURING HARVESTING AND PREPARATION IS ALLOWED. |
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·
HOWEVER, IN THE
PARTICULAR CASE OF CURLED-LEAVED ENDIVES, THE ENDS OF LEAVES MAY BE REMOVED
PROVIDED THIS DOES NOT AFFECT THE APPEARANCE AND THE KEEPING OF QUALITY. |
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· NAME OF ILLUSTRATION o
PHYSICAL DAMAGE BY HAIL o
PHYSICAL DAMAGE BY RAIN o
MARKED BRUISING o
END OF LEAVES REMOVED o
EXCESSIVELY TRIMMED |
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· SOUND, PRODUCE AFFECTED BY ROTTING OR
DETERIORATION SUCH AS TO MAKE IT UNFIT FOR CONSUMPTION IS EXCLUDED; o
THE PRODUCE MUST BE
FREE FROM DISEASE OR SERIOUS DETERIORATION WHICH APPRECIABLY AFFECTS THEIR
APPEARANCE, EDIBILITY OR KEEPING QUALITY. IN PARTICULAR, PRODUCE AFFECTED BY
ROTTING, EVEN IF THE SIGNS ARE VERY SLIGHT BUT LIABLE TO MAKE THE PRODUCE
UNFIT FOR CONSUMPTION UPON ARRIVAL AT THEIR DESTINATION, ARE TO BE EXCLUDED. o
PRODUCE SHOWING THE
FOLLOWING DEFECTS ARE THEREFORE EXCLUDED: o
ROTTING, EVEN IF THE SIGNS
ARE VERY SLIGHT ; o
TIPBURN; o
MILDEW; o
FROST DAMAGE. o
NAME OF ILLUSTRATION o
TIPBURN o
BASAL ROT o
MILDEW o
FROST DAMAGE o
ROT ON INNER LEAVES |
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· CLEAN AND TRIMMED, I.E. PRACTICALLY FREE FROM ALL
EARTH OR OTHER GROWING MEDIUM AND PRACTICALLY FREE OF ANY VISIBLE FOREIGN
MATTER; o
LETTUCES AND ENDIVES
MUST BE PRACTICALLY FREE OF VISIBLE SOIL, DUST, CHEMICAL RESIDUE OR OTHER
FOREIGN MATTER. o
THE PRESENCE OF VISIBLE
FOREIGN MATTER CAN DETRACT FROM THE COMMERCIAL PRESENTATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF
THE PRODUCE. THEREFORE, THE ACCEPTABLE LIMIT FOR “PRACTICALLY FREE” WOULD BE
– IN ALL CLASSES – TRACES OF FOREIGN MATTER INCLUDING SOIL ON THE OUTER
LEAVES AND THE BOTTOM SIDE OF THE PRODUCE. EXCESSIVE DUST, SOILING OR VISIBLE
CHEMICAL RESIDUES WOULD LEAD TO THE REJECTION OF THE PRODUCE. o
OUTER LEAVES THAT ARE
SOILED, FADED, DISCOLOURED, TORN, BROKEN OR SERIOUSLY DAMAGED IN ANY OTHER
WAY, AND ALL LEAVES THAT ARE BADLY JOINED TO THE HEART MUST BE REMOVED. o
NAME OF ILLUSTRATION o
SOILED LETTUCE AND
ENDIVES o
DAMAGED OUTER LEAVES |
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· FRESH IN APPEARANCE; o
THE PRODUCE SHOULD BE
PACKED AS SOON AS POSSIBLE AFTER HARVESTING. PRE-COOLING OF THE PRODUCE IS
RECOMMENDED. DURING PREPARATION AND LOADING THE PRODUCE MUST NOT SHOW ANY
SIGNS OF WILTING. o
NAME OF ILLUSTRATION o
WILTED LETTUCE |
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· PRACTICALLY FREE FROM PESTS; o
THE PRESENCE OF PESTS
CAN DETRACT FROM THE COMMERCIAL PRESENTATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE PRODUCE.
THEREFORE, THE ACCEPTABLE LIMIT FOR “PRACTICALLY FREE” WOULD BE – IN ALL
CLASSES – THE OCCASIONAL INSECT, MITE OR OTHER PEST; ANY COLONIES WOULD LEAD
TO THE REJECTION OF THE PRODUCE o
NAME OF ILLUSTRATION o
PEST INFESTATION |
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· PRACTICALLY FREE FROM DAMAGE CAUSED BY PESTS; o
PEST DAMAGE AFFECTING
THE FLESH MAKES THE PRODUCE UNFIT FOR CONSUMPTION. LETTUCES WITH INJURIES
OCCURRING IN THE CENTRE SHOULD BE EXCLUDED. HOWEVER, ISOLATED SLIGHT INJURIES
(E.G. BITES) ON THE OUTER LEAVES ARE ALLOWED. o
NAME OF ILLUSTRATION o
ANIMAL BITES o
DAMAGE DUE TO MINER FLY |
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· TURGESCENT; |
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· NOT RUNNING TO SEED; o
THE DEVELOPMENT SHOULD
NOT HAVE PROGRESSED TO AN EXTENT THAT THE BEGINNINGS OF THE FLORAL STEM CAN
BE PERCEIVED OR FOUND ON EXAMINATION OR HAVE CAUSED THE HEART TO CHANGE ITS
SHAPE. o
NAME OF ILLUSTRATION o
LETTUCE RUNNING TO SEED o
ENDIVE RUNNING TO SEED |
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· FREE OF ABNORMAL EXTERNAL MOISTURE; o
THIS PROVISION APPLIES
TO EXCESSIVE MOISTURE, FOR EXAMPLE, FREE WATER LYING INSIDE THE PACKAGE, BUT
DOES NOT INCLUDE CONDENSATION ON PRODUCE FOLLOWING RELEASE FROM COOL STORAGE
OR REFRIGERATED VEHICLE. |
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· FREE OF ANY FOREIGN SMELL AND/OR TASTE. o
THIS PROVISION APPLIES
TO PRODUCE STORED OR TRANSPORTED UNDER POOR CONDITIONS, WHICH HAVE
CONSEQUENTLY RESULTED IN THEIR ABSORBING ABNORMAL SMELLS AND/OR TASTES, IN
PARTICULAR THROUGH THE PROXIMITY OF OTHER PRODUCT WHICH GIVE OFF VOLATILE ODOURS. |
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·
IN THE CASE OF
LETTUCE, A REDDISH DISCOLOURATION, CAUSED BY LOW TEMPERATURE DURING GROWTH,
IS ALLOWED, UNLESS IT SERIOUSLY AFFECTS THE APPEARANCE OF THE LETTUCE. |
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·
A REDDISH
DISCOLOURATION OF LETTUCE MAY BE TYPICAL OF THE VARIETY OR MAY BE CAUSED BY LOW
TEMPERATURE DURING GROWTH AND DOES NOT REPRESENT A DEFECT, PROVIDED THE OTHER
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VARIETY ARE PRESENT. HOWEVER, THE DEVIATION IN COLOUR
MUST NOT HAVE BEEN CAUSED BY A DISEASE. |
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·
THE ROOTS MUST BE
CUT CLOSE TO THE BASE OF THE OUTER LEAVES AND THE CUT MUST BE NEAT. |
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· THE ROOTS MUST BE CUT NEATLY, VIRTUALLY
PERPENDICULAR TO THE BASE OF THE OUTER LEAVES AND THE CUT MUST BE NEAT. THE
LENGTH OF THE BUTT SHOULD NOT EXCEED 1 CM. THE LEAVES MUST REMAIN FIRMLY
ATTACHED. o
NAME OF ILLUSTRATION o
BASE NEATLY CUT |
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· THE PRODUCE MUST BE OF NORMAL DEVELOPMENT. THE
DEVELOPMENT AND CONDITION OF THE PRODUCE MUST BE SUCH AS TO ENABLE IT: o
TO WITHSTAND
TRANSPORTATION AND HANDLING; o
TO ARRIVE IN
SATISFACTORY CONDITION AT THE PLACE OF DESTINATION. o
THE REQUIREMENTS
REGARDING DEVELOPMENT ARE ESTABLISHED IN THE CHAPTER ON QUALITY CLASSES AND
THE CHAPTER ON SIZING, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE INDIVIDUAL GROWING CONDITIONS
FOR EACH TYPE OF LETTUCE. COMPLIANCE WITH THE MINIMUM WEIGHT DOES NOT ALONE
FULFIL THE REQUIREMENTS FOR NORMAL DEVELOPMENT. o
AS FOR THE CONDITION OF
PRODUCE, FRESHNESS IS MOST IMPORTANT. IT IS PREFERABLE THAT LETTUCES SHOULD
BE PRE-COOLED AND TRANSPORTED IN REFRIGERATED MEANS OF TRANSPORT, IF
NECESSARY. o
IN WINTER, LETTUCES
MUST BE PROTECTED AGAINST FROST. |
