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

·       INTACT;

o   THE TOMATOES MUST NOT HAVE ANY DAMAGE OR INJURY AFFECTING THE INTEGRITY OF THE PRODUCE.

o   NAME OF ILLUSTRATION

§  INTACT

·       SOUND, PRODUCE AFFECTED BY ROTTING OR DETERIORATION SUCH AS TO MAKE IT UNFIT FOR CONSUMPTION IS EXCLUDED;

o   TOMATOES MUST BE FREE FROM DISEASE OR DETERIORATION WHICH APPRECIABLY AFFECTS ITS APPEARANCE, EDIBILITY OR KEEPING QUALITY. IN PARTICULAR, TOMATOES AFFECTED BY ROTTING, EVEN IF THE SIGNS ARE VERY SLIGHT, BUT LIABLE TO MAKE THE PRODUCE UNFIT FOR CONSUMPTION UPON ARRIVAL AT ITS DESTINATION, ARE TO BE EXCLUDED.

o   TOMATOES, SHOWING THE FOLLOWING DEFECTS ARE THEREFORE EXCLUDED:

§  MARKED BRUISES (SOFT PATCHES) DAMAGING THE FLESH DUE TO ROUGH HANDLING AND/OR TOO TIGHT PACKAGING

§  FRESH CRACKS DUE TO ROUGH HANDLING

§  UNHEALED CRACKS (CONCENTRIC OR RADIAL) CAUSED BY GROWTH PHENOMENA

§  UNHEALED DAMAGE CAUSED BY HAIL, SHOWING DEEP PITTING OR CORKY ROUGHNESS

§  DAMAGE CAUSED BY DISEASES

§  DAMAGE CAUSED BY LOW TEMPERATURES.

o   NAME OF ILLUSTRATION

§  SOUND – BLOSSOM END ROT, ROTTEN PROTUBERANCE

§  SOUND – WATERCORE

§  SOUND – PHYTOPHTHORA, ALTERNARIA

·       CLEAN, PRACTICALLY FREE OF ANY VISIBLE FOREIGN MATTER;

o   TOMATOES MUST BE PRACTICALLY FREE OF VISIBLE SOIL, DUST, CHEMICAL RESIDUE OR OTHER FOREIGN MATTER. THE PRESENCE OF VISIBLE FOREIGN MATTER CAN DETRACT FROM COMMERCIAL PRESENTATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE TOMATOES. THEREFORE, THE ACCEPTABLE LIMIT FOR “PRACTICALLY FREE” WOULD BE – IN ALL CLASSES – TRACES OF FOREIGN MATTER. EXCESSIVE DUST, SOILING OR VISIBLE CHEMICAL RESIDUES WOULD LEAD TO THE REJECTION OF THE PRODUCE.

o   NAME OF ILLUSTRATION

§  CLEAN – FOREIGN MATTER

·       FRESH IN APPEARANCE;

o   TOMATOES MUST NOT SHOW ANY SIGN OF WITHERING OR LOSS OF FIRMNESS. DEGRADATION IN FRESHNESS IS ALLOWED AT STAGES FOLLOWING DISPATCH.

o   NAME OF ILLUSTRATION

§  FRESH IN APPEARANCE

·       PRACTICALLY FREE FROM PESTS;

o   THE PRESENCE OF PESTS CAN DETRACT FROM THE COMMERCIAL PRESENTATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE TOMATOES. 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.

·       FREE FROM DAMAGE CAUSED BY PESTS AFFECTING THE FLESH;

o   PEST DAMAGE AFFECTING THE FLESH MAKES THE PRODUCE UNFIT FOR CONSUMPTION. ANY PEST DAMAGE, AFFECTING THE SKIN ONLY, IS ALLOWABLE WITHIN THE LIMITS ALLOWED FOR SKIN DAMAGE IN THE RESPECTIVE CLASSES.

o   NAME OF ILLUSTRATION

§  PEST DAMAGE

·       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.

·       FREE OF ANY FOREIGN SMELL AND/OR TASTE

o   THIS PROVISION APPLIES TO TOMATOES 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 PRODUCE WHICH GIVES OFF VOLATILE ODOURS.

·       IN THE CASE OF TRUSSES OF TOMATOES, THE STALKS MUST BE FRESH, HEALTHY, CLEAN AND FREE FROM ALL LEAVES AND ANY VISIBLE FOREIGN MATTER.

·       AT THE POINT OF DESTINATION THE COLOUR OF THE VINE MAY BE LESS GREEN AND THE STALKS MAY BE DRYING AS LONG AS THE TOMATOES ARE STILL FRESH. DEGRADATION IN COLOURING AND FRESHNESS OF THE VINE IS ALLOWED AT ALL STAGES FOLLOWING DISPATCH.

·       NAME OF ILLUSTRATION

o   COLOUR OF THE VINE (STALK)

·       THE DEVELOPMENT AND CONDITION OF THE TOMATOES MUST BE SUCH AS TO ENABLE THEM:

o   TO WITHSTAND TRANSPORTATION AND HANDLING;

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