PROVISIONS
CONCERNING QUALITY |
·
THE PURPOSE OF THE
STANDARD IS TO DEFINE THE QUALITY REQUIREMENTS OF CARROTS AT THE EXPORT
CONTROL STAGE, AFTER PREPARATION AND PACKAGING. |
MINIMUM
REQUIREMENTS |
· IN ALL CLASSES, SUBJECT TO THE SPECIAL
PROVISIONS FOR EACH CLASS AND THE TOLERANCES ALLOWED, THE CARROTS MUST BE: o
INTACT: MEANS NOT
HAVING ANY MUTILATION OR INJURY SPOILING THE INTEGRITY OF THE o
SOUND; PRODUCE AFFECTED
BY RITTING OR DETERIORATION SUCH AS TO MAKE IT UNFIT FOR CONSUMPTION IS
EXCLUDED: MUST BE FREE FROM DISEASE OR SERIOUS DETERIORATION WHICH
APPRECIABLY AFFECTS ITS APPEARANCE, EDIBILITY OR MARKET VALUE. IN PARTICULAR,
THIS EXCLUDES PRODUCE AFFECTED BY ROTTING, EVEN IF THE SIGNS ARE VERY SLIGHT
BUT LIABLE TO MAKE THE PRODUCE UNFIT FOR CONSUMPTION UPON ARRIVAL AT ITS
DESTINATION. |
o
CLEAN, THAT IS TO SAY: § PRACTICALLY FREE OF ANY VISIBLE FOREIGN MATTER, IF
THEY ARE WASHED. WASHED CARROTS MUST BE PRACTICALLY FREE OF VISIBLE SOIL,
DUST, CHEMICAL RESIDUE OR OTHER VISIBLE FOREIGN MATTER. § PRACTICALLY FREE OF EXCESS DIRT AND IMPURITIES IF
THEY ARE NOT WASHED. UNWASHED CARROTS MUST BE PRACTICALLY FREE OF EXCESSIVE
SOIL, DUST, CHEMICAL RESIDUE OR OTHER VISIBLE FOREIGN MATTER. HOWEVER, 2% BY
WEIGHT OF ADHERING SOIL MAY BE REGARDED AS NORMAL. § PRACTICALLY FREE FROM PESTS: THE PRODUCE MUST BE
PRACTICALLY FREE OF INSECTS OR OTHER PESTS. THE PRESENCE OF PESTS CAN DETRACT
FROM THE COMMERCIAL PRESENTATION AND ACCEPTANCE OF THE PRODUCE. § PRACTICALLY FREE FROM DAMAGE CAUSED BY PESTS: PEST
DAMAGE CAN DETRACT FROM THE GENERAL APPEARANCE, KEEPING QUALITY AND EDIBILITY
OF THE PRODUCE. § FIRM: CARROTS WHICH ARE NO LONGER FIRM AND HAVE
BECOME SHRIVELLED OR DEHYDRATED ARE EXCLUDED. § NOT FORKED, FREE OF SECONDARY ROOTS: CARROTS GROWN
IN STONY OR POORLY PREPARED GROUND CAN DEVELOP FORKED GROWTH. CARROTS MUST BE
SINGLE ROOTS. § MOREOVER, CARROTS WITH SECONDARY ROOT GROWTHS ARE
EXCLUDED. § NOT WOODY: CARROTS WHICH HAVE BECOME FIBROUS OR
WOODY ARE EXCLUDED. § NOT RUNNING TO SEED: CARROTS WHICH HAVE STARTED TO
PRODUCE SEED HEADS OR STEMS ARE EXCLUDED § FREE OF ABNORMAL EXTERNAL MOISTURE SUFFICIENTLY
DRIED AFTER WASHING: 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. IN ORDER THAT THE CARROTS REMAIN IN GOOD CONDITION DURING TRANSPORT
AND HANDLING, THEY MUST BE SUFFICIENTLY DRIED BEFORE PACKAGING. § FREE OF FOREIGN SMELL AND/OR TASTE: THIS REFERS
PARTICULARLY TO PRODUCE WHICH HAS BEEN STORED IN BADLY KEPT PREMISES OR HAS
TRAVELLED IN A BADLY MAINTAINED VEHICLE, ESPECIALLY PRODUCE WHICH HAS
ACQUIRED A STRONG SMELL FROM OTHER PRODUCE STORED ON THE SAME PREMISES OR
TRAVELLING IN THE SAME VEHICLE. FOR EXAMPLE, CARE SHOULD BE TAKEN TO USE ONLY
NON-SMELLING MATERIALS AS PROTECTION IN PACKAGING. |
o
THE DEVELOPMENT AND
CONDITION OF THE CARROTS MUST BE SUCH AS TO ENABLE THEM: § TO WITHSTAND TRANSPORT AND HANDLING, AND § TO ARRIVE IN A SATISFACTORY CONDITION AT THE PLACE
OF DESTINATION |
CLASSIFICATION |
·
CARROTS ARE
CLASSIFIED IN THREE CLASSES DEFINED BELOW: |
“EXTRA”
CLASS |
·
THE CARROTS IN THIS
CLASS MUST BE OF SUPERIOR QUALITY AND WASHED. THEY MUST BE CHARACTERISTIC OF
THE VARIETY OR THE VARIETAL TYPE. THEY MUST BE CAREFULLY PRESENTED. |
·
THEY MUST BE FREE
FROM 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. SUCH ALTERATIONS MAY APPEAR
DURING CULTIVATION, HARVEST, STORAGE, PACKAGING OR TRANSPORT. |
· THE ROOTS MUST BE: § SMOOTH: WITH DUE REGARD TO THE VARIETAL TYPE, THE
SURFACE OF THE CARROT SHOULD BE SMOOTH AND FREE FROM WRINKLES, INDENTATIONS
OR UNDULATIONS. § FRESH IN APPEARANCE: ROOTS SHOULD BE BRIGHT
SHOWING NO SIGNS OF DEHYDRATION OR AGEING. § REGULAR IN SHAPE: ROOTS SHOULD DISPLAY A SHAPE
FULLY CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VARIETY AND THEY MUST NOT SHOW ANY
MALFORMATION. § FREE OF FISSURES § FREE OF BRUISES AND CRACKS § FREE OF DAMAGE DUE TO FROST. GREEN OR
VIOLET/PURPLE TOPS ARE NOT ALLOWED. |
CLASS I |
·
CARROTS IN THIS
CLASS MUST BE OF GOOD QUALITY. THEY MUST BE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VARIETY OR
THE VARIETAL TYPE. ALTHOUGH THE CLASS I QUALITY REQUIREMENTS ARE LESS STRICT
THAN FOR “EXTRA” CLASS, CLASS I CARROTS MUST, NEVERTHELESS, BE CHARACTERISTIC
OF THE VARIETY OR VARIETAL TYPE, CAREFULLY SELECTED AND PRESENTED. |
· THE ROOTS MUST BE: o
THE ROOTS MUST BE: § FRESH IN APPEARANCE: ROOTS SHOULD BE BRIGHT
SHOWING NO SIGNS OF DEHYDRATION OR AGEING. SLIGHT SILVERING OF THE SKIN IS
PERMISSIBLE. § 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: ROOTS SHOULD REMAIN
CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VARIETAL TYPE; HOWEVER, THEY MAY SHOW SLIGHT
DISTORTIONS. § SLIGHT DEFECTS IN COLOURING: CARROTS MUST BE
CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VARIETAL TYPE; HOWEVER A SLIGHT COLOUR DEFECT IS
ALLOWED. § SLIGHT HEALED CRACKS: SMALL HEALED CRACKS CAUSED
DURING GROWTH ARE ACCEPTABLE PROVIDED THEY ARE SHALLOW, CLEAN AND DRY. § SLIGHT CRACKS OR FISSURES DUE TO HANDLING OR
WASHING PROVIDED THEY ARE FRESH, SHALLOW AND COVER ONLY A SMALL AREA. § FINE CRACKS DUE TO FROST ESPECIALLY AROUND THE
CROWN AND SHOULDERS ARE ALLOWED PROVIDED THE FLESH REMAINS FIRM. o
GREEN OR VIOLET/PURPLE
TOPS UP TO 1 CM LONG FOR ROOTS NOT EXCEEDING 10 CM IN LENGTH , AND UP TO 2 CM
FOR OTHER ROOTS, ARE ALLOWED. THIS DISCOLORATION REFERS TO THE CARROT WHERE
THE ROOT HAS PROTRUDED FROM THE GROUND DURING GROWTH. |
CLASS II |
·
THIS CLASS INCLUDES
CARROTS WHICH DO NOT QUALIFY FOR INCLUSION IN THE HIGHER CLASSES BUT |
· THE FOLLOWING DEFECTS MAY BE ALLOWED PROVIDED THE
CARROTS RETAIN THEIR ESSENTIAL o
DEFECTS IN SHAPE AND IN
COLOURING: CARROTS CAN BE DISTORTED PROVIDED THEY RETAIN THE ESSENTIAL
CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VARIETAL TYPE. o
DEFECTS IN COLOURING
ARE ALLOWED PROVIDED THE CARROTS RETAIN THE ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS OF THE
VARIETAL TYPE. o
HEALED CRACKS NOT
REACHING THE HEART: HEALED CRACKS CAUSED DURING GROWTH ARE ACCEPTABLE
PROVIDED THEY DO NOT EXPOSE THE CORE OF THE CARROT AND ARE CLEAN AND DRY. o
CRACKS OR FISSURES DUE
TO HANDLING OR WASHING PROVIDED THEY ARE FRESH AND DO NOT EXPOSE THE
CORE. o
CRACKS DUE TO FROST
ESPECIALLY AROUND THE CROWN AND SHOULDERS ARE ALLOWED PROVIDED THE FLESH
REMAINS REASONABLY FIRM AND SUBSTANTIALLY INTACT. |
· GREEN OR VIOLET/PURPLE TOPS UP TO 2 CM LONG FOR
ROOTS NOT EXCEEDING 10 CM IN LENGTH, AND UP TO 3 CM FOR OTHER ROOTS, ARE
ALLOWED. THIS DISCOLORATION REFERS TO THE CARROT WHERE THE ROOT HAS PROTRUDED
FROM THE GROUND DURING GROWTH. |