Description

· Quick Frozen Green Beans Is The Product Prepared From Fresh, Clean, Sound, Succulent Pods Of The Plants Conforming To The Characteristics Of Suitable Varieties Of The Species Phaseolus Vulgaris L. Or Phaseolus Coccineas L. Quick Frozen Wax Beans Is The Product Prepared From Fresh, Clean, Sound, Succulent Pods Of The Plants Conforming To The Characteristics Of Suitable Varieties Of The Species Phaseolus Vulgaris L. Strings (If Any), Stems, And Stem Ends Are Removed, And The Pods Washed And Sufficiently Blanched To Ensure Adequate Stability Of Colour And Flavour During Normal Marketing Cycles.

· Quick Frozen Green And Quick Frozen Wax Beans Are The Products Subjected To A Freezing Process In Appropriate Equipment And Complying With The Conditions Laid Down Hereafter. This Freezing Operation Shall Be Carried Out In Such A Way That The Range Of Temperature Of Maximum Crystallization Is Passed Quickly. The Quick Freezing Process Shall Not Be Regarded As Complete Unless And Until The Product Temperature Has Reached -18oc (0of) At The Thermal Centre After Thermal Stabilization.

· The Product Shall Be Handled Under Such Conditions As Will Maintain The Quality During Transportation, Storage And Distribution Up To And Including The Time Of Final Sale. It Is Recommended That During Storage, Transportation, Distribution And Retail, The Product Be Handled In Accordance With The Provisions In The Code Of Practice For The Processing And Handling Of Quick Frozen Foods (CXC 8-1976).

Style :-

· Whole: Whole Pods Of Any Length

· Cut: Transversely Cut Pods In Which 70 Percent Or More By Count Of The Units Are At Least 20 Mm Long But Not Longer Than 65 Mm.

· Short Cut: Transversely Cut Pods In Which 70 Percent Or More By Count Of The Units Are More Than 10 Mm But Less Than 20 Mm Long.

· Diagonal Cut: Pods Cut Approximately 45o To The Longitudinal Axis In Which 70 Percent By Count Of The Units Are More Than 6 Mm Long.

· Sliced: Pods Sliced Lengthwise Or At An Angle Up To Approximately 45 To The Longitudinal Axis, With A Maximum Thickness Of 7 Mm.

Other Styles :-

· Is Sufficiently Distinctive From Other Forms Of Presentation Laid Down In This Standard;

· Is Adequately Described On The Label To Avoid Confusing Or Misleading The Consumer.

Essential Composition And Quality Factors

Optional Ingredients :-

· Sugars (Sucrose, Invert Sugar, Dextrose, Fructose, Glucose Syrup, Dried Glucose Syrup)

· Salt (Sodium Chloride)

· Condiments, Such As Spices And Herbs

General Requirements :-

· Of A Reasonably Uniform Colour

· Free From Foreign Flavour And Odour Taking Into Account Any Added Optional Ingredients

· Clean And Free From Foreign Material

· Reasonably Free From Extraneous Vegetable Material (EVM)

· Reasonably Free From Stem Ends

· Reasonably Free From Damage By Insects Or Disease

· Reasonably Free From Mechanically Damaged Units

· For Whole Beans Normally Developed

· Reasonably Free From Tough Strings And Fibrous Units

· Without Excessive Small Pieces

Definition Of Visual Defects :-

· Extraneous Vegetable Material: Vegetable Material From The Bean Plant, Other Than Pod, Such As Leaf Or Vine, But Excluding Stem Ends; Other Harmless Vegetable Material, Not Purposely Included As An Ingredient. For The Purpose Of Assessment, EVM Comprising Bean Leaf Material Will Be Differentiated From Other EVM.

· Stem End: A Piece Of The Immediate Stem Which Attaches The Pod To The Vine Stem Whether Still Attached To The Unit Or Loose In The Product.

· Major Blemish: Each Piece Blemished Due To Insect Or Pathological Damage Affecting An Area Greater Than A 6 Mm Diameter Circle, Or Blemished By Other Means To A Degree Which Seriously Detracts From Its Appearance.

· Minor Blemish: Each Piece Blemished Due To Insect Or Pathological Damage Affecting An Area Greater Than A 3 Mm Diameter Circle But Less Than A 6 Mm Diameter Circle, Or Blemished By Other Means To A Degree Which Noticeably Detracts From Its Appearance.

· Mechanical Damage: (Whole And Cut Styles): A Unit That Is Broken Or Split Into Two Parts, Crushed, Or Has Very Ragged Edges To An Extent That The Appearance Is Seriously Affected.

· Undeveloped: (Whole Style Only): Each Unit Which Measures Less Than 3 Mm At Its Widest Point.

· Tough Strings: Tough Fibre Which Will Support A Weight Of 250 G For 5 Seconds Or More When Tested In Accordance With The Procedure As Given In Relevant Codex Texts On Methods Of Analysis And Sampling.

· Fibrous Unit: Each Piece Having Parchment – Like Material Formed During The Ripening Of The Pod, To The Extent That The Eating Quality Is Seriously Affected.

Small Pieces: (Cut And Sliced Styles): Bean Pieces Less Than 10 Mm In Length Including Loose Seeds And Pieces Of Seeds;

· (Whole Style) Bean Pieces Less Than 20 Mm In Length Including Loose Seeds And Pieces Of Seeds.

· Standard Sample Size :- Standard Sample Size Is 1 Kilogram Me For EVM And Stem Ends, And 300 Grammes For Other Defect Categories.

Food Additives

· None Permitted.

· General Standard For Food Additives (CXS 192-1995) Shall Apply.

Hygiene

· It Is Recommended That The Product 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), And Other Codes Of Practice Recommended By The Codex Alimentarius Commission Which Are Relevant To This Product.

· To The Extent Possible In Good Manufacturing Practice, The Product Shall Be Free From Objectionable Matter.

When Tested By Appropriate Methods Of Sampling And Examination, The Product: :-

· Shall Be Free From Microorganisms In Amounts Which May Represent A Hazard To Health;

· Shall Be Free From Parasites Which May Represent A Hazard To Health;

· Shall Not Contain Any Substance Originating From Microorganisms In Amounts Which May Represent A Hazard To Health.

Labelling

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

· In Addition, There Shall Appear On The Label In Conjunction With, Or In Close Proximity To, The Words “Green Beans” Or “Wax Beans”: The Style, As Appropriate, “Whole”, “Cut”, “Short Cut”, “Diagonal Cut”, Or “Sliced”.

Additional Requirements :-

· The Packages Shall Bear Clear Directions For Keeping From The Time They Are Purchased From The Retailer To The Time Of Their Use, As Well As Directions For Cooking.

Packaging

· Packaging Used For Quick Frozen Beans Or Wax Beans Must: :-

· Protect The Organoleptic And Other Quality Characteristics Of The Product;

· Protect The Product Against Microbiological And Other Contamination;

· Protect The Product From Dehydration And, Where Appropriate, Leakage As Far As Technologically Practical;

· Not Pass On To The Product Any Odour, Taste, Colour Or Other Foreign Characteristics Throughout The Processing (Where Applicable) And Distribution Of The Product Up To The Time Of Final Sale.

Methods Of Analysis And Sampling

· For Checking The Compliance With This Standard, The Methods Of Analysis And Sampling Contained In The Recommended Methods Of Analysis And Sampling (CXS 234-1999) Relevant To The Provisions In This Standard Shall Be Used.