Description

·       Quick Frozen Spinach Is The Product Prepared From Fresh, Clean, Sound Edible Parts Of The Spinach Plant Conforming To The Characteristics Of The Species Spinacia Oleracea L., And Which Have Been Sorted, Washed, Sufficiently Blanched To Ensure Adequate Stability Of Colour And Flavour During Normal Marketing Cycles And Properly Drained.

·       Quick Frozen Spinach Is The Product 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 -18C (0F) At The Thermal Centre After Thermal Stabilization. The Recognized Practice Of Repacking Quick Frozen Products Under Controlled Conditions Is Permitted.

·       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 Spinach – He Intact Spinach Plant With Root Removed; 

·       Leaf Spinach – Substantially Whole Leaves Most Of Which Are Separated From The Root Crown; 

·       Cut-Leaf Spinach – Parts Of Leaves Of Spinach Generally Larger Than 20 Mm In The Smallest Dimension; 

·       Chopped Spinach – Parts Of Leaves Of Spinach Cut Into Small Pieces Generally Less Than 10 Mm In The Largest Dimension, But Not Comminuted To A Pulp Or Puree – I.E. Pieces Smaller Than 3 Mm In Dimension; 

·       Pureed Spinach (Spinach Puree) – Spinach Finely Divided Or Finely Chopped Or Having Passed Through A Sieve Such That The Leaf Particles Are Less Than 3 Mm Dimension. 

Other Styles :- 

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

·       Meets All Other Requirements Of This Standard;

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

Essential Composition And Quality Factors

Optional Ingredients :-

·       Salt (Sodium Chloride)

·       Condiments, Such As Spices And Herbs.

General Requirements :-

·       Have A Reasonably Uniform Green Colour Characteristic Of The Variety;

·       Be Clean, Sound And Practically Free From Foreign Matter;

·       Be Free From Foreign Flavour And Odour, Taking Into Consideration Any Added Optional Ingredients;

·       Be Practically Free From Fibrous Material And For The Styles Of Whole Leaf And Cut Leaf Not Materially Disintegrated Due To Mechanical Damage; And With Respect To Visual Defects Or Other Defects Subject To A Tolerance, Shall Be: 

·       And With Respect To Visual Defects Or Other Defects Subject To A Tolerance, Shall Be:

·       Well Drained And Containing No Excess Water;

·       Practically Free From Loose Or Detached Leaves In Whole Style Only;

·       Reasonably Free From Discoloured Leaves Or Portions Thereof;

·       Reasonably Free From Flower Stems (Seed Heads);

·       Reasonably Free From Flower Buds;

·       Reasonably Free From Crown And Portion Thereof, Except For Whole Spinach;

·       Practically Free From Root Material;

·       Reasonably Free From Extraneous Vegetable Material (E.V.M.).

Analytical Characteristics :-

·       Mineral Impurities Such As Sand, Grit And Silt Shall Be Not More Than 0.1% M/M, Measured On The Whole Product Basis;

·       Salt-Free Dry Matter – Not Less Than 5.5% M/M.

Definition Of Visual Defects :-

·       Loose Leaves (Whole Style Only) – Leaves Which Are Detached From The Crown; 

Discolouration – Discolouration Of Any Kind On The Leaves Or Stem Portions And Which Materially Detracts From The Appearance Of The Product; 

·       Minor – Discolouration Which Is Light In Colour; 

·       Major – Discolouration Which Is Dark In Colour; 

Extraneous Vegetable Matter (E.V.M.) – Harmless Vegetable Material Such As Grass, Weeds, Straw, Etc. 

·       Minor – E.V.M. Which Is Green And Tender; 

·       Major – E.V.M. Which Is Other Than Green Or Is Coarse; 

·       E.V.M. Which Is Other Than Green Or Is Coarse; – The Flower Bearing Portion Of The Spinach Plant, Which Is Longer Than 25 Mm; 

·       Flower Buds – The Separate Flower Buds Detached From The Seed Head; 

·       Crowns (Exclusive Of Whole Style) – The Solid Area Of The Spinach Plant Between The Root And The Attached Leaf Clusters; 

·       Root Material – Any Portion Of The Root, Either Loose Or Attached To Leaves.

Standard Sample Size :- 

·       Whole And Leaf – 300 Grams 

·       Cut Leaf – 300 Grams 

·       Chopped – 100 Grams 

·       Pureed – 100 Grams 

Method Of Examination  :-

·       For Separation And Enumeration Of Visual Defects The Test Sample (Standard Sample Size) Is Placed In Water In A Deep Tray, And The Leaves Or Leaf Portion Separated One By One. 

Food Additives

·       None Permitted.

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: 

·       The Name Of The Food As Declared On The Label Shall Include “Whole Spinach”, “Leaf Spinach”, “Cut Leaf Spinach”, “Chopped Spinach” Or “Spinach Puree”. 

·       When Any Ingredient, Other Than Salt, Has Been Added Which Imparts To The Food The Distinctive Flavour Of The Ingredient, The Name Of The Food Shall Be Accompanied By The Term “With X” Or “X Flavored”, As Appropriate.

·       The Words “Quick Frozen” Shall Also Appear On The Label, Except That The Term “Frozen” 1may Be Applied In Countries Where This Term Is Customarily Used For Describing The Product Processed In Accordance With Section  Of This Standard

·       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.

·       In The Case Of Quick Frozen Spinach In Bulk, The Information Required Above Shall Either Be Placed On The Container Or To Be Given In Accompanying Documents, Except That The Name Of The Food Accompanied By The Words “Quick Frozen” (The Term “Frozen” May Be Used In Accordance With Section Of This Standard) And The Name And Address Of The Manufacturer Or Packer Shall Appear On The Container.

Packaging 

·       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 Practicable;

·       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.