DEFINITION OF PRODUCE

·       THIS STANDARD APPLIES TO COMMERCIAL SWEET2 VARIETIES OF CASSAVA ROOTS GROWN FROM MANIHOT ESCULENTA CRANTZ, OF THE EUPHORBIACEAE FAMILY, TO BE SUPPLIED FRESH TO THE CONSUMER, AFTER PREPARATION AND PACKAGING. CASSAVA FOR INDUSTRIAL PROCESSING IS EXCLUDED.

PROVISIONS CONCERNING QUALITY

·       MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS :-

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

§  WHOLE;

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

§  CLEAN, PRACTICALLY FREE OF ANY VISIBLE FOREIGN MATTER, EXCEPT PERMITTED SUBSTANCES USED TO PROLONG ITS SHELF LIFE;

§  PRACTICALLY FREE OF PESTS AFFECTING THE GENERAL APPEARANCE OF THE PRODUCE:

§  PRACTICALLY FREE OF DAMAGE CAUSED BY PESTS;

§  FREE OF ABNORMAL EXTERNAL MOISTURE, EXCLUDING CONDENSATION FOLLOWING REMOVAL FROM COLD STORAGE;

§  FREE OF ANY FOREIGN SMELL AND/OR TASTE.

§  FIRM;

§  PRACTICALLY FREE OF MECHANICAL DAMAGE AND BRUISING;

§  FREE OF LOSS OF COLOUR IN THE FLESH.

o   THE CASSAVA MUST HAVE REACHED AN APPROPRIATE DEGREE OF PHYSIOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENT ACCOUNT BEING TAKEN OF THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE VARIETY AND THE AREA IN WHICH THEY ARE GROWN.

§  TO WITHSTAND TRANSPORT AND HANDLING; 

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

·       CLASSIFICATION  :-

o   CASSAVA IS CLASSIFIED IN THREE CLASSES DEFINED BELOW:

·       “EXTRA” CLASS CASSAVA IN THIS CLASS MUST BE OF SUPERIOR QUALITY. IT MUST BE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VARIETY AND/OR COMMERCIAL TYPE. IT MUST BE FREE OF 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. 

·       CLASS I CASSAVA IN THIS CLASS MUST BE OF GOOD QUALITY. IT MUST BE CHARACTERISTIC OF THE VARIETY AND/OR COMMERCIAL TYPE. 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:

o   SLIGHT DEFECTS IN SHAPE;

o   SCARRING OR HEALED DAMAGE, NOT EXCEEDING 5% OF THE SURFACE AREA;

o   SCRAPED AREAS, NOT EXCEEDING 10% OF THE SURFACE AREA.

·       CLASS II THIS CLASS INCLUDES CASSAVA WHICH DOES NOT QUALIFY FOR INCLUSION IN THE HIGHER CLASSES, BUT SATISFY THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS SPECIFIED IN SECTION 2.1 ABOVE. THE FOLLOWING DEFECTS, HOWEVER, MAY BE ALLOWED, PROVIDED THE CASSAVA RETAINS ITS ESSENTIAL CHARACTERISTICS AS REGARDS THE QUALITY, THE KEEPING QUALITY AND PRESENTATION:

o   DEFECTS IN SHAPE;

o   SCARRING OR HEALED DAMAGE, NOT EXCEEDING 10% OF THE SURFACE AREA;

o   SCRAPED AREAS, NOT EXCEEDING 20% OF THE SURFACE AREA.

·       PROVISIONS CONCERNING SIZING

·       SIZE IS DETERMINED BY THE DIAMETER AT THICKEST CROSS-SECTION OF THE PRODUCE, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FOLLOWING TABLE:

SIZE CODE

DIAMETER (MM)

A

3.5-6.0

B

6.1-8.0

C

>8.0

PROVISIONS CONCERNING TOLERANCES

·       TOLERANCES IN RESPECT OF QUALITY AND SIZE SHALL BE ALLOWED IN EACH PACKAGE FOR PRODUCE NOT SATISFYING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CLASS INDICATED.

·       QUALITY TOLERANCES :

o   “EXTRA” CLASS FIVE PERCENT BY NUMBER OR WEIGHT OF CASSAVA NOT SATISFYING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CLASS, BUT MEETING THOSE OF CLASS I OR, EXCEPTIONALLY, COMING WITHIN THE TOLERANCES OF THAT CLASS.

o   CLASS I TEN PERCENT BY NUMBER OR WEIGHT OF CASSAVA NOT SATISFYING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CLASS, BUT MEETING THOSE OF CLASS II OR, EXCEPTIONALLY, COMING WITHIN THE TOLERANCES OF THAT CLASS.

o   CLASS II TEN PERCENT BY NUMBER OR WEIGHT OF CASSAVA SATISFYING NEITHER THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CLASS NOR THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS, WITH THE EXCEPTION OF PRODUCE AFFECTED BY ROTTING OR ANY OTHER DETERIORATION RENDERING IT UNFIT FOR CONSUMPTION.

o   SIZE TOLERANCES FOR ALL CLASSES, 10% BY NUMBER OR WEIGHT OF CASSAVA CORRESPONDING TO THE SIZE IMMEDIATELY ABOVE AND/OR BELOW THAT INDICATED ON THE PACKAGE.

PROVISIONS CONCERNING PRESENTATION

·       UNIFORMITY THE CONTENTS OF EACH PACKAGE MUST BE UNIFORM IN SHAPE AND CONTAIN ONLY CASSAVA OF THE SAME ORIGIN, VARIETY AND/OR COMMERCIAL TYPE, QUALITY AND SIZE. THE VISIBLE PART OF THE CONTENTS OF THE PACKAGE MUST BE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE ENTIRE CONTENTS.

·       PACKAGING 4 CASSAVA MUST BE PACKED IN SUCH A WAY AS TO PROTECT THE PRODUCE PROPERLY. THE MATERIALS USED INSIDE THE PACKAGE MUST BE NEW , CLEAN, AND OF A QUALITY SUCH AS TO AVOID CAUSING ANY EXTERNAL OR INTERNAL DAMAGE TO THE PRODUCE. THE USE OF MATERIALS, PARTICULARLY OF PAPER OR STAMPS BEARING TRADE SPECIFICATIONS IS ALLOWED, PROVIDED THE PRINTING OR LABELLING HAS BEEN DONE WITH NON-TOXIC INK OR GLUE. CASSAVA SHALL BE PACKED IN EACH CONTAINER IN COMPLIANCE WITH THE CODE OF PRACTICE FOR PACKAGING AND TRANSPORT OF FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES (CAC/RCP 44-1995).

·       DESCRIPTION OF CONTAINERS THE CONTAINERS SHALL MEET THE QUALITY, HYGIENE, VENTILATION AND RESISTANCE CHARACTERISTICS TO ENSURE SUITABLE HANDLING, SHIPPING AND PRESERVING OF THE CASSAVA. PACKAGES MUST BE FREE OF ALL FOREIGN MATTER AND SMELL.

MARKING OR LABELLING

·       CONSUMER PACKAGES IN ADDITION TO THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE GENERAL STANDARD FOR THE LABELLING OF PREPACKAGED FOODS (CODEX STAN 1-1985), THE FOLLOWING SPECIFIC PROVISIONS APPLY:

·       NATURE OF PRODUCE EACH PACKAGE SHALL BE LABELLED AS TO THE NAME OF THE PRODUCE AND TYPE (SWEET) AND MAY BE LABELLED AS TO THE NAME OF THE VARIETY.

·       PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS A STATEMENT INDICATING THAT CASSAVA SHOULD BE PEELED AND FULLY COOKED BEFORE BEING CONSUMED IS REQUIRED.

·       NON-RETAIL CONTAINERS EACH PACKAGE MUST BEAR THE FOLLOWING PARTICULARS, IN LETTERS GROUPED ON THE SAME SIDE, LEGIBLY AND INDELIBLY MARKED, AND VISIBLE FROM THE OUTSIDE, OR IN THE DOCUMENTS ACCOMPANYING THE SHIPMENT.

·       IDENTIFICATION NAME AND ADDRESS OF EXPORTER, PACKER AND/OR DISPATCHER. IDENTIFICATION CODE (OPTIONAL)

·       NATURE OF PRODUCE NAME OF THE PRODUCE AND TYPE (SWEET) IF THE CONTENTS ARE NOT VISIBLE FROM THE OUTSIDE. NAME OF THE VARIETY (OPTIONAL).

·       ORIGIN OF PRODUCE COUNTRY OF ORIGIN AND, OPTIONALLY, DISTRICT WHERE GROWN OR NATIONAL, REGIONAL OR LOCAL PLACE NAME.

·       COMMERCIAL IDENTIFICATION :-

o   CLASS;

o   SIZE (SIZE CODE OR MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM DIAMETER IN CENTIMETRES);

o   NET WEIGHT;

o   PREPARATION INSTRUCTIONS

CONTAMINANTS

·       THE PRODUCE COVERED BY THIS STANDARD SHALL COMPLY WITH THE MAXIMUM LEVELS OF THE GENERAL STANDARD FOR CONTAMINANTS AND TOXINS IN FOOD AND FEED (CODEX STAN 193-1995). IN THE ABSENCE OF A CODEX MAXIMUM LEVEL FOR HYDROGEN CYANIDE, AN ACCEPTABLE MAXIMUM LEVEL SHALL BE SET ON A SAFETY BASIS BY THE NATIONAL LEGISLATION OF THE IMPORTING COUNTRY.

·       THE PRODUCE COVERED BY THIS STANDARD SHALL COMPLY WITH THE MAXIMUM RESIDUE LIMITS FOR PESTICIDES ESTABLISHED BY THE CODEX ALIMENTARIUS COMMISSION.

HYGIENE

·       IT IS RECOMMENDED THAT THE PRODUCE COVERED BY THE PROVISIONS OF THIS STANDARD BE PREPARED AND HANDLED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE APPROPRIATE SECTIONS OF THE CODE OF PRACTICE – GENERAL PRINCIPLES OF FOOD HYGIENE (CAC/RCP 1-1969), CODE OF HYGIENIC PRACTICE FOR FRESH FRUITS AND VEGETABLES (CAC/RCP 532003), AND OTHER RELEVANT CODEX TEXTS SUCH AS CODES OF HYGIENIC PRACTICE AND CODES OF PRACTICE.

·       THE PRODUCE SHOULD COMPLY WITH ANY MICROBIOLOGICAL CRITERIA ESTABLISHED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PRINCIPLES FOR THE ESTABLISHMENT AND APPLICATION OF MICROBIOLOGICAL CRITERIA FOR FOODS (CAC/GL 21-1997).