EUR-Lex - 31964R0183 - EN

FOR THE " WHITE " ASPARAGUS GROUP , THE TIPS MAY BE SLIGHTLY COLOURED BEFORE CUTTING AND A FAINT PINK TINT APPEARING ON THE SHOOT AFTER CUTTING IS ALLOWED PROVIDED THESE COLORATIONS DISAPPEAR AFTER COOKING .

IN THE " WHITE " ASPARAGUS GROUP , NO WOODY SHOOTS ARE ALLOWED . IN THE " VIOLET " AND " GREEN " ASPARAGUS GROUPS , A TRACE OF WOODINESS IS PERMISSIBLE .

( III ) CLASS II

COMPARED WITH THE PREVIOUS CLASS , SHOOTS MAY BE LESS WELL FORMED , MORE CURVED AND HAVE LESS COMPACT TIPS .

TRACES OF RUST , REMOVABLE BY PEELING , ARE ALLOWED .

SHOOTS MAY BE SLIGHTLY WOODY .

THE TIPS OF " WHITE " ASPARAGUS MAY HAVE A COLORATION OTHER THAN A GREEN TINT .

III . SIZING

SHOOTS ARE SIZED BY LENGTH AND DIAMETER .

A . SIZING BY LENGTH

THE LENGTH OF THE SHOOTS MUST BE BETWEEN :

• 17 AND 22 CM FOR LONG ASPARAGUS

• 12 AND 17 CM FOR SHORT ASPARAGUS

• 12 AND 22 CM FOR CLASS II ASPARAGUS IN BULK , IN PACKAGES

• UNDER 12 CM FOR ASPARAGUS TIPS .

HOWEVER , GREEN ASPARAGUS SHOOTS MAY HAVE A MAXIMUM LENGTH 27 CM PROVIDED THAT AT LEAST ONE-THIRD OF THEIR LENGTH IS GREEN .

B . SIZING BY DIAMETER

THE DIAMETER OF SHOOTS SHALL BE MEASURED AT THE MID-POINT OF THEIR LENGTH .

THE MINIMUM DIAMETER AND THE SIZING SHALL BE : ( SEE O.J . )

IV . TOLERANCES

TOLERANCES IN RESPECT OF QUALITY AND SIZE ARE ALLOWED FOR SUBSTANDARD PRODUCE IN EACH PACKAGE .

A . QUALITY TOLERANCES

( I ) " EXTRA " CLASS

5 % BY WEIGHT OR NUMBER OF SHOOTS NOT SATISFYING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CLASS BUT MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CLASS IMMEDIATELY BELOW OR HAVING SLIGHT UNHEALED CRACKS APPEARING AFTER HARVESTING .

( II ) CLASS I

10 % BY WEIGHT OR NUMBER OF SHOOTS NOT SATISFYING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CLASS BUT MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CLASS IMMEDIATELY BELOW OR HAVING SLIGHT UNHEALED CRACKS APPEARING AFTER HARVESTING .

( III ) CLASS II

10 % BY WEIGHT OR NUMBER OF SHOOTS NOT SATISFYING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CLASS BUT FIT FOR CONSUMPTION .

B . SIZE TOLERANCES

10 % BY WEIGHT OR NUMBER OF SHOOTS DEVIATING FROM THE SPECIFIED LIMITS SUBJECT TO A MAXIMUM DEVIATION OF 1 CM IN LENGTH AND 2 MM IN DIAMETER .

V . PACKAGING AND PRESENTATION

A . UNIFORMITY

THE CONTENTS OF EACH PACKAGE OR EACH BUNDLE IN THE SAME PACKAGE MUST BE UNIFORM , AND CONSIST ONLY OF SHOOTS OF THE SAME QUALITY , THE SAME COLOUR AND - IF THE PRODUCE HAS TO BE SIZED - OF THE SAME SIZE .

HOWEVER , SHOOTS OF A DIFFERENT COLOUR MAY BE ALLOWED WITHIN THE FOLLOWING LIMITS :

( A ) WHITE ASPARAGUS : 10 % OF VIOLET ASPARAGUS ;

( B ) VIOLET AND GREEN ASPARAGUS : 10 % OF ANOTHER COLOUR .

B . PACKAGING

THE PACKAGING MUST BE SUCH AS TO ENSURE ADEQUATE PROTECTION FOR THE PRODUCE .

ANY PAPER OR OTHER MATERIAL USED INSIDE THE PACKAGE MUST BE NEW AND HARMLESS TO HUMAN FOOD . WHERE PRINTED MATTER IS USED , THE PRINTING MUST BE ON THE OUTSIDE ONLY SO AS NOT TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE PRODUCE .

THE PRODUCE WHEN PACKED MUST BE FREE FROM ANY FOREIGN BODIES .

SHOOTS MAY BE PACKED IN ONE OR OTHER OF THE FOLLOWING WAYS :

( I ) IN BUNDLES ( FIRMLY BOUND ) OF 500 G , 1 KG OR 2 KG

SHOOTS ON THE OUTSIDE OF EACH BUNDLE MUST CORRESPOND IN APPEARANCE AND SIZE WITH THE AVERAGE OF THE WHOLE BUNDLE .

SHOOTS PACKED IN THIS WAY MUST BE OF UNIFORM LENGTH .

BUNDLES MUST BE ARRANGED EVENLY IN THE PACKAGE ; EACH BUNDLE MAY BE PROTECTED BY PAPER .

IN ANY ONE PACKAGE , BUNDLES MUST BE OF THE SAME WEIGHT AND LENGTH .

( II ) IN BULK , IN PACKAGES

VI . MARKING

EACH PACKAGE MUST BEAR THE FOLLOWING PARTICULARS LEGIBLY AND INDELIBLY MARKED ON THE OUTSIDE :

A . IDENTIFICATION

PACKER NAME AND ADDRESS OR CODE MARK .

DISPATCHER

B . NATURE OF PRODUCE

" ASPARAGUS " FOLLOWED BY THE INDICATION " WHITE " , " VIOLET " OR " GREEN " WHEN THE CONTENTS OF THE PACKAGE ARE NOT VISIBLE FROM THE OUTSIDE AND , WHERE APPROPRIATE , THE INDICATION " SHORT " OR " TIPS " .

C . ORIGIN OF PRODUCE

DISTRICT OF ORIGIN , OR NATIONAL , REGIONAL OR LOCAL TRADE NAME .

D . COMMERCIAL SPECIFICATIONS

• QUALITY CLASS

• SIZE : THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM DIAMETERS OF THE SHOOTS OR THE INDICATION " NOT SIZED "

• FOR ASPARAGUS PACKED IN BUNDLES , THE NUMBER OF BUNDLES AND THE UNIT WEIGHT PER BUNDLE .

E . OFFICIAL CONTROL MARK ( OPTIONAL ) .

ANNEX I/2

COMMON QUALITY STANDARDS FOR CUCUMBERS

I . DEFINITION OF PRODUCE

THIS STANDARD APPLIES TO CUCUMBERS , BEING VARIETIES OF CUCUMIS SATIVUS L . , TO BE SUPPLIED FRESH TO THE CONSUMER , CUCUMBERS FOR PROCESSING AND GHERKINS BEING EXCLUDED .

II . QUALITY REQUIREMENTS

A . GENERAL

THE PURPOSE OF THIS STANDARD IS TO DEFINE THE QUALITY REQUIREMENTS FOR CUCUMBERS AT THE DISPATCHING STAGE .

B . MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS

THE CUCUMBERS MUST BE :

• WHOLE

• SOUND ( SUBJECT TO THE SPECIAL PROVISIONS FOR CLASSES I AND II )

• FRESH IN APPEARANCE

• FIRM

• CLEAN , IN PARTICULAR FREE FROM DIRT , SOIL AND VISIBLE TRACES OF CHEMICALS

• FREE FROM BITTER TASTE ( SUBJECT TO THE SPECIAL PROVISION FOR CLASS II UNDER " TOLERANCES " )

• FREE FROM ABNORMAL EXTERNAL MOISTURE

• FREE FROM FOREIGN SMELL OR TASTE .

CUCUMBERS MUST BE SUFFICIENTLY DEVELOPED BUT THEIR SEEDS MUST BE SOFT . THE STATE OF THE PRODUCE MUST BE SUCH AS TO ALLOW IT TO WITHSTAND TRANSPORT AND HANDLING AND TO MEET MARKET REQUIREMENTS AT THE PLACE OF DESTINATION .

C . CLASSIFICATION

( I ) " EXTRA " CLASS

CUCUMBERS IN THIS CLASS MUST BE OF SUPERLATIVE QUALITY AND HAVE ALL THE CHARACTERISTICS TYPICAL OF THE VARIETY . THEY MUST BE :

• WELL DEVELOPED

• WELL SHAPED AND PRACTICALLY STRAIGHT ( MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF THE ARC : 10 MM PER 10 CM OF LENGTH OF THE CUCUMBER )

• OF GOOD COLOUR , TYPICAL OF THE VARIETY

• FREE FROM DEFECTS , INCLUDING ALL DEFORMATIONS AND PARTICULARLY THOSE CAUSED BY SEED FORMATION .

( II ) CLASS I

CUCUMBERS IN THIS CLASS MUST BE OF GOOD QUALITY . THEY MUST BE :

• REASONABLY DEVELOPED

• REASONABLY WELL-SHAPED AND PRACTICALLY STRAIGHT ( MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF THE ARC : 10 MM PER 10 CM OF LENGTH OF THE CUCUMBER ) .

THE FOLLOWING DEFECTS ARE ALLOWED :

• A SLIGHT DEFORMATION , BUT EXCLUDING THAT CAUSED BY SEED FORMATION

• A SLIGHT DEFECT IN COLOURING , ESPECIALLY THE LIGHT COLOURED PART OF THE CUCUMBER WHERE IT TOUCHED THE GROUND DURING GROWTH

• SLIGHT SKIN BLEMISHES DUE TO RUBBING , HANDLING OR LOW TEMPERATURE , PROVIDING THAT SUCH BLEMISHES HAVE HEALED AND DO NOT AFFECT THE KEEPING QUALITY .

( III ) CLASS II

CUCUMBERS IN THIS CLASS MUST BE OF MARKETABLE QUALITY . THEY MUST MEET THE MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS , BUT MAY SHOW THE FOLLOWING DEFECTS :

• DEFORMATION OTHER THAN SERIOUS SEED DEVELOPMENT

• DEFECTS IN COLOURING UP TO ONE-THIRD OF THE SURFACE ( IN THE CASE OF CUCUMBERS GROWN UNDER GLASS , CONSIDERABLE DEFECTS IN COLOURING IN THE AFFECTED PART ARE NOT ALLOWED )

• HEALED CRACKS

• SLIGHT DAMAGE CAUSED BY RUBBING AND HANDLING WHICH DOES NOT SERIOUSLY AFFECT THE KEEPING QUALITY AND COMMERCIAL VALUE .

ALL THE DEFECTS LISTED ABOVE ARE ALLOWED FOR STRAIGHT AND SLIGHTLY CROOKED CUCUMBERS .

ON THE OTHER HAND CROOKED CUCUMBERS ARE ALLOWED ONLY IF THEY HAVE NO MORE THAN SLIGHT DEFECTS IN COLOURING AND HAVE NO DEFECTS OR DEFORMATION OTHER THAN CROOKEDNESS .

SLIGHTLY CROOKED CUCUMBERS MAY HAVE A MAXIMUM HEIGHT OF THE ARC OF 20 MM PER 10 CM OF LENGTH OF THE CUCUMBER . CROOKED CUCUMBERS MAY HAVE A GREATER ARC AND MUST BE PACKED SEPARATELY .

III . SIZING

( I ) THE MINIMUM WEIGHT FOR OUTDOOR CUCUMBERS IN ALL CLASSES IS 180 G . THE MINIMUM WEIGHT FOR FORCED GLASSHOUSE AND FRAME CUCUMBERS IS 250 G .

( II ) FORCED GLASSHOUSE AND FRAME CUCUMBERS MARKETED BETWEEN 1 JUNE AND 30 SEPTEMBER MUST , IN ADDITION , SATISFY THE FOLLOWING REQUIREMENTS :

• MINIMUM LENGTH : 30 CM

• DIAMETER ( MEASURED HALF WAY ALONG THEIR LENGTH ) : BETWEEN 4 AND 7 CM .

( III ) SIZING IS COMPULSORY FOR THE " EXTRA " CLASS AND CLASS I . THE DIFFERENCE IN WEIGHT BETWEEN THE HEAVIEST AND LIGHTEST CUCUMBER IN THE SAME PACKAGE MAY NOT EXCEED 150 G .

IV . TOLERANCES

TOLERANCES IN RESPECT OF QUALITY AND SIZE SHALL BE ALLOWED FOR PRODUCE NOT SATISFYING THE REQUIREMENTS FOR ITS CLASS .

A . QUALITY TOLERANCES

( I ) " EXTRA " CLASS

5 % BY NUMBER OF CUCUMBERS NOT SATISFYING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CLASS BUT MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF CLASS I .

( II ) CLASS I

10 % BY NUMBER OF CUCUMBERS NOT SATISFYING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CLASS BUT MEETING THE REQUIREMENTS OF CLASS II .

( III ) CLASS II

10 % BY NUMBER OF CUCUMBERS NOT SATISFYING THE REQUIREMENTS OF THE CLASS BUT FIT FOR CONSUMPTION . A MAXIMUM OF 2 % BY NUMBER OF CUCUMBERS MAY HAVE TIPS WITH A BITTER TASTE .

B . SIZE TOLERANCES

FOR ALL CLASSES : 10 % BY NUMBER OF CUCUMBERS NOT CONFORMING TO THE SIZE REQUIREMENTS . HOWEVER , THIS TOLERANCE IS APPLICABLE ONLY TO PRODUCE WHICH DIFFERS BY NOT MORE THAN 10 % FROM THE SIZE AND WEIGHT LIMITS SPECIFIED .

C . CUMULATIVE TOLERANCES

IN NO CASE MAY TOLERANCES OF QUALITY AND SIZE TAKEN TOGETHER EXCEED :

• 10 % FOR THE " EXTRA " CLASS

• 15 % FOR CLASSES I AND II .

V . PACKAGING AND PRESENTATION

A . UNIFORMITY

EACH PACKAGE , TRANSPORT CONTAINER OR SECTION THEREOF MUST CONTAIN CUCUMBERS OF THE SAME VARIETY , QUALITY CLASS AND - IF THE PRODUCE HAS TO BE SIZED - SIZE .

B . PACKAGING

PACKAGING IS COMPULSORY FOR ALL CUCUMBERS OF THE " EXTRA " CLASS AND CLASS I .

THE CUCUMBERS MUST BE PACKED SUFFICIENTLY TIGHTLY SO AS TO AVOID DAMAGE DURING TRANSPORT .

ANY PAPER OR OTHER MATERIAL USED WITHIN THE PACKAGE , TRANSPORT CONTAINER OR SECTION THEREOF MUST BE NEW AND HARMLESS TO HUMAN FOOD . WHEN PRINTED MATTER IS USED , THE PRINTING MUST BE ON THE OUTSIDE ONLY SO AS NOT TO COME INTO CONTACT WITH THE PRODUCE .

THE PRODUCE WHEN PACKED MUST BE FREE FROM ANY FOREIGN BODIES .

VI . MARKING

1 . IN THE CASE OF PRODUCE PUT UP IN PACKAGES , EACH PACKAGE MUST BEAR THE FOLLOWING PARTICULARS LEGIBLY AND INDELIBLY MARKED ON THE OUTSIDE :

A . IDENTIFICATION

PACKER NAME AND ADDRESS OR CODE MARK .

DISPATCHER

B . NATURE OF THE PRODUCE

" GLASSHOUSE CUCUMBERS " WHEN THE CONTENTS OF THE PACKAGE ARE NOT VISIBLE FROM THE OUTSIDE .

" FRAME CUCUMBERS "

" OUTDOOR CUCUMBERS "

C . ORIGIN OF PRODUCE

DISTRICT OF ORIGIN , OR NATIONAL , REGIONAL OR LOCAL TRADE NAME .

D . COMMERCIAL SPECIFICATIONS

• CLASS FOLLOWED , WHERE APPROPRIATE , BY THE WORDS " CROOKED CUCUMBERS " IN THE CASE OF CLASS II .

• SIZE ( IF THE PRODUCE SIZED ) INDICATED BY THE MINIMUM AND MAXIMUM WEIGHT OF THE CUCUMBERS .

E . OFFICIAL CONTROL MARK ( OPTIONAL )

2 . IN THE CASE OF PRODUCE IN CLASS II SHIPPED LOOSE ( LOADED DIRECT INTO A TRANSPORT CONTAINER ) THESE PARTICULARS MUST APPEAR IN A DOCUMENT ACCOMPANYING THE PRODUCE .