UNITED

NATIONS

Distr.

GENERAL

TRADE/WP.7/GE.2/2000/17/Add.4

14 August 2000

ORIGINAL : ENGLISH and FRENCH

ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE

COMMITTEE FOR TRADE, INDUSTRY AND

ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT

Working Party on Standardization of

Perishable Produce and Quality Development

Specialized Section on Standardization of

Dry and Dried Produce (Fruit)

Forty-seventh session, 19-22 June 2000, Geneva

REPORT OF THE FORTY-SEVENTH SESSION

Addendum 4 (Standard Layout - Terms recommended)

Note by the secretariat

At the last session the text was discussed in depth based on a proposal from Spain and several changes were agreed. Delegations are invited to send comments to the rapporteurs from Spain concerning the items remaining in square brackets. The delegation of Spain will present a revised version at the next session.

[text]	Text not conclusively discussed

GE.00

ANNEX III

TERMS RECOMMENDED FOR USE IN STANDARDS FOR DRY AND

DRIED FRUIT AND DEFINITION OF DEFECTS

1.	Recommended terms

Kernel:	Edible part of the fruit in the shell, corresponding to the seed of the dry fruit, provided with an outer pellicle or integument (testa or episperm).

Peeled kernel (blanching):	Kernel with its outer integument or pellicle removed.

Shell:	Inedible woody part of a dry fruit protecting the kernel and corresponding to the endocarp ( drupes), the pericarp ( nutlets) or the testa ( strobilus or cone like fruit).

Stone (pit):	Inedible part of dried drupes corresponding to the endocarp and the seed of the fruit.

Direct consumption:	Dry or dried fruit which will reach the final consumer in its present state, without undergoing any treatment other than conditioning or packaging. Operations such as sorting, selection, sizing and mixing shall not be considered as processing.

Processing:	An operation distinct from conditioning or packaging which involves a substantial modification of the product or its form of presentation, such as decortication (shelling), peeling (blanching), grilling or roasting, or the manufacture of sticks, pastes or flour, etc.

Food industry:	Any other operation involving either the manufacture of derived food products (oils, flavourings, seasonings, etc.) or the use of the produce as an ingredient in the manufacture of various food products.

Sufficiently dry or dried:	Dry or dried fruit which, as a result of its own development or of natural or artificial systems of drying, has attained a moisture content that ensures its keeping quality. {the maximum moisture content should normally be indicated in relation with this subject}

Natural drying:	Loss of moisture achieved solely by aeration and/or ambient heat, without the use of external heat sources, desiccants or dehydrating substances.

Ripe:	Dry or dried fruit which has reached sufficient maturity, account being taken of its nature and final use. {where appropriate, information concerning minimum sugar content, acidity, minimum colouration, stage of development, etc., may be provided}

Preservative:	Additive which prolongs the shelf-life of food products by protecting them against deterioration caused by micro-organisms or biological alterations.

Sizing:	Action and result of grading dry or dried fruit with reference to its size, weight or volume; it is defined by a range of grades or intervals determined by a maximum size and a minimum size which may be variously expressed in terms of the diameter of the equatorial section, the maximum diameter, the unit weight, the number of fruits per unit weight, etc.

Screening:	Action and result of grading dry fruits with reference to a predetermined minimum or maximum size; it may be expressed by mentioning the minimum size followed by the words "or above" or the maximum size followed by the words "and less".

Commercial

type:	Fruits of different varieties but of similar varietal type and characteristics, or belonging to a mix of varieties officially defined by the producing country.

Lot:	Quantity of a product which, at the export control stage, presents uniform characteristics as regards the identity of the packer or dispatcher, the nature of the product and its origin, the commercial grade, type of packaging and presentation of the product and, where applicable, the variety and/or commercial type, the size or screen and the colour.

2.	Definition of defects

(a)	Generic definitions

Blemishes:	Apparent localized alterations of the external or internal colour, from any cause or source whatsoever (intrinsic or extrinsic). {where appropriate, indicate the total maximum surface area allowed per unit}

Discolouration:	Significant alteration of the typical external or internal colour, including blackening and/or the appearance of very dark colours, from any cause or source whatsoever (intrinsic or extrinsic).

Mechanical injuries:	Cracks, splits, tears, injury or bruising affecting a significant part of the skin, integument or shell, or of the fruit or kernel flesh. {where appropriate, indicate the total maximum surface area or length allowed per unit}

Damage caused	Visible damage or contamination caused by insects, mites, rodents or other animal

by pests:	pests, including the presence of dead insects, insect debris or excreta.

Living pests:	Presence of living pests (insects, mites or others) at any stage of development (adult, nymph, larva, egg, etc.).

Decay:	Significant decomposition caused by the action of micro-organisms or other biological processes; this is normally accompanied by changes in texture (soft or watery appearance) and/or changes in colour (initial appearance of brownish hues and eventually blackening).

Mould:	Mould filaments visible to the naked eye, either on the inside or on the outside of the fruit or kernel.

Foreign odour and/or

taste:	Any odour or taste that is not characteristic of the product.

[Staining:	??].

[Dirt:	Any visible and/or apparent adhering or embedded dirt, soil,mud or dust.]

Foreign matter:	Any visible and/or apparent matter or material not usually associated with the product, except mineral impurities. {see definitions of extraneous vegetable material}

Abnormal external

moisture:	Presence of water, moisture or condensation directly on the surface of the product.

Mineral impurities:	Ash insoluble in hydrochloric acid.

(b)	Specific definitions for dry fruit (inshell or kernels)

Defects of the shell:

Any defects which adversely affect the appearance or the quality of the shell, such as:

Broken shells:	Broken, split or mechanically damaged shells; the absence of a very small part of the shell or a slight crack shall not be considered as a defect provided that the kernel is still protected.

Mechanically damaged:	Shells with very apparent mechanical injuries, even if superficial, such as pronounced marks caused by husking.

Extraneous vegetable

material:	Harmless vegetable matter associated with the product.

Defects of the kernel:

Any defect which adversely affects the appearance, edibility, keeping quality or quality of the kernel, such as:

Superficial damage:	damage adversely affecting the appearance of the product, including blemishes, areas of discolouration, torn skin, sun-scald, and adhering pericarp.

Significant damage:	damage which significantly affects the appearance or the keeping quality of the product, including embedded dirt, cracks, splits, abrasions, crushing, and lesions from any cause whatsoever.

Intrinsic defects:	abnormalities which are uncharacteristic of mature properly handled fruit of a given variety, including immaturity, insufficient development, germinated and aborted fruit.

Empty or hollow nuts:	Nuts in which the kernel has aborted.

[Incomplete:	Kernels with less than one third of the whole kernel missing. {where appropriate, indicate a different proportion}]

[Broken:	Kernels with more than one third of the whole kernel missing. {where appropriate, indicate a different proportion}]

[Pieces:	Part of a kernel constituting less than one third of the whole kernel. {where appropriate, add or replace with a reference to the size or diameter in mm}]

[Mechanically	damaged:	Kernels which are partially broken (incomplete), halved or split (separation of the cotyledons), or which have superficial mechanical lesions; absence of a small part of the integument and very superficial abrasions or lesions <less than ... mm in diameter or length, up to ... mm deep> shall not be considered as defects. {where appropriate, insert precise specifications for halved or split kernels}]

[Insufficiently developed:	Kernel which is not perfectly developed <and does not sufficiently fill the shell cavity>. {the shape of the kernel may vary according to the variety or commercial type, but the kernel must not be misshapen or partially shrunken}]

Shrivelled [or dried out]:	Kernels which are extremely wrinkled, desiccated, shrunken or hard.

[Blemishes or physiological	Discolouration of the kernel, and occasionally impairment of its texture or

alterations	flavour.]

Calluses:	Scars or deformities due to mechanical lesions, viral or bacterial diseases, or physiological causes.

Heat damage:	Damage caused by excessive heat during drying or processing that significantly affects the flavour, appearance or edibility of the product.

Fermentation:	Damage by fermenting agents, enzymes or bacteria to the extent that the characteristic appearance and/or flavour is substantially affected.

Rancidity:	Oxidation of lipids or free fatty acid production giving a characteristic disagreeable flavour; an oily appearance of the flesh does not necessarily indicate a rancid condition.

Germination:	Apparent development of the germ, even if not visible from the outside.

Twins:	Kernels of characteristic shape as a consequence of the development of two kernels in the same shell.

Extraneous vegetable	Harmless vegetable matter associated with the product, such as residues of

material:	shell, integument, etc.

(c)	Specific definitions for dried fruit

Mechanically damaged:	Dried fruit with apparent mechanical injuries; very superficial abrasions or injuries <less than ... mm in diameter or length, up to ... mm deep> shall not be considered as defects. {in the case of fruit from which the stone, pips, peduncle or pedicel have been removed, normal mechanical lesions resulting from these operations shall not be considered as defects}

Heat damage:	Damage caused by solar radiation or excessive heat during drying that significantly affects the appearance, flavour or edibility of the product.

Defects of texture:	Fruit with non-fleshy parts (hardened, shrivelled or hollow) affecting more than ... of the product.

Calluses:	Scars or deformities due to mechanical injuries (hail, bruising, abrasion, etc.), viral or bacterial diseases, or physiological causes.

Fermentation:	Damage by fermenting agents, enzymes or bacteria to the extent that the characteristic appearance and/or flavour is substantially affected.

[Pieces:	Less than one third of the whole fruit.{where applicable, specify a different proportion or replace by a reference to size in mm}]

Extraneous vegetable material	Harmless vegetable matter associated with the product, such as residues of peduncles, pedicels, leaves or seeds.

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