UNITED

NATIONS

Distr.

GENERAL

TRADE/WP.7/2000/11/Add.19

14 December 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

Fifty-sixth session, Geneva, 6 to 8 November 2000

REPORT OF THE FIFTY-SIXTH SESSION

Addendum 19

Note by the secretariat

This document contains the revised Standard Layout for Dry and Dried Produce (Fruit) which was adopted at the fifty-sixth session of the Working Party.

GE.00-

REVISED

STANDARD LAYOUT FOR UN/ECE STANDARDS

concerning the marketing and commercial quality control of

DRY AND DRIED FRUIT

moving in international trade between and to

UN/ECE member countries

NOTE:	This revision of the standard layout was adopted by the Specialized Section on Standardization of Dry and Dried Produce (Fruit) at its forty-seventh session and approved by the Working Party on Standardization of Perishable Produce at its fifty-sixth session in November 2000. It will provide the frame for current and future work on UN/ECE standards for dry and dried fruit.

NOTE by the secretariat:	In the text the following conventions are used:

{ text }	:	For text which explains the use of the standard layout. This text does not appear in the standard.

< text >	:	For optional texts or text for which several alternatives exist depending on the products.

I.	DEFINITION OF PRODUCE

This standard applies to .................... of varieties (cultivars) grown from ....................{Latin botanical reference, followed where necessary by the author's name } intended for direct consumption.

<It does not apply to .................... for industrial processing or for use in the food industry.>1

<It does apply to .......................... for industrial processing or for use in the food industry.>1

II.	PROVISIONS CONCERNING QUALITY

The purpose of the standard is to define the quality requirements of .................... at the export control stage, after preparation and packaging.

A.	Minimum requirements

(i)	General provisions

In all classes subject to the special provisions for each class and the tolerances allowed2 the .................... must be:

(a)	Characteristics of the shell {only applicable to dry fruit presented in the shell}

-	intact; slight superficial damage is not considered as a defect

-	sound; free from defects likely to affect the natural keeping quality of the fruit

-	clean; practically free of any visible foreign matter

-	dry; free from abnormal external moisture

-	free from residue of husk.

-	free of damage caused by pests

{additional provisions may be made for specific standards depending on the nature of the produce}

(b)	Characteristics of the edible part of the dry fruit in the shell or the dried fruit

-	sufficiently dry to ensure keeping quality,

-	intact; slight superficial damage is not considered as a defect,

{Individual standards may provide that the produce need not be intact, depending on the nature of the produce and its intended presentation.}

-	sound; produce affected by rotting or deterioration such as to make it unfit for consumption is excluded

-	sufficiently <normally> developed, and/or ripe as appropriate,

-	clean, practically free of any visible foreign matter;{provisions may be made for the use of flour, sugar, salt or other permitted substances according to the nature of the product},

-	free from insects or mites whatever their stage of development;

-	free of damage caused by pests;

-	free from mould,

-	free from rancidity,

-	<free of fermentation>,

-	free of abnormal external moisture,

-	free of foreign smell and/or taste.

{additional provisions may be made for specific standards depending on the nature of the produce}

The condition of the .................... must be such as to enable them:

-	to withstand transport and handling, and

-	to arrive in satisfactory condition at the place of destination.

(ii)	Moisture content

The .................... shall have a moisture content not exceeding .....3 per cent. 4

(iii)	Preservatives

Preservatives may be used in accordance with the legislation of the importing country.

B.	Classification

.................... are classified in two (or three) classes defined below:

(i)	"Extra" Class

.................... in this class must be of superior quality. They must be characteristic of the variety and/or commercial type.

They must be:

-	....................

-	....................

-	....................

{The provisions depend on the nature of the produce. In the case of dry fruit in the shell these provisions may refer to the shell and to the kernels separately}

They must be free from 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.

(ii)	Class I

.................... in this class must be of good quality. They must be characteristic of the variety and/or commercial type.

They must be:

-	....................

-	....................

-	....................

{The provisions depend on the nature of the produce. In the case of dry fruit in the shell these provisions may refer to the shell and to the kernels separately}

The following slight defects may be allowed provided these do not affect the general appearance of the produce, the quality, the keeping quality and presentation in the package.

-	....................

-	....................

-	....................

(iii)	Class II

This class includes .................... which do not qualify for inclusion in the higher classes but satisfy the minimum requirements specified above.

They must be:

-	....................

-	....................

-	....................

{The provisions depend on the nature of the produce. In the case of dry fruit in the shell these provisions may refer to the shell and to the kernels separately}

The following defects may be allowed provided the .................... retain their essential characteristics as regards the quality, keeping quality and presentation.

-	....................

-	....................

-	....................

III.	PROVISIONS CONCERNING SIZING

Size <or screen> {if applied} is determined by .................... {requirements to be established according to the nature of the produce and/or the class}.

{Provisions on minimum and maximum sizes and size range depending on the nature of produce, the variety, the commercial type and the classes.}

IV.	PROVISIONS CONCERNING TOLERANCES

Tolerances in respect of quality and size shall be allowed in each package (or in each lot for produce presented in bulk) for produce not satisfying the requirements of the class indicated.

A.	Quality tolerances

Defects allowed 5	Tolerances allowed

(per cent by number or weight of

defective fruit)
Extra	Class I	Class II

1.	{For nuts presented in shell}

a)	Total tolerances for defects of the shell

Individual defects of the shell (list)

b)	Total tolerances for defects of the edible part

Individual defects of the edible part (list)

2.	{For nut kernels and other dried fruits}

Total tolerances

Individual defects (list)

{In general, tolerances for individual defects refer to the non-compliance with minimum requirements or to non- compliance with requirements of the individual classes. }

B.	Mineral impurities

{Where the nature of the produce requires it, a tolerance for mineral impurities shall be allowed.}

Ashes insoluble in acid must not exceed 1g/kg.

C.	Size tolerances

For all classes ..... per cent, by number or weight, of products not according to the size indicated on the marking <but belonging to the size range immediately above and/or below the size indicated>{depending on the nature of the product}

{When the size is given in terms of a range of numbers of fruit per unit weight, special provision can be made in the specific standard if necessary. The standard may also prescribe a tolerance in relation to the minimum size.}

V.	PROVISIONS CONCERNING PRESENTATION

A.	Uniformity

The contents of each package (or lot for produce presented in bulk) must be uniform and contain only .................... of the same origin, quality and size (if sized). {In addition, for individual standards, uniformity concerning variety and/or commercial type may be laid down depending on the nature of produce.}

{Other possible provisions depending on the nature of produce}

-	....................

-	....................

-	....................

The visible part of the contents of the package (or lot for produce presented in bulk) must be representative of the entire contents. <For "Extra" Class and Class I the produce must be of the same variety and/or commercial type.> {In addition, depending on the nature of the produce, the standard may require that the produce shall be of the same crop year, shape and/or colour. }

B.	Packaging

.................... 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 that the printing or labelling has been done with non-toxic ink or glue.

Packages (or lot if the produce is presented in bulk) must be free of all foreign matter.

C.	Presentation

{Specific provisions relating to the presentation of the produce may be included at this point.}

VI.	PROVISIONS CONCERNING MARKING

Each package 6 must bear the following particulars in letters grouped on the same side, legibly and indelibly marked and visible from the outside:

<For .................... transported in bulk these particulars must appear on a document accompanying the goods and be attached in a visible position inside the transport vehicle.>

A.	Identification

Packer	)	Name and address or

and/or	)	officially issued or

Dispatcher	)	accepted code mark 7

B.	Nature of produce

-	Name of the produce;

-	Name of the variety and/or commercial type {according to the nature of the produce}

-	Type or style {according to the definitions of the standard}

C.	Origin of produce

-	Country of origin and, optionally, district where grown or national, regional or local place name

D.	Commercial specifications

-	Class;

-	Size (if sized);

-	Crop year {according to the nature of the produce};

-	Net weight, or the number of pre-packages, followed by the net unit weight in the case of packages containing such units (optional or at the request of the importing country).

-	"Best before" followed by the date (optional)

E.	Official control mark (optional)