UNITED

NATIONS

Distr.

GENERAL

TRADE/WP.7/2001/9/Add.2

11 January 2002

ORIGINAL : ENGLISH

ECONOMIC COMMISSION FOR EUROPE

COMMITTEE FOR TRADE, INDUSTRY AND

ENTERPRISE DEVELOPMENT

Working Party on Standardization of

Perishable Produce and Quality Development

Fifty-seventh session, Geneva, 12 to 14 November 2001

REPORT OF THE FIFTY-SEVENTH SESSION

Addendum 2

Note by the secretariat

This document contains the revised UN/ECE Standard for Sweet Peppers (FFV-28), as adopted by the Working Party.

GE.02-

UNECE STANDARD FFV-28

concerning the marketing and commercial

quality control of

SWEET PEPPERS

moving in international trade between and to

UNECE member countries

I.	DEFINITION OF PRODUCE

This standard applies to sweet peppers of varieties (cultivars) grown from Capsicum annuum L. to be supplied fresh to the consumer, sweet peppers for industrial processing being excluded.

According to their shape a distinction is made for four commercial types:

-	elongated sweet peppers (pointed)

-	square sweet peppers (blunt)

-	square sweet peppers tapering (peg top)

-	flat sweet peppers (tomato peppers).

II.	PROVISIONS CONCERNING QUALITY

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

A.	Minimum requirements

In all classes, subject to the special provisions for each class and the tolerances allowed, the sweet peppers must be:

-	intact

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

-	clean, practically free of any visible foreign matter

-	fresh in appearance

-	practically free from pests

-	practically free from damage caused by pests

-	well-developed

-	free of damage caused by frost

-	free of unhealed injuries

-	free of sunburn

-	with peduncles attached

-	free of abnormal external moisture

-	free of any foreign smell and/or taste.

The development and condition of the sweet peppers must be such as to enable them:

-	to withstand transport and handling, and

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

B.	Classification

Sweet peppers are classified in two classes, defined below:

(i)	Class I

Sweet peppers in this class must be of good quality. They must be characteristic of the variety and/or commercial type as regards development, shape and colour with due regard to the degree of ripeness.

They must be:

-	firm

-	practically free of blemishes.

The peduncle may be slightly damaged or cut with the calyce intact.

(ii)	Class II

This class includes sweet peppers which do not qualify for inclusion in Class I but satisfy the minimum requirements specified above.

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

-	defects in shape and development

-	sunburn or slight healed injuries, with a limit of 2 cm in length for defects of elongated shape, and 1 cm 2 of the total area for other defects

-	slight dry superficial cracks not exceeding an overall cumulative length of 3 cm.

They may be less firm without being withered.

The peduncle may be damaged or cut.

III.	PROVISIONS CONCERNING SIZING

Size is determined by the shoulder diameter (width) of the sweet peppers. In the case of flat sweet peppers (tomato peppers) the term "width" means the maximum equatorial diameter.

For sized sweet peppers, the difference in diameter between the largest and smallest sweet pepper in the same package may not exceed 20 mm.

The width of sweet peppers may not be less than:

(i)	elongated sweet peppers (pointed):	20 mm

(ii)	square sweet peppers (blunt)

square sweet peppers tapering

(peg-top):	40 mm

(iii)	flat sweet peppers (tomato peppers):	55 mm

Sizing is not compulsory for Class II, subject to the minimum sizes.

The size requirements shall not apply to miniature produce.1

IV.	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.

A.	Quality tolerances

(i)	Class I

10 per cent by number or weight of sweet peppers not satisfying the requirements of the class, but meeting those of Class II or, exceptionally, coming within the tolerances of that class.

(ii)	Class II

10 per cent by number or weight of sweet peppers 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.

B.	Size tolerances

(i)	Class I

10 per cent by number or weight of sweet peppers not conforming to the sizes identified within a margin of plus or minus 5 mm including no more than 5 per cent of sweet peppers below the minimum size laid down.

(ii)	Class II

Sized sweet peppers

10 per cent by number or weight of sweet peppers not conforming to the sizes identified within a margin of plus or minus 5 mm including no more than 5 per cent of sweet peppers below the minimum size laid down.

Unsized sweet peppers

5 per cent by number or weight of sweet peppers up to 5 mm smaller than the minimum size laid down.

V.	PROVISIONS CONCERNING PRESENTATION

A.	Uniformity

The contents of each package must be uniform and contain only sweet peppers of the same origin, variety or commercial type, quality, size (if sized) and, in the case of Class I, of appreciably the same degree of ripeness and colouring.

However, a mixture of sweet peppers of different colours is allowed as long as origin, variety or commercial type, quality and size (if sized) are uniform.

For packages of sweet peppers with a maximum weight of 1 kg uniformity is only required with respect to origin and quality.

In the case of sized produce, elongated sweet peppers should be sufficiently uniform in length.

The visible part of the contents of the package must be representative of the entire contents.

Miniature sweet peppers must be reasonably uniform in size. They may be mixed with other miniature products of a different type and origin.

B.	Packaging

The sweet peppers 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 paper or stamps bearing trade specifications is allowed, provided the printing or labelling has been done with non-toxic ink or glue.

Packages must be free of all foreign matter.

VI. PROVISIONS CONCERNING MARKING

Each package2 must bear the following particulars, in letters grouped on the same side, legibly and indelibly marked, and visible from the outside:

A.	Identification

Packer	)	Name and address or

and/or	)	officially issued or

Dispatcher	)	accepted code mark. 3

B.	Nature of produce

-	If the contents are not visible from the outside:

-	"Sweet peppers"

-	colour, or as the case may be, number of peppers of each colour when the numbers of peppers of each colour are not the same.

-	Commercial type ("elongated", "square blunt", "square tapering", "flat") or name of the variety

C.	Origin of produce

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

D.	Commercial specifications

-	Class

-	Size (if sized) expressed as minimum and maximum diameters or the mark "unsized" where appropriate

-	Net weight or number of units (optional).

-	Mini sweet peppers, baby sweet peppers, or other appropriate term for miniature produce. Where several types of miniature produce are mixed in the same package, all products and their respective origins must be mentioned.

E.	Official control mark (optional)

Published 1969

revised 1996, 2000, 2001

The UNECE Standard for Sweet Peppers

has led to an explanatory brochure published by the OECD Scheme