512
THE NEW ZEALAND GAZETTE
No. 24

4. Definition of produce—This grade applies to dessert and culinary apples and pears being fresh fruit grown from the varieties of Pyrus malus L. and Pyrus communis L. to be supplied fresh to the consumer.

5. Definition of terms—Terms used in this notice shall have the same meaning as in the New Zealand Grown Fruit and Vegetables Regulations 1975, certain of these definitions are set out in the First Schedule to this notice.

6. Quality requirements—(a) The fruit must be—
   (i) Intact—whole fruit;
   (ii) Sound;
   (iii) Clean;
   (iv) Well formed—typical of the variety; slight defects are permitted in shape only; and
   (v) Free from abnormal external moisture.

(b) The apples and pears must have been hand picked and of a similar degree of maturity in the same line of produce. They must have matured sufficiently to complete the ripening process and in the opinion of an inspector, the stage of maturity must be suitable to withstand handling storage and transport to meet the market requirements at the place of destination.

(c) The apples and pears must be of good quality and have characteristics typical of the variety and be free of defects which may—
(i) Impair the general appearance or keeping quality of the fruit; or
(ii) Which are likely to make the fruit unattractive to the purchaser.

(d) The flesh must be sound, but skin defects which are not liable to impair the general appearance and keeping qualities are permitted on each fruit within the limits specified in the Second Schedule to this notice.

(e) The colouring criteria for apples and pears are specified in the Second Schedule to this notice.

(f) The apples and pears are to be free from pests, diseases, and contamination with toxic materials.

7. Sizing—(a) Sizing of apples and pears is determined by the maximum diameter of the equatorial section. The difference in diameter of apples and pears in the same package shall not exceed 5 mm.

(b) The minimum sizes of apples and pears for export shall be—

Apples
mm
Cox’s Orange Pippin — — — — 55
All other varieties — — — — 60

Pears
mm
Large fruited varieties such as Williams’ Bon Chretien and Packham’s Triumph — — — — 55
Elongated varieties such as Beurre Bosc — — — — 50
Small fruited varieties such as Winter Cole and Winter Nelis — — — — 50

8. Packaging and Presentation—(a) The contents of each package must be uniform and contain only apples or pears—
   (i) Grown in the same region;
   (ii) Of similar quality;
   (iii) Of one variety true to name; and
   (iv) Be of a similar degree of maturity.

(b) The apples or pears shall not be deceptively packed or stacked and must be packed in clean new packages suitable for transport and handling so that they will not be damaged in transit. Any paper or other material used inside the package must be new and harmless to human food. When printed material is used the printing must be on the outside only so as not to come into contact with the fruit. The fruit must be free of foreign bodies such as leaves and twigs.

9. Marking—Each package must bear the following particulars legibly and indelibly marked on the outside—
   (a) Identification—grower or packhouse registered mark;
   (b) Nature of produce—kind and variety;
   (c) Origin—New Zealand;
   (d) Commercial specification—grade, count, or size if packed;
   (e) Official control mark—inspection stamp if applicable;
   (f) Labels—if not printed on the package the label must not be less than 40 square centimetres.

SCHEDULES
FIRST SCHEDULE

Definition of terms

“Clean” means free from dirt, dust, insect stains, or other foreign substance or material:
“Count” means the number of fruit contained in any package:

“Inspector” means an Inspector appointed under the Plants Act 1970:
“Mature” in relation to fruit, means that in the opinion of an inspector the fruit will properly complete the ripening process, and is suitable for export:
“To pack” means to arrange fruit regularly and compactly in a package so that they are not loose or compressed to an extent likely to cause damage to the fruit during handling or transport:
“Sound” means free from decay, rots, overmaturity, breakdown, freezing injury, damage, and similar defects which may cause rapid loss of condition or rapid decay:
“Storage defects” means decay, storage scald, fungal rots, wilt, or other injury to fruit as a result of storage.

SECOND SCHEDULE

1. Allowance for skin defects

Each apple and pear is allowed skin defects within the following limits, provided that the aggregate area of all defects, when two or more are present, shall not exceed 1 square centimetre—

(a) Skin blemish and defects of a superficial nature caused by limb or leaf rub, hail, or similar causes provided that the total area affected does not exceed 1 square centimetre.

(b) Spots or speckles of a superficial nature caused by spray, lenticel spot, or similar causes provided that the total area affected does not exceed ¼ square centimetre.

(c) Superficial healed shallow cracks, scars, or similar defects of an elongated nature permitted in the stem cavity only provided the total length does not exceed 1 centimetre.

2. Colouring criteria for apples

(a) Each apple of each variety is required to display on the surface of each fruit, the minimum percentage of full characteristic red colour listed against that variety in the following table.

TABLE
Variety
Minimum Colour Percentage
Red Delicious
70
Democrat, Red Dougherty, Red Jonathan, Richared Spartan, Captain Kidd
50
Braeburn, Delicious
40
Jonathan
33
Dougherty, Frimley Beauty, Oratia Beauty, Splendour
25
Gala
20
Kidd’s Orange Red, Albany Beauty, Rome Beauty, Cox’s Orange Pippin
10
Gravenstein
Colour Showing

(b) Green or yellow varieties must be reasonably even in colouring, but may be slightly striped or blushed. There is no restriction on the amount of blush carried on the Sturmer Pippin variety.

3. Russeting allowance for apples and pears—(a) Patches of russet typical of the variety of fruit are permitted—
   (i) On each apple within the stem and calyx cavities; or
   (ii) On each pear within the calyx cavity.

(b) Each apple or pear may also have smooth solid patches of russet on each variety up to a maximum percentage of the fruit surface area listed against that variety in the following table.

TABLE
Variety
Maximum Percentage of Russet
(i) Apples—
Cox’s Orange Pippin, Sturmer Pippin with a bronze blush
30
Sturmer Pippin with no blush
20
Braeburn, Delicious, Dougherty, Frimley Beauty, Gala, Kidd’s Orange Red, Red Delicious, Red Dougherty, Richared, Rome Beauty, Spartan, Splendour
10
Golden Delicious, Granny Smith, Jonathan, Red Jonathan
5

(ii) Pears—
Clear skinned pear varieties such as Packham’s Triumph and Louise Bonne de Jersey
40
Russet susceptible pear varieties such as Beurre Bosc, Winter Cole, Winter Nelis, and P. Barry
100