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Cover

CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ)
2^nd Floor Nicholas House
29 & 30 Broad Street
Bridgetown, St Michael
Barbados
T: 246.622.7670 | F: 246.622.7678
Website: http://www.crosq.org

© CROSQ 2010 – All rights reserved
Unless otherwise specified, no part of this publication may be reproduced or utilized in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying and microfilm, without permission.

CARICOM REGIONAL STANDARD
Specification for grades of fresh agricultural produce
Part 2: Cabbages

CRS 24: Part 2: 2010

CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ)
2^nd Floor, Nicholas House
29 & 30 Broad Street
Bridgetown, St. Michael
Barbados
T: 246.622.7670 | F: 246.622.7678
Website: http://www.crosq.org

© CROSQ 2010 – All rights reserved. No part of this publication is to be reproduced without the prior written consent of CROSQ.

ISBN 978-976-8234-04-9
ICS 67.080

Committee representation

This CARICOM Regional Standard was prepared under the supervision of the Regional Technical Committee for Agricultural Commodities (RTC 19), (hosted by the CARICOM Member State, Dominica), which at the time comprised the following members:

Contents

Foreword

This CARICOM Regional Standard was developed in an effort to:

1. avoid misunderstanding and confusion among those involved in the marketing chain;
2. provide an objective basis for relating price with quality;
3. encourage better selection, packaging and presentation of produce as a means of obtaining greater income overall; and
4. assist exporters and their countries in meeting export market requirements and thereby enhancing their reputation and market position.

This standard was approved by the Twenty-ninth Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED) on 8-9 February 2010.

In the development of this standard, assistance was derived from the following:

1. Guyana Standard, GYS 8:1994, Specification for Grades of Cabbage;
2. Jamaica Standard, Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, October 2001, Specification for Cabbage;
3. Philippine National Standard, PNS/BAFPS 17:2005, Vegetables – Cabbage (Brasica oleracea var, capitata L.) – Grading and classification;
4. Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs, Ontario – Cabbage Grading and Packing Manual;
5. United States standards for grades of cabbage.

NOTE During the development of this standard, the CARICOM Regional Code of Practice for Food Hygiene was still under development.

1 Scope

This standard applies to commercial varieties of cabbage (Brassica oleracea) to be supplied fresh to the consumer after preparation.

2 Terms and definitions

For the purposes of this standard, the following terms and definitions shall apply.

2.1
clean

free from loose or adhering soil, pests, chemical deposits and other foreign matter

2.2
compact

leaves are tightly formed with a firmness which is characteristic of the variety

2.3
damage

defect or combination of defects of physiological or physical cause (external or internal) which detract from the appearance or edible quality of the cabbage such as holes caused by pests extending deeply into the compact portion or cuts and bruises that extend into the head

2.4
dispatching stage

final point of official inspection prior to market

2.5
firm

dense and not soft

2.6
free from disease

free from any visible evidence of moulds, fungal and bacterial rots, spots or any symptom of viral infection

2.7
similar varietal characteristics

shape, colour, characteristics of the leaves and size typical of the variety

2.8
trimmed

cabbage heads have no more than six (6) wrapper leaves and stems are no more than 10 mm below the wrapper leaves

2.9
well trimmed

cabbage heads are cut clean just below the lowest point of leaf growth with at least 3-5 tight wrapper leaves

2.10
well developed

cabbage heads are compact and are at a stage of development suitable for good handling, and the quality meets the requirements of the market

2.11
wrapper leaves

thick leaves that do not enfold the head fairly tightly more than two-thirds the distance from the base to the top

3 Requirements

3.1 Quality

3.1.1 Minimum requirements

Cabbages shall meet or exceed the following minimum requirements:

1. well developed;
2. clean;
3. free from pests and diseases;
4. compact;
5. fresh; and
6. of similar varietal characteristics.

3.1.2 Classifications

Cabbages shall be classified as Class I, Class II or Class III.

3.1.2.1 Class 1

Cabbages in this class shall meet the minimum quality requirements in 3.1.1 and in addition shall be:

1. firm;
2. well trimmed; and
3. free from damage.

3.1.2.2 Class II

Cabbages in this class shall meet the minimum quality requirements in 3.1.1 and in addition shall be:

1. firm;
2. trimmed; and 3
3. free from damage.

3.1.2.3 Class III

Cabbages in this class shall conform to the minimum quality requirements in 3.1.1 and in addition shall be:

1. free from serious damage; and
2. reasonably firm.

3.2 Sizing

Cabbages shall be sized according to the minimum and maximum weights of the individual cabbage head in kg.

3.3 Tolerances

Each package of cabbages not satisfying the requirements of quality and size for the class indicated as outlined in 3.1 and 3.2 shall be allowed tolerances as stated in 3.3.1 and 3.3.2.

3.3.1 Quality tolerances

3.3.1.1 Class 1

Cabbages in this class shall meet the following requirements:

1. not more than 5 % by number or weight of cabbage failing to meet the specifications of this class but meeting those of Class II; and
2. damage not exceeding more than 2 % at the dispatching stage.

3.3.1.2 Class II

Cabbages in this class shall meet the following requirements:

1. not more than 8 % by number or weight of cabbage failing to meet the specifications of this class but meeting those of class III; and
2. damage not exceeding more than 5 % at the dispatching stage

3.3.1.3 Class III

Cabbages in this class shall meet the following requirements:

1. not more than 10 % by number or weight of cabbage failing to meet the specifications of this class; and
2. damage not exceeding more than 8 % at the dispatching stage.

3.3.2 Size tolerance

All classes shall be allowed a tolerance of 10 % by number or weight of cabbage corresponding to the size immediately below or above the size indicated on the package.

3.4 Packaging

3.4.1

Cabbages shall be packed in such a way as to adequately protect the produce.

3.4.2

The materials used inside the package shall be new, clean and of a nature that shall meet the quality, hygiene, ventilation and resistance characteristics such as to avoid causing any external or internal damage to the produce.

NOTE The use of materials, particularly wrapping papers or adhesive labels bearing commercial indications, is allowed provided that the printing and labeling is done with a non-toxic ink or glue.

3.4.3

Packages shall be free from any foreign matter.

3.5 Labeling

Each package of cabbage shall bear the following particulars in writing, legibly and indelibly marked and visible from the outside in the official language(s) of the country in which the produce is to be sold:

1. name and address of the exporter/packer and or dispatcher;
2. nature of produce, marked in the following manner:
   1. the word ‘Cabbage’ where the contents are not visible from the outside; and
   2. the name of the variety or commercial type
3. country of origin of the product; and

   NOTE District where grown or national, regional or local name is optional.

4. commercial specifications as follows:
   1. class and size;
   2. number of cabbage heads per container (count)

   NOTE 1 Net weight of package in kg is optional.

   5

   NOTE 2 The use of red or orange should be avoided since these colours are used in the labeling of dangerous goods.

4 Contaminants

4.1 Heavy metals

Cabbages shall comply with the maximum levels for heavy metals established by the CODEX Alimentarius Commission for this commodity.

4.2 Pesticide residues

Cabbages shall comply with the maximum pesticide residue limits established by the CODEX Alimentarius Commission for this commodity.

5 Hygiene and sanitation

5.1

It is recommended that the produce covered by the provisions of this standard be prepared and handled in conjunction with the appropriate clauses of the latest edition of the CARICOM Regional Code of Practice for Food Hygiene or other international Codes of Practice, the latest recommended Code of Hygienic practices for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (CAC/RCP 53-2003) and other Codex texts which are relevant to this commodity.

5.2

Cabbages shall comply with the microbiological criteria established in accordance with the Principles for the Establishment and Application of Microbiological Criteria for Foods (CAC/GL 271997).

5.3

Cabbages shall comply with Sanitary and Phyto-sanitary requirements of both the importing and exporting countries.

CARICOM REGIONAL ORGANISATION FOR STANDARDS AND QUALITY

The CARICOM Regional Organisation for Standards and Quality (CROSQ) was created as an Inter-Governmental Organisation by the signing of an agreement among fourteen Member States of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). CROSQ is the regional centre for promoting efficiency and competitive production in goods and services, through the process of standardization and the verification of quality. It is the successor to the Caribbean Common Market Standards Council (CCMSC), and supports the CARICOM mandate in the expansion of intra-regional and extra-regional trade in goods and services.

CROSQ is mandated to represent the interest of the region in international and hemispheric standards work, to promote the harmonization of metrology systems and standards, and to increase the pace of development of regional standards for the sustainable production of goods and services in the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), and the enhancement of social and economic development.

CROSQ VISION:

The premier CARICOM organisation for the development and promotion of an Internationally Recognised Regional Quality Infrastructure; and for international and regional harmonized CARICOM Metrology, Standards, Inspection, Testing and Quality Infrastructure

CROSQ MISSION:

The promotion and development of standards and standards related activities to facilitate international competitiveness and the sustainable production of goods and services within the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) for the enhancement of social and economic development