MARKETING STANDARDS
PINEAPPLE (Ananas comosus L.)
PRODUCT:
PINEAPPLE (Ananas comosus L.)
VERSION: 2012
SOURCE: UN-ECE
UNECE STANDARD FFV -49
This standard applies to pineapples for supply fresh to the consumer. Pineapples for ornamental or industrial use are excluded.
0. REFERENCE
1. DEFINITION
2. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS
Intact (crown may be reduced or trimmed); sound; clean; fresh in appearance (including the crown); practically free from posts, free from damages
caused by pests affecting the flesh; free of abnormal external moisture; free of any foreign smell and/or taste. Stalk, if present: 2.0 cm longer and
transversal, straight and clean cut.
The condition and development of the fruit must be such to enable them to withstand transport and handling and arrive at the place of destination in
satisfactory condition.
3. MATURITY REQUIREMEMENTS
The pineapples must have reached an appropriate degree of maturity and ripeness in accordance with criteria proper to the variety and to the area in
which they are grown. TSS ≥ 12º Brix. (representative sample of the juice of all the fruit shall be taken).
Fruit showing over-ripeness affecting edibility is excluded. The skin colour can be green, provided the minimum maturity requirements are met.
4. CLASSIFICATION
‘Extra’ Class:
Superior quality. Characteristic of the variety and/or commercial type. Flesh must be perfectly sound. Only very slight superficial
defects. The crown, if present: simple and straight with no side shoots and
of the length of the fruit.
Tolerance: 5% by number or weight out of standards, ot more than 0.5 per cent in total may consist of produce satisfying the requirements of Class
II quality.
Class I:
Good quality and characteristic of the variety and/or commercial type. Flesh must be perfectly sound. Slight defects allowed:
- slight defects in shape and/or in colouring (including sun spots),
- slight skin defects 4% of total surface area,
- slight bruises.
Crown, if present: simple and straight or slightly curved with no side shoots;
of the length of the fruit for pineapples. It may
be slightly damaged; slightly discoloured and/or slightly curved with a max. inclination >30% from the longitudinal axis of the fruit.
Tolerance: 10% by number or weight out of standards, not more than 1 per cent in total may consist of produce satisfying neither the requirements of
Class II quality nor the minimum requirements, or of produce affected by decay.
Class II:
Flesh must be free of major defects. Other defects allowed:
- defects in shape (including double crown) and/or in colouring (including sun scorch),
- slight skin defects 10% of total surface area,
- bruises.
Tolerance: 10% by number or weight out of standards, not more than 2 per cent in total may consist of produce affected by decay.
5. SIZING
By weight
6.
PRESENTATION
7
MARKING
By average weight:
Range in size between produce in same package
Weight fruit
≤ 300 g
≤ 1300 g
≤ 680 g
> 1300 g
Size tolerance: 20% by number or weight of pineapple out of specifications.
Uniformity: In origin, variety and/or commercial type, quality and size. For „Extra‟ Class, also uniform colouring and length of
crowns. The visible part must be representative of the entire contents.
Packaging: The produce must be packed in such a way to assure its protection.
Materials must be new, clean and of a proper quality. Non-toxic ink or glue. Packages must be free of all foreign matter.
Stickers individually affixed to the produce shall be such that, when removed, they neither leave visible traces of glue, nor lead to
skin defects.
Identification:
Identification: Name and physical address of the packers or dispatcher/shipper, or a code mark officially recognized by the national
authority. the reference. In the latter case, the reference “packer and/or dispatcher (or equivalent abbreviations)” must be indicated in
close connection with the code mark, and the code mark should be preceded with the ISO 3166 (alpha) country code of the
recognizing country, if not the country of origin.
EU labeling legislation requires the explicit declaration of the name and address.
Nature of produce:
-„Pineapples‟, if not visible from the outside,
Origin: Country (comp) and district where
- name of variety or synonym (trade name only in addition to variety or synonym).
grown, or national, regional or local place
- indication of absence of crown, where appropriate.
name (opt)
Commercial specifications:
Class; Size expressed as min. and max. weight or number of fruits; colour code (opt);
the indication “should not be stored below 8°C” (opt)
Official control mark:
(opt)