Food Standards and Quality Control

Food Standard and Quality Control

Lesson 04 : Specifications for raw materials

Specifications for fruits and vegetables

• Free from punctures or other significant physical damage sustained during harvesting or post harvest handling.
• clean, practically free of any visible foreign matter, soil, dust, chemical residues or other visible foreign matter.
• The produce must be practically free from insects, mites or any other pests. The presence of pests can detract from the commercial presentation and acceptance of the produce.
• The produce must be free from damage caused by insects, mites or any other pests that affects the fruit flesh. Pest damage affecting the flesh makes the produce unfit for consumption.
• The produce should be free of abnormal external moisture. This provision applies to excessive moisture, for example, free water lying inside the package but does not include condensation on produce following release from cool storage or refrigerated vehicle. However, a certain amount of external moisture may be necessary for quality preservation and is allowed.
• Produce should be free of any foreign smell and/or taste. This refers particularly to produce which have been stored on badly kept premises or have travelled in a badly maintained vehicle, especially produce which has acquired strong smell from other produce stored on the same premises or travelling in the same vehicle. It does not refer to any smell emanating from products used in conformity with the regulations for their use to improve keeping properties.