California Code of Regulations
Title 3 - Food and Agriculture
Division 3 - Economics
Chapter 1 - Fruit and Vegetable Standardization
Subchapter 4 - Fresh Fruits, Nuts and Vegetables
Article 11 - Avocados
Section 1408.13 - Avocados, Packing and Size Requirements

Universal Citation: 3 CA Code of Regs 1408.13

Current through Register 2024 Notice Reg. No. 38, September 20, 2024

(a) For the purpose of this section, "lot" means one group of containers of the same variety, count/size and grade or brand. A lot shall not exceed 50 containers or, when unitized, the amount present on a pallet. The size requirements established by this section shall apply only at the point of packing.

(b) Avocados packed in rows and layers shall be fairly tightly packed. All containers of avocados shall conform to the following size requirements for the fruit therein:

COLUMN A COLUMN B COLUMN C
Size Weight (Ozs.) Weight (Ozs.)
Minimum Maximum Minimum Maximum
97 or more No weight requirement
96 3 1/2 3 3/4 3 4 3/4
84 3 3/4 4 3/4 3 1/2 6 1/4
70 4 3/4 6 1/4 3 3/4 7 1/2
60 6 1/4 7 1/2 4 3/4 9 1/2
48 7 1/2 9 1/2 6 1/4 11 1/2
40 9 1/2 11 1/2 7 1/2 12 1/2
36 10 1/2 12 1/2 9 1/2 14
32 11 3/4 14 10 1/2 15 3/4
28 13 3/4 15 3/4 11 3/4 18 3/4
24 15 3/4 18 3/4 14 22
20 18 3/4 22 15 3/4 24
18 22 24 18 3/4 28
16 24 28 22 30
15 or less No weight requirement

All nonconsumer containers shall be marked with one of the size designations specified in Column A. Not more than twenty percent, by count, of the fruit in the containers within any lot may be below or above the weight range specified in Column B, provided that no fruit may be below or above the weight range specified in Column C.

When the containers are marked with a size that is between two of the designations in Column A, individual fruit in the containers shall conform to the weight range specified for the next lesser size.

(c) Compliance with the above requirements for avocados that have been sized and are to be conditioned in a manner that hastens the ripening process prior to further preparation for market shall be determined as follows:

(i) Three sample containers shall be selected from the lot. Each fruit in each of the three containers shall be weighed.

(ii) If the fruit in the sample containers comply with the fruit size requirements above, the lot from which the samples were taken shall be considered in compliance with this section.

(iii) If the fruit in the sample containers fail to meet the fruit size requirements above, the lot shall be rejected. The rejected avocados shall be resized and resubmitted for resampling under supervision of an enforcing officer.

1. New sections 1397.8 through 1397.14 filed 1-4-71 as an emergency; effective upon filing. Certificate of Compliance included (Register 71, No. 2).
2. Amendment filed 3-26-71; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 71, No. 13).
3. Renumbering from section 1397.8 filed 1-21-75; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 75, No. 4).
4. Amendment filed 7-13-84; effective thirtieth day thereafter (Register 84, No. 28).
5. Amendment filed 9-1-87; operative 10-1-87 (Register 87, No. 36).
6. Amendment of first paragraph, table and NOTE filed 9-16-92; operative 9-16-92 (Register 92, No. 38).
7. Amendment filed 4-25-2000; operative 5-25-2000 (Register 2000, No. 17).
8. Amendment of section heading and section filed 12-28-2016; operative 12-28-2016 pursuant to Government Code section 11343.4(b)(3) (Register 2016, No. 53).

Note: Authority cited: Sections 407, 42682 and 44977, Food and Agricultural Code. Reference: Sections 42941 and 44973, Food and Agricultural Code.

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