Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 12, March 20, 2024
(a)
General. New York State Seal of Quality cucumbers shall be cucumbers which are
well formed, well colored, not overgrown and which are fresh, firm, clean and
free from decay, sunscald, and unhealed fresh cuts and from injury caused by
scars and from damage caused by yellowing, sunburn, foreign material, freezing,
mosaic or other disease, insects, healed cuts, bruises, mechanical or other
means.
(b) Definitions.
(1) Well colored means not less than 3/4 of
the surface of the cucumber is of a medium green or darker color and that at
least a light green color extends to the blossom end on one side of the
cucumber.
(2) Well formed means the
cucumber is practically straight and not more than very slightly tapered or
pointed.
(3) Injury by scars means
scars which aggregate more than the area of a circle 3/8 inch in diameter on a
cucumber seven inches in length or correspondingly greater areas of scars on
larger cucumbers.
(4) Damage,
unless otherwise specifically defined in this section, means any defect or
combination of defects which materially affects the appearance, or the edible
or shipping quality of the cucumber.
(5) Serious damage, unless otherwise
specifically defined in this section, means any defect or combination of
defects which seriously affects the appearance or the edible or shipping
quality of the cucumber.
(6) Damage
by bruises means when materially affecting the appearance or when affecting an
aggregate area greater than that of a circle 2 1/4 inches in diameter. Serious
damage by bruising which seriously affects the appearance or affecting more
than 1/3 of the surface of the cucumber.
(7) Serious damage by scars means when
aggregating more than the area of a one inch circle on a cucumber seven inches
in length or corresponding more on cucumbers longer in length.
(8) Badly deformed means the cucumber is so
badly curved, constricted, tapered, or otherwise so badly misshapen that the
appearance is seriously affected.
(9) Fresh means the cucumbers have a bright
attractive luster. They cannot be wilted, limp, shriveled or yellow.
(10) Clean means the cucumbers are
practically free from dirt or staining.
(11) Firm means the cucumbers are plump, feel
firm to moderate under pressure, are not shriveled noticeably at the ends and
are fresh and meaty.
(12) Damage by
shriveled ends means cucumbers which show a puckering of the skin at one or
both ends indicate that the flesh is tough and rubbery and likely to have a
bitter taste.
(13) Damage by pulled
ends means when injury is healed and dry and causing more than 3/8 inch in the
aggregate and over 1/8 inch in depth. Serious damage by pulled ends, when
unhealed or causing more than 5/8 inch in the aggregate and over 1/4 inch in
depth.
(c) Size. The
maximum diameter or each cucumber shall be not more than 2 3/8 inches and the
length of each cucumber shall be not less than six inches and not more than 10
inches in length, not more than two inches variation in length.
(d) Tolerances. In order to allow for
variation incident to proper grading and handling the following tolerances by
count are provided:
(1) For defects. Ten
percent for cucumbers in any lot which fail to meet the requirements of the
grade, included therein not more than five percent for cucumbers which are
seriously damaged by any means and including therein not more than one percent
for decay.
(2) For off-size. Ten
percent for cucumbers in any lot which fail to meet the length requirements
including therein not more than five percent for under minimum length, five
percent for cucumbers which fail to meet the requirements for maximum
diameter.
(e)
Application of tolerances. The contents of individual packages in the lot are
subject to the following limitations: provided that the averages for the entire
lot are within the tolerances specified for the grade. For a tolerance of 10
percent or more individual packages in any lot shall have not more than 1 1/2
times the tolerance specified, except when the package contains 15 specimens or
less, individual packages shall have not more than double the tolerance
specified and for a tolerance of less than 10 percent, individual packages in
any lot shall have not more than double the tolerance specified except that at
least one defective and one off-size specimen may be permitted in any
package.
(f) Packing. Cucumbers
must be packed in new bushel or 1 1/9 bushel cartons or new bushel baskets with
covers or any other new standard container subject to approval by the
Department of Agriculture and Markets. Container approval shall be based upon
the ability of the container to maintain the quality standards and integrity of
the product.
(g) Markings.
Packaging shall be properly marked with name and address of grower, packer or
shipper and net weight, volume or count, product name, and labeled with the
official seal designation.
