Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 39, September 25, 2024
(a)
General. New York State Seal of Quality beans shall be beans that have similar
varietal characteristics which possess a desirable market appearance, are of
reasonable size, and fairly uniform size, well formed, fairly bright, clean,
fresh, fairly young and tender, firm, and which are free from soft rot, and
free from damage caused by leaves, leaf stems, other foreign matter, also free
from damage from hail, disease, insects, mechanical or other means.
(b) Definitions.
(1) Desirable market appearance means the
beans are generally free from any readily visible defect or imperfection or
defects which more than slightly detract from the appearance of the
bean.
(2) Similar varietal
characteristic means that the beans are of the same color and general type. For
example, wax and green may not be mixed.
(3) Reasonable size means pods are not
spindly or excessively short for variety and have not been prematurely
picked.
(4) Fairly uniform size
means pods shall not vary more than two inches in length.
(5) Well formed means the pods have normal
typical shape for variety.
(6)
Fairly bright means not dull.
(7)
Clean means practically free from dirt or staining and practically no loose
dirt or other foreign matter is present in container.
(8) Fresh means pods are not wilted and have
normal succulence.
(9) Fairly young
and tender means walls are not distinctly woody or fiberous.
(10) Firm means pods are not wilted or
flabby.
(11) Damage means any
defect or combination of defects which materially detracts from the appearance,
edible or marketing quality of the snap bean. Pods having spots due to blight
or Anthracnose, and similar spots caused by other diseases, shall be considered
as damage. The following specific defect shall be considered damaged. Broken
beans when:
(i) there is one break present in
the thick portion of the bean or one break at each end in the thin portion of
the bean;
(ii) any break that is
materially affected by dirt or discoloration;
(iii) any break that is ragged and materially
detracts from the appearance; or
(iv) unless otherwise specified, the
remaining portion of the bean is less than 3 1/2 inches in length.
(12) Serious damage means any
defect or combination of defects which seriously detracts from the appearance,
edible or marketing quality of the snap bean. The following specific defect
shall be considered seriously damaged. Broken beans when:
(i) there is a break on each end in the thick
portion of the bean;
(ii) any break
is seriously affected by dirt or discoloration;
(iii) any break is ragged and seriously
detracts from the appearance or exposes a seed; or
(iv) unless otherwise specified, the
remaining portion of the bean is less than three inches in length.
(c) Tolerances. In
order to allow for variations incident to proper grading and handling, the
following tolerances shall apply:
(1) For
defects. Thirteen percent for beans in any lot which fail to meet the
requirements of the grade, including not more than 10 percent damage by grade
defects other than damage by broken beans, including not more than five percent
shall be allowed for defects causing serious damage, including therein, not
more than one percent for beans affected by soft rot.
(2) For size. Ten percent for beans that are
not fairly uniform size based on individual samples.
(d) Application of tolerances.
(1) For a tolerance of 10 percent or more
individual packages may contain not more than 1 1/2 times the tolerances
specified; provided, that the average for the entire lot is within the
tolerance specified for the grade.
(2) For a tolerance of less than 10 percent,
individual packages may contain not more than double the tolerance specified:
provided that the average for the entire lot is within the tolerance
specified.
(e) Packing.
Snap beans to be packed in new standard 1/2 bushel or bushel baskets or hampers
or 1 1/9 bushel cartons or crates 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.
(f) Markings. All
containers offered for sale under the Seal of Quality program shall be marked
as to common name, declaration or net contents, name and address of grower,
packer or shipper and labeled with the official seal designation.
