Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 39, September 25, 2024
(a)
General. New York State Seal of Quality carrots shall be carrots of similar
varietal characteristics which are well trimmed, firm, clean, fairly well
colored, fairly smooth, fairly well formed, provided 50 percent of the lot is
well formed; which are free from secondary new top growth and soft rot, and
free from damage caused by freezing, growth cracks, sunburn, pithiness,
woodiness, internal discoloration, oil spray, dry rot, other disease, insects
or other means.
(b) Definitions.
(1) Similar varietal characteristics means
that the carrots in any lot are of the same general type. For example, carrots
with a short, but blunt growth like the Oxheart variety, shall not be mixed
with long or half-long carrots like the Imperator or Danvers
varieties.
(2) Well trimmed means
that the tops are cut back to not more than 3/4 inch in length, except that new
leaves developing within the original central cluster of leaf stems, or
occasional uncut leaves or leaf stems, exceeding this length which do not
materially affect the appearance of the individual carrot shall be permitted.
Carrots may have tips of roots cut or broken off: provided, that these cuts or
breaks are small and fairly smooth and do not materially affect the appearance
of the individual carrot.
(3)
Fairly uniform means not more than 20 percent of the carrots in individual
samples vary in length more than two inches, or in diameter more than 3/4
inches.
(4) Firm means that the
carrot is not soft, flabby or shriveled.
(5) Clean means that the individual carrot is
practically free from dirt and other foreign matter.
(6) Fairly well colored means that the carrot
has an orange, orange red, or orange scarlet color, but not a pale orange or
distinct yellow color.
(7) Fairly
smooth means that the individual carrot is not rough, ridged, or covered with
secondary rootlets to the extent that the appearance is materially
affected.
(8) Well formed means
that the individual carrot is not forked, or misshapen to the extent that the
appearance is more than slightly affected.
(9) Secondary new top growth means the leaves
or clusters of leaves which have developed outside the original central cluster
of leaf stems.
(10) Damage means
any specific defect described in this section; or an equally objectionable
variation of any one of these defects, any other defect, or any combination of
defects, which materially detracts from the appearance, or the edible or
shipping quality of the individual carrot or the appearance of the sample as a
whole, or which cannot be removed without a loss of more than five percent, by
weight, in the ordinary preparation for use. The following specific defects
shall be considered as damage:
(i) growth
cracks which are not shallow or smooth, or which materially detract from the
appearance of the individual carrot; and
(ii) sunburn which causes a loss of more than
five percent, by weight, in the ordinary preparation for use, except that
superficial light green color at the stem end which does not materially detract
from the appearance of the carrot shall be permitted.
(11) Diameter means the greatest dimension of
the carrot measure at right angles to the longitudinal axis.
(12) Fairly well formed means that the
individual carrot is not forked, or misshapen to the extent that the appearance
is materially affected.
(13)
Excessively rough means that the individual carrot is rough or ridged to the
extent that the appearance is seriously affected.
(14) Seriously misshapen means that the
individual carrot is forked or misshapen to the extent that the appearance is
seriously affected.
(15) Serious
damage means any defect, or any combination of defects, which seriously
detracts from the appearance, or the edible or shipping quality of the
individual carrot or the appearance of the sample as a whole, or which cannot
be removed without a loss of more than 20 percent, by weight, in the ordinary
preparation for use.
(c)
Size.
(1) The diameter of each carrot is not
less that 3/4 inches or more than 1 1/2inches.
(2) The length is not less than five inches,
unless specified as "mini or baby", whereas the maximum length will be five
inches and the maximum diameter will be 3/4 inches.
(3) Individual samples shall be fairly
uniform.
(d) Tolerances.
In order to allow for variations incident to proper grading and handling, the
following tolerances, by count, are provided as specified:
(1) For defects. Ten percent for carrots in
any lot which fail to meet the requirements: provided, that not more than
one-half of this amount, or five percent, shall be allowed for defects causing
serious damage, including therein not more than one percent for carrots
affected by soft rot.
(2) For
off-size. Five percent for carrots in any lot which are larger than the
specified maximum diameter, 10 percent for carrots in any lot which are smaller
than the specified minimum diameter or shorter than the specified minimum
length and 10 percent of the samples may fail to meet fairly uniform
requirement.
(e)
Application of tolerances. Individual samples shall not have more than double
the tolerance specified: provided, that not more than one carrot which is
frozen or affected by soft rot may be permitted in any package weighing
approximately three pounds or less: and provided further, that the averages for
the entire lot are within the tolerances specified for the grade. Individual
samples may not contain less than 40 percent well formed.
(f) Sample for grade determination. Each
sample shall consist of 50 carrots. When individual packages contain at least
50 carrots, the sample is drawn from one package; when individual packages
contain less than 50 carrots, a sufficient number of adjoining packages are
opened to form a 50 carrot sample.
(g) Packing. Carrots must be packed in new 50
or 25 pound film or mesh sacks, or master containers containing 48-one pound,
24-two pound or 10-five pound bags, or any other new standard packaging that is
subject to approval by the Department of Agriculture and Markets. Package
approval shall be based upon the ability of the package to maintain the quality
standards and integrity of the product.
(h) Markings. Each package of carrots
packaged and offered for sale under the Seal of Quality shall have affixed the
official seal designation.
