Grades and Requirements for Field Tomatoes

Grades and Requirements for Field Tomatoes
Application
187. (1) The grades and requirements set out in sections 188 to 191 apply to tomato varieties grown
from Lycopersicum esculentum that are not grown in artificial conditions under glass or other
protective covering, except during the initial stages of growth.
(2) The grades and requirements referred to in subsection (1) do not apply to cherry tomatoes.
Grades and Grade Names
188. The grades and grade names for field tomatoes are Canada No. 1 and Canada No. 2.
Requirements for All Grades
189. (1) The following definitions apply in this section.
“firm-ripe” means
• (a) a tomato has at least 75% of its surface area of a pink or red colour; and
• (b) if tomatoes are prepackaged, that
o (i) not less than 90%, by count, of the tomatoes in a lot are firm-ripe, and
o (ii) not more than 10%, by count, of the tomatoes in a lot are semi-ripe. (fermes et
mûres)
“mature” means
• (a) that a tomato is fully developed, well filled out, gives a feeling of springiness and pliability
when pressure is applied, is bright and waxy in appearance, has seeds that are well
developed and seed cavities of a jelly-like consistency and has an external colour that shows
at least a definite break from a green to a straw ground colour; and
• (b) if tomatoes are prepackaged, that
o (i) in the case of tomatoes grown in British Columbia or Manitoba,
▪ (A) not less than 75%, by count, of the tomatoes in a lot are mature, and
▪ (B) not more than 25%, by count, of the tomatoes in a lot are turning, and
o (ii) in the case of tomatoes grown other than in British Columbia or Manitoba,
▪ (A) not less than 90%, by count, of the tomatoes in a lot are mature, and
▪ (B) not more than 10%, by count, of the tomatoes in a lot are turning.
(parvenues à maturité)
“semi-ripe” means
• (a) a tomato has not less than 25% and not more than 75% of its surface area of a pink or red
colour; and
• (b) if tomatoes are prepackaged, that
o (i) not less than 90%, by count, of the tomatoes in a lot are semi-ripe, and
o (ii) not more than 10%, by count, of the tomatoes in a lot are firm-ripe or turning.
(demi-mûres)
“turning” means
• (a) a tomato has not more than 25% of its surface area of a pink or red colour; and
• (b) if tomatoes are prepackaged, that
o (i) not less than 90%, by count, of the tomatoes in a lot have the colour described in
paragraph (a), and
o (ii) not more than 10%, by count, of the tomatoes in a lot are mature or semi-ripe.
(mûrissantes)
(2) In addition to the requirements for each grade and subject to the general tolerances set out in
section 192, field tomatoes of all grades must
• (a) be properly packaged;
• (b) have similar varietal characteristics;
• (c) if prepackaged, have reached one of the following stages of development, namely,
“mature”, “turning”, “semi-ripe”, or “firm-ripe”;
• (d) in the case of pear and plum type tomatoes, have a minimum diameter of 32 mm (1 ¼
inches);
• (e) be sound; and
• (f) be free from water blisters or open wet cracks.
Canada No. 1 Grade Requirements
190. (1) In this section, “clean” means a tomato is not contaminated and is free from dirt, dust, spray
residue, wax marks or other foreign material. (propres)
(2) In addition to meeting the requirements for all grades set out in section 189, field tomatoes
graded Canada No. 1 must
• (a) be clean;
• (b) be not noticeably ridged, angular or indented;
• (c) be free from puffiness that causes a tomato to be distinctly light in weight;
• (d) in the case of tomatoes other than the pear and plum types, have
o (i) a minimum diameter of 51 mm (2 inches) and if prepackaged in a closed package,
with the exception of packages with only one tomato, have a maximum variation in
diameter of 25 mm (1 inch), or
o (ii) a minimum diameter of 38 mm (1 ½ inches) and a maximum diameter of 51 mm
(2 inches), where prepackaged in a package on which is labelled the size designation
“Small” or “38 mm to 51 mm” or “1 ½ inches to 2 inches”;
• (e) be free from disease, scald, bruises or soft areas;
• (f) be free from growth cracks that are
o (i) not well healed, or
o (ii) well healed, but exceed in aggregate length
▪ (A) 19 mm (¾ inch) if the cracks are radial from the stem end, and
▪ (B) the circumference of a circle 32 mm (1 ¼ inches) in diameter if the cracks
are concentric around the stem end;
• (g) be free from blossom-end scars that are not reasonably smooth or that are greater in
diameter than one-quarter of the diameter of the tomato;
• (h) be free from plant or stem rub that affects an aggregate area per tomato exceeding 13
mm (½ inch) in diameter;
• (i) be free from insect damage that
o (i) is not well healed, or
o (ii) is well healed but exceeds two such defects per tomato; and
• (j) be free from any other damage, defect or combination of damage and defects that
materially affects the appearance, edibility or shipping quality of the tomatoes.
Canada No. 2 Grade Requirements
191. (1) In this section, “reasonably clean” means a tomato is not contaminated and is reasonably
free from dirt, dust, spray residue, wax marks or other foreign material. (raisonnablement propres)
(2) In addition to meeting the requirements for all grades set out in section 189, field tomatoes
graded Canada No. 2 must
• (a) be reasonably clean;
• (b) be not so misshapen or deformed as to seriously affect their appearance;
• (c) in the case of tomatoes other than the pear and plum types, have a minimum diameter of
44 mm (1 ¾ inches);
• (d) be free from blossom-end scars that
o (i) are rough or indented, or
o (ii) exceed 5% of the surface area of a tomato; and
• (e) be free from any other damage, defect or combination of damage and defects that
seriously affects the appearance, edibility or shipping quality of the tomatoes.
General Tolerances
192. (1) In the grading of field tomatoes, the requirements set out in sections 190 and 191, as
applicable, are considered to be met if
• (a) not more than 10%, by count, of the field tomatoes in a lot inspected at the time of
shipping or repackaging have defects, including not more than
o (i) 3% that are affected by soft areas, water blisters, open wet cracks or decay, and
o (ii) 5% that have the same permanent defect other than a defect referred to in
subparagraphs (c) (i) to (iii);
• (b) not more than 10%, by count, of the field tomatoes in a lot inspected at a time other than
at the time of shipping or repackaging have permanent defects other than those referred to
in subparagraphs (c) (i) to (iii), including not more than 5% that have the same permanent
defect; and
• (c) in either of the cases referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b), not more than
o (i) 5%, by count, of the tomatoes in the lot have less than the minimum diameter,
o (ii) 5%, by count, of the tomatoes in the lot exceed the maximum diameter,
o (iii) 10% of the packages in the lot contain tomatoes that exceed the maximum
diameter variation set out in subparagraph 190(2)(d)(i),
o (iv) in the case of tomatoes grown in British Columbia or Manitoba, 25%, by count, of
the tomatoes in the lot vary in maturity by not more than one degree of maturity,
and
o (v) in the case of tomatoes grown other than in British Columbia or Manitoba, 10%,
by count, of the tomatoes in the lot vary in maturity by not more than one degree of
maturity.
(2) Condition defects apply against the grade of a lot of field tomatoes only when the lot is inspected
at the time of shipping or repackaging.