Grades and Requirements for Head Lettuce
Application
155. The grades and requirements set out in sections 156 to 159 apply to
lettuce varieties grown from Lactuca sativa var. capitata, Iceberg type.
Grades and Grade Names
156. The grades and grade names for head lettuce are Canada No. 1 and
Canada No. 2.
Requirements for All Grades
157. In addition to the requirements for each grade and subject to the
general tolerances set out in section 160, head lettuce of all grades must
• (a) be properly packaged;
• (b) have similar varietal characteristics;
• (c) be trimmed so that the butt is cut off close to the point of
attachment for the wrapper leaves;
• (d) have not more than eight wrapper leaves;
• (e) have head leaves that are crisp and wrapper leaves that are not
more than slightly wilted;
• (f) be free from decay, tipburn and brown blight;
• (g) have heads that are not split or burst;
• (h) have no heads the shape of which clearly indicates more than
one centre of growth; and
• (i) have no heads that plainly show the formation of a seed stem.
Canada No. 1 Grade Requirements
158. In addition to meeting the requirements for all grades set out in
section 157, head lettuce graded Canada No. 1 must
• (a) have any coarse or damaged wrapper leaves removed;
• (b) have heads that are compact and yield only slightly to pressure;
• (c) if prepackaged, not vary by more than 51 mm (2 inches) in
diameter; and
• (d) be free from any other damage, defect or combination of
damage and defects that materially affects the appearance, edibilit
y or shipping quality of the lettuce.
Canada No. 2 Grade Requirements
159. In addition to meeting the requirements for all grades set out in
section 157, head lettuce graded Canada No. 2 must
• (a) have any coarse leaves removed;
• (b) have heads that show characteristic formation for the type; and
• (c) be free from any damage, defect or combination of damage and
defects that
o (i) seriously affects the appearance, edibility or shipping
quality of the lettuce, or
o (ii) cannot be removed without a loss of some of the compact
portions of the head.
General Tolerances
160. (1) In the grading of head lettuce, the requirements set out in
sections 158 and 159, as applicable, are considered to be met if
• (a) not more than 10%, by count, of the heads of lettuce in a lot
inspected at the time of shipping or repackaging, have defects
including not more than
o (i) 2% that are affected by decay in the compact portion, and
o (ii) 3% of the heads, including those referred to in
subparagraph (i), affected by decay; and
• (b) not more than 10%, by count, of the heads of lettuce in a lot
inspected at a time other than at the time of shipping or
repackaging, have permanent defects; and
• (c) in either of the cases referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b), not
more than 10% of the packages in the lot possess a greater or lesser
number of heads than the number labelled on the packages or
contain heads that exceed the maximum diameter variation set out
in paragraph 158(c).
(2) Condition defects apply against the grade of a lot of head lettuce only
when the lot is inspected at the time of shipping or repackaging.
