1 CRR-NY 162.7NY-CRR
1 CRR-NY 162.7
1 CRR-NY 162.7
162.7 Cantaloupe (muskmelon) standards.
(a) General.
New York State Seal of Quality cantaloupe shall be cantaloupe (muskmelon) of one type which are mature and have high internal quality and uniform appearance, but are not over-ripe or soft or wilted, which are well formed, well netted, and free from decay, wet slip and sunscald, and free from damage caused by liquid in the seed cavity, sunburn, hail, dirt, surface mold or other disease, aphis or other insects, scars, cracks, sunken areas, ground spot, bruises, or mechanical or other means.
(b) Definitions.
(1) High internal quality means that the combined juice from the edible portion of a sample of cantaloupes (muskmelons) selected at random contains not less than 9.3 percent soluble solids as determined by an approved hand refractometer.
(2) Uniform in appearance means that not more than one-tenth of the packages in any lot contain cantaloupes (muskmelons) which show sufficient variation in shape, size, ground color or netting to materially detract from the appearance of the contents of the individual packages, or which are not packed according to the approved and recognized methods for the package.
(3) One type means that the cantaloupes (muskmelons) in any container are similar in color of flesh and are not decidedly different in shape, character of netting and prominence of ribbing.
(4) Mature means that the muskmelon has reached the stage of maturity which will insure the proper completion of normal ripening process.
(5) Soft means that the muskmelon yields readily to slight pressure.
(6) Wilted means that the muskmelon lacks turgidity and is somewhat flabby, spongy and pliable under moderate pressure.
(7) Well formed means that the muskmelon has the normal shape characteristic of the variety.
(8) Well netted means that to an extent characteristic of variety the muskmelon is well covered with fully developed, well-raised netting, some portion of which is well rounded with practically no crease.
(9) Decay means breakdown, disintegration or fermentation of flesh or rind of the muskmelon caused by bacteria or fungi.
(10) Wet slip means a condition present at time of packing in which the stem scar is abnormally large, excessively wet and slippery, yields to slight pressure, and is frequently accompanied by fresh radial growth cracks at the edge of the stem scar.
(11) Sunscald means discolored or bleached, sunken areas of the surface having tough epidermis with underlying flesh leathery and usually off color.
(12) 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 muskmelon. The following specific defects shall be considered damage:
(i) when more than a slight amount of liquid is present in the seed cavity;
(ii) sunburn when the color of the flesh is materially changed; when the rind is hard, tough, thin, or definitely flattened; when distinct flattening of the netting or dark yellow surface discoloration affects an aggregate area exceeding 20 percent of the surface of the muskmelon, or when brown, gray, purple or dark green surface discoloration detracts from the appearance of the muskmelon to a greater extent than the area of dark yellow discoloration permitted;
(iii) hail when the injury is unhealed or deep;
(iv) surface mold when the color, character, or location of the mold materially detracts from the muskmelon;
(v) aphis when aphis honeydew is more than slightly sticky or when resulting discoloration more than slightly detracts from the appearance of the muskmelon;
(vi) scars when healed, shallow, smooth and light colored and the aggregate area affected exceeds five percent of the surface of the muskmelon; or when deep rough or dark colored detracting from the appearance to a greater extent than the area healed, shallow, smooth and light colored scars permitted. Smooth scarring at the blossom end and coalesced netting should not be considered in determining damage caused by scarring unless materially detracting from the appearance of the muskmelon;
(vii) cracks when deep or not dry. Slight dry cracks at the ends or the sutures of the muskmelon shall not be considered damage;
(viii) ground spot when the rind of the affected area is thin or weak, or when the size or color of the affected area or the character of netting on the area in relation to the remainder of the surface of the muskmelon materially detracts from the appearance of the muskmelon;
(ix) bruises when the surface of the muskmelon is definitely flattened or indented, or when the underlying flesh is noticeably discolored; and
(x) mechanical means when cuts or gouges are deep or when any skin break is unhealed.
(13) Serious 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 seriously detracts from the appearance, or the edible or shipping quality of the muskmelon. The following specific defects shall be considered as serious damage:
(i) when a large amount of liquid is present in the seed cavity or the flesh of the cavity wall is noticeably soft or discolored or when any fermentation is present;
(ii) sunburn when the flesh is seriously discolored, when causing cracking of the rind, or when causing flattening of the rind which seriously detracts from the appearance of the muskmelon;
(iii) hail when the injury in unhealed;
(iv) surface mold when the color, character, or location of the mold seriously detracts from the appearance or marketing quality of the muskmelon;
(v) cracks when fresh and deep;
(vi) bruises when the surface of the muskmelon is seriously flattened or indented or when a material portion of the underlying flesh is broken down; and
(viii) mechanical means when fresh cuts or gouges extend into the edible portion of the muskmelon.
(14) Permanent defects means defects which are not subject to change during shipping or storage, including but not limited to factors of shape, netting scarring, sunscald, sunburn and injury caused by hail or insects, and mechanical injury which is so located as to indicate that it occurred prior to shipment.
(15) Condition defects means defects which may develop or change during shipment or storage, including but not limited to decayed or soft cantaloupes (muskmelons) and such factors as liquid in the seed cavity, surface mold, sunken areas, fresh cracks, and bruising which is so located as to indicate that it occurred after packing.
(c) Tolerances.
In order to allow for variations incident to proper grading and handling the following tolerances, by count, shall be permitted, except that these tolerances shall not apply to the requirement relating to internal quality, and uniformity of appearance. Eight percent for cantaloupes (muskmelons) in any lot which fail to meet the requirements of this grade: provided, that included in this amount not more than four percent shall be allowed for defects causing serious damage, including in this latter amount not more than one percent which are affected by decay or mold.
(d) Application of tolerances.
The contents of individual packages are subject to the following limitation: provided, that the averages for the entire lot are within the tolerances specified. A package may contain not more than double any specified tolerance except that at least two defective specimens may be permitted in any package.
(e) Packing.
Cantaloupes must be packed in new standard cartons and are 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.
(f) Markings.
Each package or display of cantaloupes (muskmelons) offered for sale under the Seal of Quality program shall have affixed the official seal designation.
1 CRR-NY 162.7
Current through January 15, 2022
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IMPORTANT NOTE REGARDING CONTENT CURRENCY: JULY 31, 2023, is the date of the most recently produced official NYCRR supplement covering this rule section. For later updates to this section, if any, please: consult editions of the NYS Register published after this date; or contact the NYS Department of State Division of Admisnistrative Rules at [email protected]. See Help for additional information on the currency of this unofficial version of the NYS Rules.