ARS 831: Fresh bananas -- Specification

2012·1.1 MB·English

by  African Organisation for Standardisation (ARSO – ORAN)

The African Organisation
for Standardisation
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ARS 831 (2012) (English): Fresh bananas
-- Specification

AFRICAN CD-ARS
STANDARD 831

First Edition 2012

Fresh bananas — Specification

Reference No. ARS 831:2012(E)
ICS 67.080.20

© ARSO 2012
CD-ARS 831:2012

Table of contents

1 Scope ......................................................................................................................................... 1
2 Normative references ................................................................................................................. 1
3 Definitions .................................................................................................................................. 1
4 Provisions concerning quality .................................................................................................... 2
4.1 General ...................................................................................................................................... 2
4.2 Minimum requirements ............................................................................................................... 2
4.3 Classification .............................................................................................................................. 3
5 Provisions concerning sizes ....................................................................................................... 4
6 Provisions concerning tolerances .............................................................................................. 4
6.1 Quality tolerances ...................................................................................................................... 5
6.2 Size tolerances ........................................................................................................................... 5
7 Provisions concerning presentation ........................................................................................... 5
7.1 Uniformity ................................................................................................................................... 5
7.2 Packaging .................................................................................................................................. 5
7.3 Presentation ............................................................................................................................... 5
8 Marking or labelling .................................................................................................................... 6
8.1 Consumer packages .................................................................................................................. 6
8.2 Non-retail containers .................................................................................................................. 6
9 Contaminants ............................................................................................................................. 7
9.1 Heavy metals ............................................................................................................................. 7
9.2 Pesticide residues ...................................................................................................................... 7
10 Hygiene ...................................................................................................................................... 7
11 Sampling and test ...................................................................................................................... 7
Annex A (informative) List of the main groups, sub-groups and cultivars of bananas for dessert ........ 8
Annex B (informative) Green bananas — Guide to storage and transport ............................................ 9
Annex C (informative) Examples of bananas ....................................................................................... 14

ii © ARSO 2012 — All rights reserved
CD-ARS 831:2012

Foreword

The African Organization for Standardization (ARS) is an African intergovernmental organization
made up of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA) and the Organization of
African Unity (AU). One of the fundamental mandates of ARSO is to develop and harmonize African
Standards (ARS) for the purpose of enhancing Africa’s internal trading capacity, increase Africa’s
product and service competitiveness globally and uplift the welfare of African communities. The work
of preparing African Standards is normally carried out through ARSO technical committees. Each
Member State interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been established has the
right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, regional economic
communities (RECs), governmental and non-governmental organizations, in liaison with ARSO, also
take part in the work.

ARSO Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.

The main task of technical committees is to prepare ARSO Standards. Draft ARSO Standards
adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an
ARSO Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote.

Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of
patent rights. ARSO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.

This African Standard was prepared by the ARSO Technical Harmonization Committee on Agriculture
and Food Products (ARSO/THC 1).

© African Organisation for Standardisation 2012 — All rights reserved*

ARSO Central Secretariat
International House 3rd Floor
P. O. Box 57363 — 00200 City Square
NAIROBI, KENYA

Tel. [phone]
Fax: [phone]
E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.arso-oran.org

*
 2012 ARSO — All rights of exploitation reserved worldwide for African Member States’ NSBs.

© ARSO 2012 — All rights reserved iii
CD-ARS 831:2012

Copyright notice

This ARSO document is copyright-protected by ARSO. While the reproduction of this document
by participants in the ARSO standards development process is permitted without prior
permission from ARSO, neither this document nor any extract from it may be reproduced, stored
or transmitted in any form for any other purpose without prior written permission from ARSO.

Requests for permission to reproduce this document for the purpose of selling it should be
addressed as shown below or to ARSO’s member body in the country of the requester:

© African Organisation for Standardisation 2012 — All rights reserved

ARSO Central Secretariat
International House 3rd Floor
P.O. Box 57363 — 00200 City Square
NAIROBI, KENYA

Tel: [phone]
Fax: [phone]

E-mail: [email protected]
Web: www.arso-oran.org

Reproduction for sales purposes may be subject to royalty payments or a licensing agreement.
Violators may be prosecuted.

iv © ARSO 2012 — All rights reserved
CD-ARS 831:2012

Introduction

Bananas form an important part of trade across the borders of Africa as well as international trade.
This standard has been developed to facilitate this trade by emphasising on the quality factors and
grading of bananas to attract commensurate pricing.

© ARSO 2012 — All rights reserved v

AFRICAN STANDARD CD-ARS 831:2012(E)

Fresh bananas — Specification

1 Scope

This Standard applies to commercial varieties of bananas grown from Musa spp. of the Musaceae
family, in the green state, to be supplied fresh to the consumer, after preparation and packaging.

Bananas intended for cooking only (plantains) or for industrial processing are excluded. Varieties
covered by this Standard are included in Annex A.

2 Normative references

The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced
document (including any amendments) applies.

ARS 53, General principles of food hygiene — Code of practice

ARS 56, Prepackaged foods — Labelling

CAC/RCP 44, Recommended international code of practice for the packaging and transport of tropical
fresh fruits and vegetables

CAC/RCP 53, Code of hygienic practice for fresh fruits and vegetables

CODEX STAN 193, Codex general standard for contaminants and toxins in food and feed

ISO 874, Fresh fruits and vegetables — Sampling

3 Definitions

For the purpose of this standard the following definitions apply:

3.1
blemish
any physical injury affecting the surface of the fruit, such as scars, healed cracks and discoloured
spots, which detracts from its natural appearance, but will not significantly affect its shelf life

3.2
clean (visual)
the fruit shall be free from adhering soil, insects, chemical deposits and other foreign matter

3.3
cluster
part of a hand of bananas, normally distributed in two finger or five finger fruits

3.4
correct length
outer whorl fingers adjacent to cut side of the cluster, measurement of pulp from end to the base of
pedicel on outer curve of the finger, found to be less or more than that specified based on market
requirements

3.5
damage caused by pests
clusters showing cured damage to the peel due to the feeding or nesting of pests such as slugs,
caterpillars, rodents or birds.
© ARSO 2012 — All rights reserved 1
CD-ARS 831:2012

3.6
deflowered
the removal of the flower ends attached to clusters

3.7
disease
any defect or combination of defects caused by micro-organisms

3.8
finger end rot
abnormal constriction at the blossom-end and blackening of the pulp when split open

3.9
firm
not soft or shrivelled

3.10
fresh
clusters showing coloured crowns or pedicels or fruits which are not dehydrated

3.11
fused fingers
two or more fingers joined together

3.12
malformed finger
a unit or fingers on a cluster which do not conform to the general physical characteristics of the
banana

3.13
turning
clusters showing yellowing of the pulp of a finger

4 Provisions concerning quality

4.1 General

The purpose of the standard is to define the quality requirements for bananas at the market control
stage, after preparation and packaging.

The holder/seller of products may not display such products or offer them for sale, or deliver or market
them in any manner other than in conformity with this standard. The holder shall be responsible for
observing such conformity.

4.2 Minimum requirements

4.2.1 In all classes, subject to the special provisions for each class and the tolerances allowed, the
bananas must be:

a) whole (taking the finger as the reference);

b) sound, produce affected by rotting or deterioration such as to make it unfit for consumption is
excluded;

c) clean, practically free of any visible foreign matter;

d) practically free of pests affecting the general appearance of the produce;

e) free of damage caused by low and/or high temperatures;
2 © ARSO 2012 — All rights reserved