Quality

Quality classification standard for cleaned cloudberries

I DEFINITION OF PRODUCT
This classification standard applies to fresh or frozen cleaned wild Cloudberries (Rubus chamaemorus L.)

II QUALITY REQUIREMENTS
The purpose of the standard is to define the quality requirements and quality classification for Cloudberries at delivery or after cleaning and freezing.

A. Minimum requirements
Applied to all classes and in addition to the quality tolerance and specific requirements of each class.

Cloudberries must:

be fresh in appearance
be sound: berries which are spoiled or inedible due to due to fermentation or for other reasons are not acceptable
be clean: berries should be free from foreign matter or abnormal external moisture
be of good visual quality

Cloudberries must not:

have foreign taste or smell
have added suger or other dissolved addatives
contain more than 10% by weight of defective berries: Unripe or overripe, damaged by frost, insects or plant diseases, incompletely developed, defective in colour, dried (more than 1/4 of lobes hardened), other edible berries.
contain not more than 60 particles/kg of impurites: leaves, stems or other harmless foreign matter.

B. Classification
Cloudberries are classified in three quality classes:

Extra class
Cloudberries in this class must be:

of superior quality, well developed
of typical uniform Cloudberry colour - yellow or yellow with traces of red
uniform in size
of excellent typical Cloudberry flavour

Class I
Cloudberries in this class must be:

of good quality, well developed
well coloured
uniform in size
of good typical Cloudberry flavour

Class II
Cloudberries in this class must be:

reasonably well developed
of typical Cloudberry colour
of good typical Cloudberry flavour

III QUALITY TOLERANCE
Berries not meeting the requirements of each class are allowed according to the following quantities and conditions per shipment.

Extra class

a maximum of 5% by weight of berries not meeting the requirements of this class are allowable, providing they meet the standard of Class I
the proportion of defective Cloudberries should not be more than 2% by weight
practically free of foreign matter

Class I

a maximum of 10% by weight of berries not meeting the requirements of this class are allowable, providing they meet the standard of Class II
the proportion of defective berries should not be more than 5% by weight
not more than 30 particles/kg of foreign matter is allowable
squashed berries must also meet class requirements

Class II

a maximum of 10% by weight of berries not meeting the requirements of this class are allowable, providing they meet the minimum standard
proportion of defective berries should not be more than 8% by weight
not more than 50 particles/kg of foreign matter is allowable
squashed berries must also meet class requirements

IV PACKING

A. Uniformity of quality
The contents of every package must be uniform. Packages must contain berries of the same origin and quality. In the Extra class the contents of each package must have uniformity in size and degree of ripeness. The visible part of the contents of the package must represent the entirety.

B. Packaging
Cloudberries must be packaged in such a way that the produce is well protected. Materials used inside the package must be new, clean and of such quality that they do not cause any internal or external damage to the product. Non toxic inks and glues must be used on packaging. Packages must not contain foreign matter or objects.

V MARKINGS
Each package must have the following markings on the same side of the package, clearly and permanently written. Markings must be visible on the outer surface.

Name of the product, if it is not visible from the outside
Quality class
Name and address of manufacturer, packer or seller
Origin: county or area, country or district where it is grown, a regional or local place name is also recommended.
Net weight