Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 543/2011Show full title

[F1 II. PROVISIONS CONCERNING QUALITY U.K.

The purpose of the standard is to define the quality requirements for citrus fruit after preparation and packaging.

However, at stages following dispatch products may show in relation to the requirements of the standard:

• a slight lack of freshness and turgidity,

• for products graded in classes other than the ‘Extra’ Class, a slight deterioration due to their development and their tendency to perish.

A. Minimum requirements U.K.

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

• intact,

• free of bruising and/or extensive healed overcuts,

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

• clean, practically free of any visible foreign matter,

• practically free from pests,

• free from damage caused by pests affecting the flesh,

• free of signs of shrivelling and dehydration,

• free of damage caused by low temperature or frost,

• free of abnormal external moisture,

• free of any foreign smell and/or taste.

The development and condition of the citrus fruit must be such as to enable it:

• to withstand transportation and handling, and

• to arrive in satisfactory condition at the place of destination.

B. Maturity requirements U.K.

The citrus fruit must have reached an appropriate degree of development and ripeness, account being taken of criteria proper to the variety, the time of picking and the growing area.

Maturity of citrus fruit is defined by the following parameters specified for each species below:

• minimum juice content,

• minimum sugar/acid ratio(1),

• colouring.

The degree of colouring shall be such that following normal development the citrus fruit reach the colour typical of the variety at their destination point.

a For the varieties Mandora and Minneola the minimum sugar/acid ratio is 6,0:1 until the end of the marketing year commencing 1 January 2023.
	Minimum juice content (per cent)	Minimum sugar/acid ratio	Colouring
Lemons	20		Must be typical of the variety. Fruit with a green (but not dark green) colour is allowed, provided it satisfies the minimum requirements as to juice content
Satsumas, clementines, other mandarin varieties and their hybrids
Satsumas	33	6,5:1	Must be typical of the variety on at least one third of the surface of the fruit
Clementines	40	7,0:1
Other mandarin varieties and their hybrids	33	7,5:1 a
Oranges
Blood oranges	30	6,5:1	Must be typical of the variety. However, fruit with light green colour not exceeding one fifth of the total surface area of the fruit is allowed, provided it satisfies the minimum requirements as to juice content. Oranges produced in areas with high temperatures and high relative humidity conditions during the developing period having a green colour exceeding one fifth of the surface area of the fruit are allowed, provided they satisfy the minimum requirements as to juice content.
Navels group	33	6,5:1
Other varieties	35	6,5:1
Mosambi, Sathgudi and Pacitan with more than one fifth green colour	33
Other varieties with more than one fifth green colour	45

Citrus fruit meeting these maturity requirements may be ‘degreened’. This treatment is only permitted if the other natural organoleptic characteristics are not modified.

C. Classification U.K.

Citrus fruit is classified in three classes, as defined below:

(i) ‘ Extra ’ Class U.K.

Citrus fruit in this class must be of superior quality. It must be characteristic of the variety and/or commercial type.

It must be free from defects, with the exception of very slight superficial defects, provided these do not affect the general appearance of the produce, the quality, the keeping quality and presentation in the package.

(ii) Class I U.K.

Citrus fruit in this class must be of good quality. It must be characteristic of the variety and/or commercial type.

The following slight defects, however, may be allowed provided these do not affect the general appearance of the produce, the quality, the keeping quality and presentation in the package:

• a slight defect in shape,

• slight defects in colouring, including slight sunburn,

• slight progressive skin defects, provided they do not affect the flesh,

• slight skin defects occurring during the formation of the fruit, such as silver scurfs, russets or pest damage,

• slight healed defects due to a mechanical cause such as hail damage, rubbing or damage from handling,

• slight and partial detachment of the peel (or rind) for all fruit of the mandarin group.

(iii) Class II U.K.

This class includes citrus fruit which does not qualify for inclusion in the higher classes but satisfies the minimum requirements specified above.

The following defects may be allowed, provided the citrus fruit retains its essential characteristics as regards the quality, the keeping quality and presentation:

• defects in shape,

• defects in colouring, including sunburn,

• progressive skin defects, provided they do not affect the flesh,

• skin defects occurring during the formation of the fruit, such as silver scurfs, russets or pest damage,

• healed defects due to a mechanical cause such as hail damage, rubbing or damage from handling,

• superficial healed skin alterations,

• rough skin,

• a slight and partial detachment of the peel (or rind) for oranges and a partial detachment of the peel (or rind) for all fruit of the mandarin group.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Substituted by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/428 of 12 July 2018 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) No 543/2011 as regards marketing standards in the fruit and vegetables sector.

(1)

[F1 Calculated as described in the OECD guidance on objective tests, available at: http://www.oecd.org/agriculture/fruit-vegetables/publications.]

Textual Amendments

F1 Substituted by Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2019/428 of 12 July 2018 amending Implementing Regulation (EU) No 543/2011 as regards marketing standards in the fruit and vegetables sector.