Agricultural Product Standards Act, 1990 (Act No. 119 of 1990)RegulationsGrading, Packing and Marking of Peaches and Nectarines intended for sale in the Republic of South AfricaMethods of Inspection15. Determination of ripeness |
| (1) | The ripeness of peach and nectarine cultivars in a consignment shall be determined with a handheld penetrometer or a penetrometer mounted on a drill stand with a plunger of 11,2 mm or 8 mm in diameter. |
(2)
| (a) | The ripeness of peach and nectarine cultivars, excluding the nectarine cultivars Armking and April Glo, shall be determined as follows: |
| (i) | Take as working sample 10 peaches and nectarines at random, from the inspection sample obtained in accordance with regulation 13: Provided that such peaches and nectarines shall be free from defects such as sunburn and pests or disease damage, which may have affected the normal ripening process. |
| (ii) | Remove a thin slice of peel from opposite sides on the center of each peach and nectarine, in such a manner that the suture of the peach and nectarine is avoided. |
| (iii) | Hold the peach and nectarine firmly with one hand: Provided that if a handheld penetrometer is used your hand must rest on a rigid surface. |
| (iv) | Zero the penetrometer and place the applicable plunger head on the spot where the skin was removed. |
| (v) | Apply steady downward pressure on the penetrometer until the plunger has penetrated the flesh of the peach and nectarine up to the depth mark of the plunger. |
| (vi) | Remove the plunger and note the reading on the penetrometer, to one decimal. |
| (vii) | Repeat the process on the opposite side of the same peach and nectarine after zeroing the penetrometer. |
| (viii) | Determine the average of the two pressure readings for each peach and nectarine. |
| (b) | If the fruit is fully developed, swelled out and mature, and adheres to the minimum average total soluble solids content as set out in Table 3B, then the maximum pressure per fruit shall not be applicable |
(3)
| (a) | The ripeness of the nectarine cultivar Armking and April Glo shall be determined as follows: |
| (i) | Take as working sample 10 nectarines at random from the inspection sample obtained in accordance with regulation 13: Provided that such nectarines shall be free from defects such as sunburn and pests or disease damage, which may have affected the normal ripening process. |
| (ii) | Remove a thin slice of peel on the suture, 11 millimetre from the tip of the nectarine, as well as from the same position on the opposite side of the nectarine. |
| (iii) | Hold the nectarine firmly with one hand: Provided that if a handheld penetrometer is used your hand must rest on a rigid surface. |
| (iv) | Zero the penetrometer and place the plunger head of 11,2 millimetre in diameter on the spot where the skin was removed. |
| (v) | Apply steady downward pressure on the penetrometer until the plunger has penetrated the flesh of the nectarine up to the depth mark of the plunger. |
| (vi) | Remove the plunger and note the reading on the penetrometer, to one decimal. |
| (vii) | Repeat the process on the opposite side of the same nectarine after zeroing the penetrometer. |
| (viii) | Determine the average of the two pressure readings for each nectarine. |
| (b) | If the fruit is fully developed, swelled out and mature, and adheres to the minimum average total soluble solids content as set out in Table 3B, then the maximum pressure per fruit shall not be applicable. |
| (4) | The average total soluble solids on peaches and nectarines shall be determined as follows: |
| (a) | Take as working sample ten fruits randomly chosen from the inspection sample obtained in accordance with item 13. |
| (b) | Make a vertical cut halfway between the core and skin of the fruit on both cheeks. |
| (c) | Make several shallow crosscuts on the flesh of outer part of the fruit in order to obtain juice. |
| (d) | Place an equal number of drops (2 or more) of the juice on the clean prism of a refractometer and note the reading. |
| (e) | Repeat the step in paragraph (d) after the prism plate is cleaned with distilled water and wiped dry. |
| (f) | Determine the average of the two readings. |
| (g) | The average of all ten fruits drawn according to item (4) (a) shall comply with the specified set standard in Table 3A or 3B. |