Agricultural Product Standards Act, 1990 (Act No. 119 of 1990)RegulationsRegulations relating to the Grading, Packing, and Marking of Table Olives intended for sale in the Republic of South Africa10. Packing media (packing brines) |
| (1) | Table olives may be packed in brine, i.e. a solution of food grade salts dissolved in potable water, with or without the addition of all or some of the ingredients listed under regulation 4(3): Provided that the brine shall be clean, free from foreign matter and have a characteristic colour, flavour and odour. |
| (2) | Fermented olives held in a packing medium may contain micro-organisms used for fermentation, notably lactic acid bacteria and yeasts. |
| (3) | The physico-chemical characteristics of the packing brine, or the juice from the pulp after osmotic balance, depending on the applied conservation treatment, shall be as follows: |
Type and preparation |
Minimum sodium chloride content |
Maximum pH limit |
Treated olives |
5.0% |
4.3 |
Natural olives |
6.0% |
4.3 |
Pasteurized treated and natural olives |
GMP |
4.3 |
Dehydrated and/or shrivelled olives |
8.0% |
GMP |
Darkened by oxidation with alkaline treatment and green ripe olives |
GMP |
GMP |
GMP - Good manufacturing practice
| 4) | Trade preparations of table olives not complying with the physico–chemical characteristics in subregulation (3) shall be appropriately processed to ensure that they are fit for human consumption. |
| (5) | The presence of propionic acid and its salts may be observed in table olive trade preparations that have undergone fermentation in conformity with good manufacturing practice (GMP). |