DNAMS  0024 : 202 3 
                    First Edition  
  
 
 
 
 
NAMIBIAN STANDARD  
  
     
    
    
     
Marketing and com mercial quality control of Gem 
squash  
 
   
 
 
This Namibian standard is a home grown standard  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Published by the Namibian Standards Institution (NSI)  
Established by section 2 of the Standards Act, 2005 (Act No 18 of 2005)   
37 Feld Street  
P.O. Box 26364 Windhoek, Namibia  
Tel +264 -61386400, Fax +264 -61-386454  
Website: wwwnsi.com.na  
© NSI  
DNAMS  0024: 2023  
First Edition     
i   
Contents  
National foreword  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........................  ii 
1. Scope  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ...... 1 
2. Normative  references  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  1 
3. Terms and  Definitions  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...........  1 
4. Provisions concerning quality  ................................ ................................ ..............................  2 
4.1 Minimum requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........  2 
4.2 Maturity requirements  ................................ ................................ ................................ ............  3 
4.3 Classification  ................................ ................................ ................................ .........................  3 
4.3.1 Class I  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............................  3 
4.3.2 Class  II................................ ................................ ................................ ..............................  3 
5. Provisions concerning sizing  ................................ ................................ ...............................  3 
6. Provisions concerning tolerances  ................................ ................................ ........................  3 
6.1 Size toler ances  ................................ ................................ ................................ ......................  4 
6.1.1 Class  I ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............................  4 
6.1.2 Class  II................................ ................................ ................................ ..............................  4 
6.2 Quality to lerance  ................................ ................................ ................................ ....................  4 
6.2.1 Class  I ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............................  4 
6.2.2 Class  II................................ ................................ ................................ ..............................  4 
7. Provisions concerning presentation  ................................ ................................ ....................  4 
7.1 Uniformity  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............................  4 
7.2 Packaging  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..............................  5 
8. Provisions co ncerning marking  ................................ ................................ ............................  5 
8.1 Identification  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..........................  5 
8.2 Nature of produce  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..................  5 
8.3 Origin of produce  ................................ ................................ ................................ ...................  6 
8.4 Comm ercial specifications  ................................ ................................ ................................ ..... 6 
8.5 Official control mark or Official Inspection Mark (optional)  ................................ ......................  6 
9. Contaminants  ................................ ................................ ................................ .........................  6 
10. Hygiene  ................................ ................................ ................................ ................................ ... 6 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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National foreword  
 
This Namibian Standard  (NAMS)  is a homegrown and was approved for adoptions b y the 
Namibian Standards Institution CEO.  
 
Namibian standards are developed based on NSI Standards development procedures in 
accordance with the rules gi ven in the International Organis ation for Standardisation/  
International El ectrot echnical Commission (ISO/IEC) Direc tives 2 and WTO – TBT World 
Trade Organisation code of Good Practice (which is published as Annex 3 in the TBT 
Agreement)  
 
The NSI Management Technic al Committee responsible for  this standard is NSI TC 3, 
Food Safety Management Systems, Subcommittee SC3 on Horticulture products 
standards  
 
 
 
 
This NAMS 0024 :2023 was published in ……….2023  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 DNAMS  0024: 2023  
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iii   DNAMS  0024: 2023  
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1  Marketing and com mercial quality control of Gem 
squash  
 
 
1. Scope  
 
This document applies to Gem squash of the varieties (cultivars) grown from the cucurbit 
family Cucurbita pepo L, having a hard shell and mature seeds commercially produced for 
fresh consumption. Gem squash for industrial processing being excluded.  
 
2. Normative  references  
 
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their 
content constitutes requirements of this documents. For dated references, only the edition 
cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document 
(including any amendments) applies.  Information on currently valid national and international 
standards are obtained from the Namibian S tandards Institution (NSI)  
 
CODEX STAN 193 - 1995 , Codex General Standard for Contaminants and Toxin in Food and 
Feed  
 
CAC/RCP 1 - 1969 , Recommended International Code of Practice - General Principle of Food 
Hygiene  
 
CAC/RCP 53 - 2003 , Code of Hygienic Pract ice for Fresh Fruits and Vegetables  
 
CAC/GL 21 - 1997 , Principle for the Establishment and Application of Microbiological Criteria 
for Foods  
 
CAC/RCP 44 - 1995 , Recommended International Code of Practice for Packaging and 
Transport of Fresh Fruits and Vegetables  
 
3. Terms and  Definitions  
 
For the purpose of this document, the following definitions apply.  
 
3.1 
bulk container  
refers to a squash truck, any vehicle or container used for the transportation or storage of gem 
squash  
 
3.2 
barrier container  
container in which more than one consumer packages are packed  
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2  3.3 
consignment   
quantity  of fresh  vegetable  of the same  kind,  belonging  to the same  owner  and delivered at  the 
same  time; same  delivery  note,  consignment  note or receipt  note, or delivered by the same 
vehicle;  or in the case of a quantity of fresh vegetable that is divided into different cultivars,  
 
classes, pallet  loads,  trademarks,  counts,  size groups  or types  of packaging,  every  quantity  of 
each of the different cultivars, classes, pallet loads, trademarks, counts, size groups or types 
of packaging  
 
3.4 
decay   
state of decomposition or fungus development except dry stem -end rot, partly or completely 
affecting the quality of the gem squash detrimentally  
 
3.5 
foreign matter   
any material not normally present in, on or among gem squash with the exception of soil  
 
4. Provisions concerning quality  
 
This document  describes the quality requirements for produce aft er preparation and 
packaging.  
 
The holder/seller of products shall  not display such products or offer them for sale, or 
deliver or market them in any manner other than in conformity with this standard. Th e 
holder/seller shall be responsible for observing such conformity.  
 
4.1 Minimum requirements  
 
 Subject to the tol erances allowed, gem squash shall  be: 
 
• Be intact  
• Well - formed  
• Free from decay  
• Clean and free from visible foreign matters  
• Free from cold damage, insect damage, mechanical damage or damage caused by 
other organisms;  
• Free from cracks, bruises, injuries, scars, soft and dry rot affecting flesh quality:  
• Free from foreign odours  
• Free from sun -scorch  
• Sound and attractive in appearance and have normal characteristics of the cultivar  
 
The development and condition of the gem squash shall  be such as to enable them:  
• to withstand transportation and handling  
• to arrive in satisfactory condition at the place of destination.  
 
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4.2 Maturity requirements  
 
Gem squash shall be harvested when the fruit is completely matured and post -harvest 
handling is not adversely affected. Features used to determine harvest maturity, including 
the following below:  
 
a) external appearance  
b) hardness of the rind  
c) stem texture  
d) brighter internal colour.  
 
Gem squash shall  be sufficiently developed and display satisfactory maturity and/or ripeness 
according to the species but must not be overripe.  
 
4.3 Classification  
 
Gem squash are classified into two (2) classes, as defined below:  
 
4.3.1 Class I  
 
Gem  squash in this class shall  be of superior quality, normal in shape and free from skin 
defects, mechanical damage and superficial defects affecting the general appearance.  
The stalk shall not exceed 40 mm.  
 
4.3.2 Class  II 
 
Gem squash in this class shall  be of good quality.  
Gem squash may show slight mechanical damages provided that the vegetable is not affected 
and the stalk shall not exceed 40 mm.   
 
5. Provisions concerning sizing  
Class I – Minimum diameter of 60 mm  
Class II – Minimum  diameter of 50 mm  
Baby squash – less than 40 mm   
 
6. Provisions concerning tolerances  
 
At all marketing stages, tolerances in respect of quality shall be allowed in each package 
for produce not satisfying the requirements of the class indicated.  
 
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4       6.1 Size tolerances  
 
     6.1.1 Class  I 
 
A total tolerance of 5 percent, by number or weight, of gem squash not satisfying the 
requirements of the class but meeting those of Class II is allowed.  
 
      6.1.2 Class  II 
 
A total tolerance of 10 percent, by number or weight, of gem squash not satisfying 
the requi rements of Class II is allowed  
 
6.2 Quality tolerance  
 
       6.2.1  Class  I 
 
A total tolerance of 5 percent, by number or weight, of gem squash not satisfying the 
requirements of the class 1 but meeting those of Class II  is allowed  
 
       6.2.2  Class  II 
 
A total tolerance of 10 per cent, by number or weight, of gem squash not satisfying the 
requirements of Class II is allowed, but do not exceeding the following:  
 
a) decay: 5 percent soft rot, dry rot or damage  
b) injuries: 10%  
               
7. Provisions concerning presentation  
 
7.1 Uniformity  
 
a) The contents of each package (or lot for produce presented in bul k in the transport 
vehicle) shall  be uniform and contain only of gem squash of the same origin, 
variety and quality  
  
b) Gem squash in Class I shall  be uniform in ripeness  
 
c) The maximum difference in diameter between the smallest and largest gem squash 
in the same packaging shall not exceed 5  mm in the case of Class 1 and 10 mm in 
the case of Class II respectively  
d) However, a mixture of  gem squash of distinctly different species and/or 
different colours of the same species may be packed together in a sale 
package, provided they are uniform in q uality and, for each species and /or 
colour concerned, in origin  
 DNAMS  0024: 2023  
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5  e) The visible part of the contents of the package (or lot for produce presented in 
bulk in the transport vehicle) shall  be representative of the entire c ontents  
 
7.2 Packaging  
 
a) Gem squash shall  be packed in such a way as to protect the produce  properly   
 
b) The materi als used inside the package shall  be clean and of a quality such as to avoid 
causing any external or internal damage to the produce  
 
c) The use of materials, particularly of paper or stam ps bearing trade specifications, is 
allowed, provided the printing or labelling has been done with non -toxic ink or  glue 
 
d) Packages shall  be free of all foreign  matter  
 
8. Provisions concerning marking  
 
a) Each package shall  bear the following particulars, in letters grouped on the same side, 
legibly and indelibly marked, and visible from the outside printed either on the package 
itself or on a label secured to the fastening  
 
b) If the labels are placed inside the pac kages (stri ng bags), this shall  be done in such a 
way that the indications concerning markin g are readable from the outside  
 
c) Gem  squash transported in bulk (direct loading into a transport  vehicle) these 
particulars shall  appear on a document accompanying the goods, and attached in a  
visible position inside the transport  vehicle  
 
8.1 Identification  
 
a) Packer and or dispatcher/ shipper name and physical address or postal address of  the 
producer, exporter or owner of the content in the container to be  provided.  
 
b) The producer registration code or pack -house registration code, which is registered with 
the competent authority by the producer, exporter or pack - house as the case may  be. 
 
c) If the producer has, m ore than one establishment shall be registered separately. In 
cases where retailers/wholesalers and or traders may provide their preferred branded  
packaging material to producers for on farm packaging, that at least a sticker be placed 
on such a product that would identify the origin of the  produce.  
 
8.2 Nature of produce  
 
a) Gem squash   
b) Name of the variety  (optional).  
c) Class;  
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8.3 Origin of produce  
 
The c ountry of origin  shall be indicated and , optionally, district where grown, or 
national, regional or local place  name.  
 
8.4 Commercial specifications  
 
Gem squash packaging shall state the Class of the berry fruit according to  4.3   
 
8.5 Official control mark or Official Inspection Mark (optional)  
 
 A mark of an agency that conducted the quality inspection and offer certificate of conformity  
may be added to the berr y fruit packaging.  
 
9 Contaminants  
The gem squash covered by this document should  comply with the maxim um residue limits 
for contaminant,  established by the Codex STAN 193 -1995.  
 
10  Hygiene  
 
The gem squash covered by this document should be prepared and handled in 
accordance with the appropriate sections o f the CAC/RCP 1 -1969, CAC/RCP 53 -2003 , 
and other relevant Codex text such as Codes of  Hygienic Practice and Codes of  Practice.  
 
The produce shall  comply with any microbiological criteria established in accordance  with 
CAC/GL 21 -1997