PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD        PNS/BAFS xx:____  
Baby corn - Grading and classification  
 Working Draft  
For WTO SPS Notification  
ii 
 
 
 
 Fore word  1 
 2 
The Philippine National Standard (PNS) for Baby corn – Grading and classification  is a 3 
modified adoption of the CODEX STAN 188 -1993 Standard for Baby Corn. With the 4 
initiative of the Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards (BAFS), a Technical 5 
Working Group (TWG) for the adoption of the Standard was created and authorized 6 
under Special Order No.  604 Series  of 2017.  The TWG was composed of the following 7 
agencies and institutions:  National Food Authority (NFA), National Food Authority – 8 
Food Development Center (NFA -FDC), Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI), Food and 9 
Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI), Philippi ne Center for Postharvest Development and 10 
Mechanization (PHilMech), University of the Philippines Los Baños (UPLB), and 11 
Department of Agriculture (DA) – DA Corn Program.  This Standard intends to provide 12 
guidance in the regulation and trade and ensure cons istent quality and safety of baby 13 
corn.  14 
 15 
In this Standard, modification s due to national legal requ irements and the  particular 16 
needs of the Philippine industry have been made. These technical deviations have been 17 
incorporated in the provisions of the Standard.  Some provisions of the Standard were 18 
also ad opted from the  ASEAN Stan dard for Baby Corn (ASEAN Stan 52:2017 ). 19 PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD        PNS/BAFS xx:____  
Baby corn - Grading and classification  
 Working Draft  
For WTO SPS Notification  
1 
 
 
 
 1 Definition of produce  20 
 21 
This Standard ap plies to the cobs, without the silk and husk , of comm ercial varieties of 22 
baby  corn (corn inflorescence) grown from Zea mays L, of the Gramineae  family  to be 23 
supp lied fresh to the consumer, after preparatio n and packaging. Baby co rn for industrial 24 
processing is excluded.  25 
 26 
2 Provisions concerning  quality  27 
 28 
2.1 Min imum requirements  
 29 
In all classes, subject to the special provisions for each class and the tolerances allowed, 30 
the cobs of baby  corn must be: 31 
 32 
- whole;  33 
- sound, produce affected by rotting or deterioration such as to make it unfit for 34 
consumption is excluded;  35 
- clean, practically free of any visible foreign matter;  36 
- free of any foreign smell and/or taste;   37 
- fresh in appearance;   38 
- practically free of silk ; 39 
- practically free of pests and damage caused by them affecting the general 40 
appearance of the produce;  41 
- practically free from mechanical and/or physiological damage such as low and/or 42 
high temperature; a nd 43 
- practically free of surface moisture excluding condensation.  44 
 45 
The cut that is made on the base of the cobs should be clean and well defined. A slight 46 
discoloratio n of the cut surf ace due to stor age is acceptable. 47 
 48 
2.1.1  The baby corn must have been harvested and have reached an appropriate degree 49 
of development in accordance with criteria proper to the variety and the area in which 50 
they are grown. The development and co ndition of the baby corn must be such as  to 51 
enable it: 52 
 53 
- to withstand transport and hand ling; and 54 
- to arriv e in satisfactory condition at the place of destination. 55 
 56 
2.2 Class ification 57 
 58 
The cobs of baby corn are classifi ed in three classes defined below: 59 
 60 
2.2.1  “Extra” class 61 
 62 
The cobs  of baby co rn in this class must be well cut and trimm ed, free of husk, stalk and  63 
silk, intact, and of sup erio r quality. They must be characteristi c of the variety and /or 64 
comm ercial type. They must be free of de fects, with the exce ptio n of very slight superfici al 65 PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD        PNS/BAFS xx:____  
Baby corn - Grading and classification  
 Working Draft  
For WTO SPS Notification  
2 
 
 
 
 defects, provided these do not affect the general appe arance of the produc e, the q uality, 66 
the keeping quality, and p resentatio n in the package. 67 
 68 
2.2.2  Class I 69 
 70 
The cobs of baby co rn in this class must be well cut and trimm ed, free of husk and  stalk, 71 
and of good quality. They must be characteristi c of the variety and/or comm ercial type. 72 
The following slight defects, however, may be  allowed, p rovided these do  not affect the 73 
general appearance of the p roduce, the qu ality , the keeping qua lity, and presentation in 74 
the pac kage: 75 
 76 
-     slight defects in sh ape, color, and textur e; 77 
-     slight defects in regular arrangement of undeveloped kernels (ovules); 78 
- slight defects on the surface due to bruising, scratches, or other mechan ical 79 
damage. The tota l area a ffected shall not exceed  5% per cob;  80 
-   silk attached  to and/or broken from the cob  shall be minimal without affecting 81 
the appe arance. 82 
 83 
2.2.3  Class II 84 
 85 
This class includes cobs  of baby  corn which do not qualify for inclusion in the higher 86 
classes, but satisfy the minimu m requirements specified in Section 2.1 above. The 87 
following defects, however, may be allowed, provided the cobs of baby corn retain their 88 
essential characteristics as regards the quality , the keeping quality, and presentation: 89 
 90 
-     defects in shape, color, and texture; 91 
-     defects in regular arra ngement of unde veloped kernel s (ovules); 92 
- defe cts on the surface due to bruising, scrat ches, or other mechan ical damage. 93 
The total area affected sh all not exceed 10% per cob;  94 
-    silk attached  to and/or broken from the cob shall be minimal without affecting  95 
the appe arance. 96 
 97 
3 Prov isions concern ing sizing 98 
 99 
Size is determi ned by  the length of the c ob of baby  corn, in accordance with the following 100 
table: 101 
 102 
Size code Length  
(in centimetres ) 
1 > 9.0 - 12.0  
2 > 7.0 - 9.0 
3 4.0 - 7.0 
 103 
For all sizes, the minimum width should not be less than 1.0 cm and the maximum width 104 
not more than 2.0 cm.  105 
 106 PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD        PNS/BAFS xx:____  
Baby corn - Grading and classification  
 Working Draft  
For WTO SPS Notification  
3 
 
 
 
 4 Provisions concerning  tolerances  107 
 108 
Tolerances in respect of quality and size shall be allowed in each package for produce not  109 
satisfying the requirements of the class indicated.  110 
 111 
4.1 Quality tolerances  112 
 113 
4.1.1  “Extra” Class  114 
 115 
Five percent  by number or weight of cobs of baby corn not satisfying the requirements of 116 
the class, but meeting those of Class I or, exceptionally, coming within the tolerances of 117 
that class.  118 
 119 
4.1.2  Class I  120 
 121 
Ten percent by number or weight of cobs of baby corn not satisfying the requirements of 122 
the class, but meeting those of Class II or, exceptionally, coming within the tolerances of 123 
that class.  124 
 125 
In the ca se of cobs of baby corn with incompletely removed husk and stalk, only 5% by 126 
number or weight of 0.5 cm long of the husk and stalk is allowed.  127 
 128 
4.1.3  Class II  129 
 130 
Ten percent by number or weight of cobs of baby corn satisfying neither the requirements 131 
of the  class nor the minimum requirements, with the exception of produce affected by 132 
rotting or any other deterioration rendering it unfit for consumption.  133 
 134 
In the case of cobs of baby corn with incompletely removed husk and stalk, only 5% by 135 
number or weight of  0.5 cm long of the husk and stalk is allowed.  136 
 137 
4.2 Size tolerances  138 
 139 
For “Extra” Class, 5%; and for Class I or Class II 10%; by number or weight of cobs of baby 140 
corn not satisfying the requirements as regards sizing, but falling within the class 141 
immediately above or below those indicated in Section 3.  142 
 143 
5 Provisions concerning  presentation  144 
 145 
5.1 Uniformity  146 
 147 
The contents of each package (or lot for produce presented in bulk) must be uniform and 148 
contain only cobs of baby corn of the same origin, quality , and size. The visible part of the 149 
contents of the package (or lot for produce presented in bulk) must be representative of 150 
the entire contents.  151 
 152 
 153 
 154 PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD        PNS/BAFS xx:____  
Baby corn - Grading and classification  
 Working Draft  
For WTO SPS Notification  
4 
 
 
 
 5.2 Packaging  155 
 156 
The cobs of baby corn must be packed in such a way as to protect the produce properly.  157 
The primary packaging materials to be used shall  be new1, clean, and of a quality such as 158 
to avoid causing any external or internal damage to the produce. The use of materials, 159 
particularly of paper or stamps bearing trade specifications , is all owed, provided the 160 
printing or labelling has been done with non -toxic ink or glue.  161 
 162 
The cobs of baby corn shall be packed in each container in compliance with the  163 
Recommended  International Code of Practice for Packaging and Transport of Fresh Fruits 164 
and Vegetables (CAC/RCP 44 -1995)  or its equivalent Philippine National Standard . 165 
 166 
5.2.1   Description of containers  167 
 168 
The containers shall meet the quality, hygiene, ventilation and resistance characteristics 169 
to ensure suitable handling, shipping , and preserving of the cobs of baby corn. Packages  170 
(or lot for produce presented in bulk)  must be free of foreign matter and smell.  171 
 172 
6 Marking  or labelling  173 
 174 
6.1 Consumer  packages  175 
 176 
In addition to the requirements of the Codex General Standard for the Labell ing of 177 
Prepackaged Foods  (CODEX STAN 1 -1985)  or its equivalent Philippine National Standard 178 
(PNS) , the following specific provisions apply:  179 
 180 
6.1.1  Nature of produce  181 
 182 
If the produce is not visible from the outside, each package shall be labelled as to the name 183 
of the produce and may be labelled as to the name of the variety  (optional) . 184 
 185 
6.2      Non -retail containers  186 
 187 
Each package must bear the following particulars, in  letters grouped on the same side, 188 
legibly and indelibly marked, and visible from the outside, or in the documents 189 
accompanying the shipment. For produce transported in bulk, these particulars must 190 
appear on a document accompanying the goods.  191 
 192 
6.2.1   Ident ification  193 
 194 
Name and address of exporter, packer and/or dispatcher. Identification code  (optional)2. 195 
 196 
 197 
 198 
                                                           
1 For the purposes of this Standard, this includes recycled material of food -grade quality.  
2 The national legislation of a number of countries requires the explicit declaration of the name and address. 
However, in the case where a code mark is used, the reference “packer and/or dispatcher (or equivalent 
abbreviations)” has to be indicated in close connection with the code mark . PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD        PNS/BAFS xx:____  
Baby corn - Grading and classification  
 Working Draft  
For WTO SPS Notification  
5 
 
 
 
 6.2.2   Nature of produce  199 
 200 
Name of the produce if the contents are not visible from the outside.  Name of the  variety 201 
or commercial type (optional).  202 
 203 
6.2.3  Origin of produce  204 
 205 
Country of origin and, optionally, district where grown or national, regional or local  place 206 
name.  207 
 208 
6.2.4   Commercial identification  209 
 210 
- Class;  211 
- Size (size code);  212 
- Net weight (optional) ; 213 
- Produce name;  214 
- Variety name (optional); and  215 
- Number of units (optional) . 216 
 217 
6.2.5   Official inspection m ark (optional)  218 
 219 
7 Contaminants  220 
 221 
7.1 The produce covered by this Standard shall comply with the maximum levels of 222 
the Codex General  Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed (CODEX STAN 223 
193-1995)  or its equivalent Philippine National Standard (PNS) . 224 
 225 
7.2 The produce covered by this Standard shall comply with the maximum residue 226 
limits for pesticides established by the Codex Alimentarius  Commission.  227 
 228 
8 Hygiene  229 
 230 
8.1 It is recommended that t he produce covered by the provisions of this Standard be 231 
prepared and handled in accordance with the appropriate sections of the Recommended 232 
International Code of Practice – General Principles of Food Hygiene (CAC/RCP 1 -1969), 233 
Code of Hygienic Practice for  Fresh Fruits and Vegetables (CAC/RCP 53 -2003), and other 234 
relevant Codex texts and PNS such as Codes of Hygienic Practice and Codes of Practice.  235 
 236 
8.2 The produce should comply with any microbiological criteria established in 237 
accordance with the  Principles for the Establishment and Application of Microbiological 238 
Criteria for Foods (CAC/GL 21 -1997).  239