1997R2288 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 002.001 — 1
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►B COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 2288/97
of 18 November 1997
laying down marketing standards for garlic
(OJ L 315, 19.11.1997, p. 3)
Amended by:
Official Journal
No page date
►M1 Commission Regulation (EC) No 46/2003 of 10 January 2003 L 7 61 11.1.2003
►M2 Commission Regulation (EC) No 907/2004 of 29 April 2004 L 163 50 30.4.2004
▼B
COMMISSION REGULATION (EC) No 2288/97
of 18 November 1997
laying down marketing standards for garlic
THE COMMISSION OF THE EUROPEAN COMMUNITIES,
Having regard to the Treaty establishing the European Community,
Having regard to Council Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 of 28 October
1996 on the common organization of the market in fruit and vegeta-bles (
1), and in particular Article 2 (2) thereof,
Whereas garlic is listed in Annex I to Regulation (EC) No 2200/96 as
one of the products for which standards must be adopted; whereasCouncil Regulation No 10/65/EEC of 26 January 1965 laying downcommon quality standards for garlic (
2), as last amended by Commis-
sion Regulation (EC) No 888/97 (3), has been amended numerous
times and is no longer legally clear;
Whereas the rules concerned should be redrafted and Regulation No 10/
65/EEC repealed; whereas, for the sake of transparency on the worldmarket, account should be taken of the standards recommended forgarlic by the United Nations Economic Commission for Europe;
Whereas, to facilitate trade in garlic, the Community standards of the
presentation of the product should be simplified to make them lessrestrictive than the international standards recommended by the UnitedNations Economic Commission for Europe;
Whereas the application of the standards should eliminate poor quality
products from the market, direct garlic production to meet consumerrequirements and facilitate trade on the basis of fair competition, sohelping to improve profitability;
Whereas the standards are applicable at all marketing stages; whereas
transportation over large distances, storage for a certain period and thehandling which the product undergoes may result in some deteriorationowing to the product's biological development and perishability;whereas account must be taken of such deterioration when the stan-
dards are applied at the marketing stages following dispatch; whereas,
since products in the ‘Extra’ Class must be sorted and packed withspecial care, allowance should be made only for some loss of freshnessand turgidity;
Whereas the measures provided for in this Regulation are in accor-
dance with the opinion of the Management Committee for Fresh Fruitand Vegetables,
HAS ADOPTED THIS REGULATION:
Article 1
1. The marketing standards for garlic falling within CN code
0703 20 00 shall be as set out in the Annex hereto.
2. The standards shall apply at all marketing stages in accordance
with the conditions laid down in Regulation (EC) No 2200/96.
At the stages following dispatch, however, the product may show, as
against the standards:
— a slight loss of freshness and turgidity,
— slight deterioration in the case of garlic in classes other than
‘Extra’, owing to its development and perishability.1997R2288 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 002.001 — 2
(1) OJ L 297, 21. 11. 1996, p. 1.
(2) OJ 19, 5. 2. 1965, p. 246/65.
(3) OJ L 126, 17. 5. 1997, p. 11.
▼B
Article 2
Regulation No 10/65/EEC is hereby repealed.
Article 3
This Regulation shall enter into force on 1 January 1998.
This Regulation shall be binding in its entirety and directly applicable
in all Member States.1997R2288 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 002.001 — 3
▼B
ANNEX
STANDARD FOR GARLIC
I. DEFINITION OF PRODUCE
This standard applies to garlic of varieties (cultivars) grown from Allium
sativum L. to be supplied fresh (1), semi-dry (2) or dry (3) to the consumer, green
garlic with full leaves and undeveloped cloves and garlic for industrial proces-
sing being excluded.
II. PROVISIONS CONCERNING QUALITY
The purpose of the standard is to define the quality requirements of garlic after
preparation and packaging.
A.Minimum requirements
In all classes, subject to the special provisions for each class and the tolerances
allowed, the bulbs must be:
— sound; produce affected by rotting or deterioration such as to make it unfit
for consumption is excluded,
— practically free from pests,— practically free from damage caused by pests,
— clean, practically free of any visible foreign matter,
— firm,— free from damage caused by frost or sun,— free of externally visible sprouts,— free of abnormal external moisture,— free of any foreign smell and/or taste (
4).
The development and condition of the garlic must be such as to enable it to:
— withstand transport and handling, and
— arrive in satisfactory condition at the place of destination.
B.Classification
Garlic is classified in three classes defined below:
(i) Extra Class
Garlic in this class must be of superior quality. It must be characteristic of
the variety and/or commercial type (5).
The bulbs must be:
— intact,
— regular in shape,— properly cleaned.
They must be free of defects, with the exception of very slight superficial
blemishes, provided these do not affect the general appearance of the
produce, the quality, the keeping quality and presentation in the package.
The cloves must be compact.The roots of dry garlic must be cut off flush with the bulb.
(ii) Class I
Garlic in this class must be of good quality. It must be characteristic of the
variety and/or commercial type (
5).
The bulbs must be:
— intact,
— of fairly regular shape.1997R2288 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 002.001 — 4
(1) ‘Fresh garlic’ means produce with a ‘green’ stem and with the outer skin of the bulb
still fresh.
(2) ‘Semi-dry garlic’ means produce with the stem and the outer skin of the bulb not
completely dry.
(3) ‘Dry garlic’ means produce in which the stem, the outer skin of the bulb and the skin
surrounding each clove are completely dry.
(4) This provision does not preclude a specific smell and/or taste caused by smoking.
(5) This provision does not preclude a different colouring resulting from smoking.
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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:
— slight tears in the outer skin of the bulb.
Cloves must be reasonably compact.
(iii) Class II
This class includes garlic 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 garlic retains its essen-
tial characteristics as regards the quality, the keeping quality and
presentation:
— tears in the outer skin or missing parts of the outer skin of the bulb,
— healed injuries,— slight bruises,— irregular shape,— up to three cloves missing.
III. PROVISIONS CONCERNING SIZING
Size is determined by the maximum diameter of the equatorial section.
(i) The minimum diameter is fixed at 45 mm for garlic classified in the ‘Extra’
Class and 30 mm for garlic classified in Classes I and II.
(ii) For garlic presented loose — with cut stems — or in bunches, the difference
in diameter between the smallest and the largest bulb in the same package
may not exceed:
— 15 mm where the diameter of the smallest bulb is less than 40 mm,
— 20 mm where the diameter of the smallest bulb is 40 mm or more.
IV. PROVISIONS CONCERNING TOLERANCES
Tolerances in respect of quality and size are allowed in each package, or each
lot where the garlic is presented loose, for produce not satisfying the require-
ments of the class indicated.
A.Quality tolerances
(i) Extra Class
5 % by weight of garlic not satisfying the requirements of the class but
meeting those of Class I or, exceptionally, coming within the tolerances of
that class.
(ii) Class I
10 % by weight of garlic not satisfying the requirements of the class but
meeting those of Class II or, exceptionally, coming within the tolerances
of that class. Within this tolerance, not more than 1 % by weight of bulbs
may have cloves with externally visible sprouts.
(iii) Class II
10 % by weight of garlic satisfying neither the requirements of the class
nor the minimum requirements, with the exception of produce affected by
rotting or damaged by frost or sun, or any other deterioration rendering it
unfit for consumption.
In addition to this tolerance, a maximum of 5 % by weight of bulbs may
have cloves with externally visible sprouts.
B.Size tolerances
For all classes: 10 % by weight of bulbs not satisfying the requirements as
regards sizing and the size indicated but conforming to the size immediately
above and/or below that specified. Within this tolerance, not more than 3 % of
bulbs may have a diameter smaller than the specified minimum but not less than
25 mm.1997R2288 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 002.001 — 5
▼B
V. PROVISIONS CONCERNING PRESENTATION
A.Uniformity
The contents of each package, or lot for produce presented in bulk, must be
uniform and contain only garlic of the same origin, variety or commercial
type, quality and size (if sized).
The visible part of the contents of the package, or lot for produce presented
loose, must be representative of the entire contents.
Notwithstanding the preceding provisions in this point, products covered by this
Regulation may be mixed, in sales packages of a net weight of less than three
kilograms, with different types of fresh fruit and vegetables on the conditions
laid down by Commission Regulation (EC) No 48/2003 (1).
B.Packaging
With the exception of dry garlic presented in strings, which may be transported
in bulk (loaded directly into a transport vehicle), garlic must be packed in such a
way as to protect the produce properly.
The materials used inside the package must be new, clean and of a quality such
as to avoid causing any external or internal damage to the produce. The use of
materials, particularly paper or stamps, bearing trade specifications is allowed,
provided the printing or labelling has been done with non-toxic ink or glue.
Packages, or lots for produce presented in bulk, must be free of all foreign
matter.
Stickers individually affixed on product shall be such as, when removed, neither
to leave visible traces of glue, nor to lead to skin defects.
C.Presentation
Garlic must be presented as follows:
(i) loose in the package, with cut stems, the length of the stem not to exceed:
— 10 cm in the case of fresh and semi-dry garlic,
— 3 cm in the case of dry garlic;
(ii) in bunches by:
— number of bulbs,
— net weight.The stems must be evened off;
(iii) in the case of dry and semi-dry garlic only, in strings by:
— number of bulbs, there being at least six bulbs per string,
— net weight.
In the case of presentation in bunches or strings, each package must have
uniform characteristics (number of bulbs or net weight).
Irrespective of the type of presentation, the stems must be cut cleanly, as must
roots in the case of dry garlic classified in the ‘Extra’ class.
VI. PROVISIONS CONCERNING MARKING
Each package must bear the following particulars, in letters grouped on the same
side, legibly and indelibly marked, and visible from the outside.
For garlic in strings transported in bulk (loaded directly into a vehicle), the
particulars must appear on a document accompanying the goods, and attached
in a visible position inside the transport vehicle.
A.Identification
The name and the address of the packer and/or the dispatcher1997R2288 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 002.001 — 6
(1) OJ L 7, 11.1.2003, p. 65.▼M1
▼B
▼M2
▼B
▼M2
▼M2
This mention may be replaced:
— for all packages with the exception of pre-packages, by the officially issued
or accepted code mark representing the packer and/or the dispatcher, indi-
cated in close connection with the reference ‘Packer and/or Dispatcher’ (or
equivalent abbreviations);
— for pre-packages only, by the name and the address of a seller established
within the Community indicated in close connection with the mention
‘Packed for:’ or an equivalent mention. In this case, the labelling shall also
include a code representing the packer and/or the dispatcher. The seller shall
give all information deemed necessary by the inspection body as to the
meaning of this code.
B.Nature of produce
— ‘Fresh garlic’, ‘semi-dry garlic’ or ‘dry garlic’ if the contents are not visible
from the outside.
— Name of the variety or commercial type (‘white garlic’, ‘pink garlic’, etc.).— ‘Smoked’, where appropriate.
C.Origin of produce
County of origin and, optionally, district where grown, or national, regional or
local place name.
D.Commercial specifications
— Class
— Size (if sized) expressed as minimum and maximum diameters of the bulbs.
E.Official control mark (optional)
Packages need not to bear the particulars mentioned in the first subparagraph,
when they contain sales packages, clearly visible from the outside, and all
bearing these particulars. These packages shall be free from any indications
such as could mislead. When these packages are palletised, the particulars shall
be given on a notice placed in an obvious position on at least two sides of the
pallet1997R2288 — EN — 20.05.2004 — 002.001 — 7
▼B
▼M2