New York Codes, Rules and Regulations › Title 1 - DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND MARKETS › Chapter IV - Markets › Subchapter A - Grading of Farm Products (Article 12-A Agriculture and Markets Law) › Part 162 - Official State Brands Or Trademarks › Section 162.15 - Cucumber standards

Current through Register Vol. 46, No. 28, July 10, 2024
(a)
				  General. New York State Seal of Quality cucumbers shall be cucumbers which are
				  well formed, well colored, not overgrown and which are fresh, firm, clean and
				  free from decay, sunscald, and unhealed fresh cuts and from injury caused by
				  scars and from damage caused by yellowing, sunburn, foreign material, freezing,
				  mosaic or other disease, insects, healed cuts, bruises, mechanical or other
				  means.
(b) Definitions.
(1) Well colored means not less than 3/4 of
				  the surface of the cucumber is of a medium green or darker color and that at
				  least a light green color extends to the blossom end on one side of the
				  cucumber.
(2) Well formed means the
				  cucumber is practically straight and not more than very slightly tapered or
				  pointed.
(3) Injury by scars means
				  scars which aggregate more than the area of a circle 3/8 inch in diameter on a
				  cucumber seven inches in length or correspondingly greater areas of scars on
				  larger cucumbers.
(4) Damage,
				  unless otherwise specifically defined in this section, means any defect or
				  combination of defects which materially affects the appearance, or the edible
				  or shipping quality of the cucumber.
(5) Serious damage, unless otherwise
				  specifically defined in this section, means any defect or combination of
				  defects which seriously affects the appearance or the edible or shipping
				  quality of the cucumber.
(6) Damage
				  by bruises means when materially affecting the appearance or when affecting an
				  aggregate area greater than that of a circle 2 1/4 inches in diameter. Serious
				  damage by bruising which seriously affects the appearance or affecting more
				  than 1/3 of the surface of the cucumber.
(7) Serious damage by scars means when
				  aggregating more than the area of a one inch circle on a cucumber seven inches
				  in length or corresponding more on cucumbers longer in length.
(8) Badly deformed means the cucumber is so
				  badly curved, constricted, tapered, or otherwise so badly misshapen that the
				  appearance is seriously affected.
(9) Fresh means the cucumbers have a bright
				  attractive luster. They cannot be wilted, limp, shriveled or yellow.
(10) Clean means the cucumbers are
				  practically free from dirt or staining.
(11) Firm means the cucumbers are plump, feel
				  firm to moderate under pressure, are not shriveled noticeably at the ends and
				  are fresh and meaty.
(12) Damage by
				  shriveled ends means cucumbers which show a puckering of the skin at one or
				  both ends indicate that the flesh is tough and rubbery and likely to have a
				  bitter taste.
(13) Damage by pulled
				  ends means when injury is healed and dry and causing more than 3/8 inch in the
				  aggregate and over 1/8 inch in depth. Serious damage by pulled ends, when
				  unhealed or causing more than 5/8 inch in the aggregate and over 1/4 inch in
				  depth.