Washington Administrative Code › Title 16 - Agriculture, Department of (See also Titles 24, 60, and 142) › HORTICULTURE-FEES-STANDARDS › Chapter 16-442 - Winter pears › Section 16-442-006 - Definitions

Current through Register Vol. 24-14, July 15, 2024
In addition to the definitions found in
				  RCW
				  15.17.020, the following definitions apply to
				  this chapter:
"Aggregate area"
means areas under consideration
				  on a pear's surface that may be combined into one circular area with a diameter
				  equal to the maximum diameter specified for the particular blemish.
"Black end"
means a blemish that is evidenced by
				  an abnormally deep green color around the calyx; or black spots usually
				  occurring on one-third of the surface nearest to the calyx; or by an abnormally
				  shallow calyx cavity.
"Carefully picked"
means the pears do not show
				  evidence of rough handling or of having been on the ground.
"Clean"
means a pear free from excessive dirt,
				  dust, spray residue or other foreign material.
"Department"
means the Washington state
				  department of agriculture.
"Director"
means the director of the department
				  or the director's representative.
"Ground color"
means green, light green,
				  yellowish green, and yellow.
"Hard end"
means the pear shows an abnormally
				  yellow color at the blossom end; or has a smooth, rounded base with little or
				  no depression at the calyx; or there is dry, tough or woody flesh near the
				  calyx. Hard end pears are defects of all grades.
"Lot"
means any number of containers of fresh
				  winter pears offered as a unit for inspection, sale, or shipment.
"Mature"
means the pear has reached the stage of
				  maturity which will ensure the proper completion of the ripening
				  process.
Before a mature pear becomes overripe, it will show varying
				  degrees of firmness depending upon the stage of the ripening process.
				  Therefore, a statement of firmness should be given in order to indicate the
				  state of the ripening process. A description of the ground color should also be
				  given.
The following terms should be used for describing the
				  firmness of pears:
"Hard"
means the flesh of the pear is solid and
				  does not yield appreciably even to considerable pressure. Hard pears are in
				  suitable condition for long storage periods for the variety.
"Firm"
means the flesh of the pear is fairly
				  solid but yields somewhat to moderate pressure. The ripening process in firm
				  pears is further advanced than in hard pears and they cannot be held in storage
				  as long. Winter varieties at the firm stage may be held longer than the early
				  varieties.
"Firm ripe"
means the flesh of the pear yields
				  readily to moderate pressure. A firm ripe pear is approaching the stage at
				  which it is in prime eating condition but may be held for a brief period,
				  although winter varieties can be held longer than the early varieties.
"Ripe"
means the pear is at the stage where it
				  is in its most desirable condition for eating.
"Overripe"
means the pear is dead ripe, very
				  mealy, soft, and has no commercial value.
"Shape."
The following terms define the shapes
				  of winter pears:
"Well formed"
means pear is considered well
				  formed when its shape is characteristic of the variety. Pears with slight
				  irregularities of shape that do not appreciably detract from the general
				  appearance of the fruit are considered well formed.
"Fairly well formed"
means a pear is considered
				  fairly well formed when its shape is slightly abnormal, but not to an extent
				  that it materially detracts from the appearance of the fruit. Winter Nellis
				  pears with characteristic slight sutures or with slight flattening on one side
				  and/or slight irregularities that do not materially detract from the general
				  appearance of the pear are considered fairly well formed.
"Seriously misshapen"
means the pear is
				  excessively flattened or elongated for the variety or constricted or deformed
				  so that it cannot be cut into three fairly uniform good quarters or is so badly
				  misshapen that the appearance is seriously affected.
"Very seriously misshapen"
means the pear is
				  excessively flattened or elongated for the variety or is constricted or
				  deformed so that it cannot be cut into one good half or two fairly uniform
				  quarters.
"Size"
means the greatest transverse diameter of
				  the pear taken at right angles to a line running from the stem to the blossom
				  end.
"Sound"
means pears, at the time of packing, are
				  free from visible defects such as decay, breakdown, scald, bitter pit, or free
				  from physical injury affecting keeping quality.
Statutory Authority:
					 Chapter
					 15.17 RCW,
					 RCW
					 15.17.030, and
					 chapter
					 34.05 RCW. 09-01-094,
					 amended and recodified as § 16-442-006, filed 12/16/08, effective 1/16/09;
					 Order 610, effective 8/21/51; Order 322, effective
					 7/29/40.