Regulations of Connecticut State Agencies
As used in section 22-51-2:
(1) "Mature" means that the apples have reached the stage of growth which will insure the proper completion of the ripening process. Before a mature apple becomes overripe, it will show varying degrees of firmness, depending upon the stage of the ripening process. The following terms are used for describing these different stages of firmness of apples: (a) "Hard" means apples with a tenacious flesh and starchy flavor. Apples at this stage are suitable for storage and long-distance shipment. (b) "Firm" means apples with a tenacious flesh but which are becoming crisp with a slight starchy flavor, except the Delicious variety. Apples at this stage are also suitable for storage and long-distance shipment. (c) "Firm ripe" means apples with crisp flesh, except that the flesh of the apples of the Gano, Ben Davis and Rome Beauty varieties may be slightly mealy. Apples at this stage may be shipped long distances but should be moved into consumption within a short period of time. (d) "Ripe" means apples with mealy flesh and soon to become soft for the variety. Apples at this stage should be moved immediately into consumption.
(2) "Overripe" means apples which are dead ripe, with flesh very mealy or soft, and past commercial utility.
(3) "Carefully hand-pick" means that the apples do not show evidence of rough handling or of having been on the ground.
(4) "Clean" means that the apples are free from excessive dirt, dust, spray residue and other foreign material.
(5) "Well formed" means that the apple has the normal shape characteristic of the variety, except that the shape may be slightly irregular, if it does not detract from the general appearance of the apple.
(6) "Injury" means any defect which more than slightly affects the appearance or the edible or shipping quality of the apples.
(a) Russeting in the stem cavity or calyx basin which cannot be seen when the apple is placed stem end or calyx end down on a flat surface shall not be considered in determining whether or not an apple is injured by russeting, except that rough or bark-like russeting in the stem cavity or calyx basin shall be considered as injury when the appearance of the apple is materially affected. The following types and amounts of russeting outside of the stem cavity or calyx basin shall be considered as injury: (i) Smooth net-like russeting, when an aggregate area of more than five per cent of the surface is covered, and the color of the russeting shows no very pronounced contrast with the background color of the apple, or lesser amounts of more conspicuous net-like russeting when the appearance is affected to a greater extent than the above amount permitted; (ii) smooth, solid russeting which covers an aggregate area of more than one-half inch in diameter, and the pattern and color of the russeting shows no very pronounced contrast with the background color of the apple, or lesser amounts of more conspicuous solid russeting when the appearance is affected to a greater extent than the above amount permitted; (iii) slightly rough russeting which covers an aggregate area of more than one-fourth inch in diameter; (iv) rough russeting, unless it is well within the stem cavity or calyx basin and is not readily apparent.
Any one of the following defects, or any combination thereof, the seriousness of which exceeds the maximum allowed for any one defect, shall be considered as injury:
(b) Sunburn or spray burn, when the discolored area does not blend into the normal color of the fruit.
(c) Dark brown or black limb rubs which affect a total area of more than one-eighth inch in diameter, except that light brown limb rubs of a russet character shall be considered under the definition of injury by russeting. (See subsec. (6)(a).)
(d) Hail marks, drought spots or other similar depressions or scars where there is appreciable discoloration other than russeting, or when the indentations are not superficial, or when an individual indentation exceeds one-eighth inch in diameter, or the total affected area exceeds one-fourth inch in diameter.
(e) Stem or calyx cracks which are not well healed, or well healed stem or calyx cracks which exceed a length of one-eighth inch.
(f) Diseases: (i) Cedar rust infection which affects a total area of more than one-eighth inch in diameter; (ii) sooty blotch or fly speck which is thinly scattered over more than five per cent of the surface, or dark, heavily concentrated spots which affect an area of more than one-fourth inch in diameter; (iii) red skin spots which are thinly scattered over more than one-tenth of the surface, or dark, heavily concentrated spots which affect an area of more than one-fourth inch in diameter.
(g) Insects: (i) Any healed sting or healed stings which affect a total area of more than one-eighth inch in diameter including any encircling discolored rings; (ii) worm holes.
(7) "Fairly well formed" means that the apple may be slightly abnormal in shape but not to an extent which detracts materially from its appearance.
(8) "Damage" means any defect which materially affects the appearance, or the edible or shipping quality of the apples.
(a) Russeting in the stem cavity or calyx basin which cannot be seen when the apple is placed stem end or calyx end down on a flat surface shall not be considered in determining whether or not an apple is damaged by russeting, except that excessively rough or bark-like russeting in the stem cavity or calyx basin shall be considered as damage when the appearance of the apple is materially affected. The following types and amounts of russeting outside of the stem cavity or calyx basin shall be considered as damage: (i) Russeting which is excessively rough on Roxbury Russet and other similar varieties; (ii) smooth net-like russeting, when an aggregate area of more than fifteen per cent of the surface is covered, and the color of the russeting shows no very pronounced contrast with the background color of the apple, or lesser amounts of more conspicuous net-like russeting when the appearance is affected to a greater extent than the above amount permitted, (iii) smooth solid russeting, when an aggregate area of more than five per cent of the surface is covered, and the pattern and color of the russeting shows no very pronounced contrast with the background color of the apple, or lesser amounts of more conspicuous solid russeting when the appearance is affected to a greater extent than the above amount permitted; (iv) slightly rough russeting which covers an aggregate area of more than one-half inch in diameter; (v) rough russeting which exceeds one-fourth inch in diameter, unless it is well within the stem cavity or calyx basin and is not readily apparent.
Any one of the following defects, or any combination thereof, the seriousness of which exceeds the maximum allowed for any one defect, shall be considered as damage:
(b) Sunburn or spray burn which has caused blistering or cracking of the skin, or when the discolored area does not blend into the normal color of the fruit unless the injury can be classed as russeting.
(c) Limb rubs which affect a total area of more than one-half inch in diameter, except that light brown limb rubs of a russet character shall be considered under the definition of damage by russeting. (See subsec. (8)(a).)
(d) Hail marks, drought spots, or other similar depressions or scars which are not superficial, or when such injury affects a total area of more than one-half inch in diameter.
(e) Stem or calyx cracks which are not well healed, or well healed stem or calyx cracks which exceed an aggregate length of one-fourth inch.
(f) Diseases: (i) Scab spots which affect a total area of more than one-fourth inch in diameter; (ii) cedar rust infection which affects a total area of more than one-fourth inch in diameter; (iii) sooty blotch or fly speck which is thinly scattered over more than one-tenth of the surface, or dark, heavily concentrated spots which affect an area of more than one-half inch in diameter; (iv) red skin spots which are thinly scattered over more than one-tenth of the surface, or dark, heavily concentrated spots which affect an area of more than one-half inch in diameter.
(g) Insects: (i) Any healed sting or healed stings which affect a total area of more than three-sixteenths inch in diameter including any encircling discolored rings; (ii) worm holes.
(9) "Seriously deformed" means that the apple is so badly misshapen that its appearance is seriously affected.
(10) "Serious damage" means any defect which seriously affects the appearance, or the edible or shipping quality of the apples.
(a) The following types and amounts of russeting will be considered as serious damage: Smooth solid russeting, when more than one-half of the surface in the aggregate is covered, including any russeting in the stem cavity or calyx basin or slightly rough, or excessively rough or bark-like russeting which detracts from the appearance of the fruit to a greater extent than the amount of smooth solid russeting permitted; provided any amount of russeting shall be permitted on Roxbury Russet and other similar varieties.
Any one of the following defects, or any combination thereof, the seriousness of which exceeds the maximum allowed for any one defect, shall be considered as serious damage:
(b) Sunburn or spray burn which seriously detracts from the appearance of the fruit.
(c) Limb rubs which affect more than one-tenth of the surface in the aggregate.
(d) Hail marks, drought spots or scars, if they materially deform or disfigure the fruit, or if such defects affect more than one-tenth of the surface in the aggregate; provided no hail marks which are unhealed shall be permitted and not more than an aggregate area of one-half inch shall be allowed for well-healed hail marks where the skin has been broken.
(e) Stem or calyx cracks which are not well healed, or well healed stem or calyx cracks which exceed an aggregate length of one-half inch.
(f) Visible water core which affects an area of more than one-half inch in diameter.
(g) Diseases: (i) Scab spots which affect a total area of more than three-fourths inch in diameter; (ii) cedar rust infection which affects a total area of more than three-fourths inch in diameter; (iii) sooty blotch or fly speck which affects more than one-third of the surface; (iv) red skin spots which affect more than one-third of the surface; (v) bitter pit and Jonathan spot which is thinly scattered over more than one-tenth of the surface and does not materially deform or disfigure the fruit.
(h) Insects: (i) Healed stings which affect a total area of more than one-fourth inch in diameter including any encircling discolored rings; (ii) worm holes.