The USDA has a scoring guideline to follow; it states:  Score as damage when more than 2 leaves are materially affected and as serious damage when more than 4 leaves are materially affected by peeling and feathering.  You are not allowed to brush the area affected to determine the damage.  The question that arises is what is meant by “materially affected?”

If you can readily see the peeling and feathering and you find it affecting at least 3 leaves, then score the plant as damage.  If the peeling and feathering is affecting 5 or more leaves then score the plant as serious damage.  But if yellow to brown discoloration accompanies the peeling and feathering, then you would still need it to affect more than 2 leaves before scoring as damage, but you would need less of an area affected on each leaf, to be considered as materially affected.

Looking at the above image, the area affected is considered materially affected, so you would need to see this on at least 3 leaves to be scored as damage, or on at least 5 leaves to be scored as serious damage.

Hollow stems could be caused by a boron deficiency, but not all hollow stems in broccoli are caused by boron deficiency.  Excessive nitrogen, or growing conditions favoring rapid growth could cause this defect.  That explains why some years you see lot after lot with hollow stems, but other years you may not see this defect at all.

Since it occurs while growing, this defect is considered a quality defect, meaning the hollow stem will not increase in size after harvest.  The area around the hollow area may become watersoaked, discolored, or may breakdown, as this area is more susceptible to infections.

The USDA provides a scoring guideline, but this guideline focuses on bunched broccoli and not the popular broccoli crowns.  The USDA states:  Score as damage, any hollow stem when the opening extends more than 3 inches up into the stem, or when the opening is more than slightly discolored or watersoaked.  But what do you do if you encounter hollow stems on broccoli crowns and the stem is much less than 3 inches in length?  You can never score hollow stems as a defect?

No, you would default to the generic scoring guideline, score as damage when the hollow stem materially affects the appearance.

As in the above image, cut into the stem and determine how far the hollow stem extends into the stem.  Score as damage when the hollow stem extends into the crown area.  The U.S. Grade Standards allow for 10% total defects. 

As I said earlier, this defect may be commonly found, depending on the growing conditions.  Some shippers are stipulating in their contracts they will not recognize this defect on inspection reports.  As an inspector, always check with your procurement staff and seek thier guidance on whether you should score this defect.

  Yes, this is a defect.  You may have been told that these “frosted” artichokes actually may taste better.  Regardless, the appearance is still materially affected, thus these artichokes would be scored as a defect.  So what is it?  While the artichokes are growing, freezing temperatures (30 to 31°F) can cause the damage.

The cold temperatures freeze the artichokes, causing the moisture in the cells of the outer epidermis to crystallize.  When the crystals form they rupture the cell walls, damaging, or killing the cells.  The affect is the peeling and feathering you see in the above image.

The USDA realizes the freezing injury could occur while growing, or could occur in transit or storage, so they instruct their inspectors to refrain from calling the defect “field freezing.”  Instead the defect is described as “peeling and feathering.”  The damaged area will oxidize and become discolored in later stages.  The discoloration may range from a light brown to black color.  Because this defect progresses, it is to be classified as a condition defect.

Peeling a feathering may be scored as damage, if materially affecting the appearance, or as serious damage, if seriously affecting the appearance.  The artichoke shown in the top image would be scored as serious damage.  The U.S. Standards for artichokes do not include a restrictive tolerance for serious damage.  If you find damage or serious damage by peeling and feathering, the artichokes would be scored against the 10% tolerance, for total defects. 

Getting back to the assertion about tasting better, I have never seen any conclusive evidence supporting that claim, but I am welcome to hear any one’s opinion.

The following is taken from Peak Fresh USA: 

“Grape Guard Pads are designed to release an initial burst of sulphur dioxide and a slow release of additional sulphur dioxide over a period of eight to 12 weeks storage. The pads generate sulphur dioxide as a result of moisture take up and if moisture is excessive as a result of packing warm grapes or a break in refrigeration, then the amount of sulphur dioxide generated will be excessive and will taint the grape berries. By using PEAKfresh® carton liners and correct refrigeration, Grape Guard Pads will operate efficiently over extended storage periods.”

Unfortunately, sometimes damage to the berries does occur.

The above image is showing typical sulphur dioxide injury.  You can plainly see the bleaching out, at the capstems, from the SO2 injury.  It is easier to identify this defect on the darker color varieties of grapes, but even on Thomspson Seedless or Perlettes the bleaching is still evident.  The USDA scoring guideline states:

Injury that causes appreciable bleaching or loss of color of the berries of black or red grapes, and only slight bleaching but with the other effects apparent on white grapes shall be scored as “Sulphur Dioxide injury.”

Even though the defect is only affecting the color, the berries are scored as sulphur dioxide injury, against the total lot tolerance for defects, 12% (Do not score this defect against the color tolerance).

  This defect will progress (condition defect) and the affected area will be become soft and sometimes wrinkled.  In this stage, the defect would be scored as sulphur dioxide injury, but as serious damage, against the 4% tolerance for serious damage.

What you have found is Stylar End Breakdown.  This is a fairly common defect found on limes, and one that may be a problem for you.  It is the most serious post harvest disorder affecting the lime industry.  Its cause is physiological, meaning stylar end breakdown is not caused by a pathogen or insect. 

Stylar End Breakdown is a physiological disease usually starting at the stylar end near the base of the nipple or tip and appears as a grayish tan, watersoaked spot. The affected area enlarges rapidly involving up to 1/3 or 1/2 of the fruit.

Occasionally the disease appears at the stem end as well as at the stylar end. The affected area remains firm but becomes darker with age and usually sinks below the level of healthy surface. There is often a partial collapse of the flesh and a watersoaking of the core tissue within the stylar end of the fruit. The affected rind is quickly invaded by bacteria or fungi, causing the fruit to deteriorate rapidly.

Stylar end breakdown is a condition defect, as the affected area will progress, become larger on the individual lime, and may eventually turn into decay.  Unaffected limes will not show symptoms of stylar end breakdown by being in contact with affected limes.  But unaffected limes may show symptoms of stylar end breakdown while in storage, but the source came from the growing conditions.

The scoring guidelines:  This is a free from defect, meaning if you see stylar end breakdown, even in a very early stage, the lime is to be scored as a defect, against the 5% tolerance for serious damage.  As the stylar end breakdown advances, secondary organisms invade the tissue and the tissue will be soft and mushy.  At this stage, the defect will now be scored as stylar end rot, and scored against the 3% tolerance for decay.

Have you seen this before?  During my 30 plus years as a USDA inspector I encountered this “pebbing” on many occassions.  No one in the USDA scored this as a defect, and I never heard a receiver complain about the cherries having a rough texture.  After contacting  5 current inspectors, all with experience ranging from 20 to 30 years, no one had ever thought this should be scored as a defect, or remembered an applicant (receiver) complaining about this.  Most everyone felt the pebbling was characteristic of the variety, and did not detract from the appearance.  So I am not sure where this new scoring guideline is coming from.  I am sure the U.S. cherry growers/shippers were never consulted before making this decsion.

If you encounter this in future inspections, the cherries are usually hard to firm, and the pebbling may show varying degrees, affecting 33 to 100% of the surface, some being more pebbled than others.  I have never seen the pebbling progress, and the flesh and the taste of the cherry is not affected.

It would have been a good idea if the USDA offered some clear scoring guidelines to help inspectors determine if a cherry with a rough texture would be a defect.  The guideline is:  Score as damage when the affected area is distinct and readily noticeable, and score as serious damage if the affected area seriously detracts from the appearance.  Hopefully the USDA will issue some visual aids soon.  Unfortunately they have not stated if the cherries shown above would be scored as a defect, scored as damage, or scored as serious damage.

As a shipper, I would suggest requesting digital images of any pebbling scored as a defect on your inspection reports.  As a receiver, check with your buyer/manager to see if you should score pebbling as a defect…….if it hasn’t bothered anyone for the last 50 years, why would it be a problem now?

As I teach inspection classes across the country I always hear questions and confusion about these scoring guidelines.  The bottom line, most people wonder why this is not simply a “free from” defect.  No one wants to see insects or worms on their lettuce.  Seeing the feeding injury and excreta is just as objectionable.  But the USDA has a different opinion.  I will try my best to explain their scoring guidelines:

• Score as serious damage any head when 1 live or dead worm is found in the compact portion of the head.
• Score as serious damage any head when more than 1 live or dead worm is found on the wrapper leaves.
• Score as serious damage any head when more than 5 live or dead insects are found in the compact portion of the head.
• Score as serious damage any head when more than 15 live or dead insects are found on the wrapper leaves.
• Score as damage any head that has been eaten, or excreta has been deposited in noticeable amounts on head or wrapper leaves.
• Score as serious damage any head that has been eaten, or excreta has been deposited in noticeable amounts on more than two head leaves.

You can see the confusion, especially when inspectors are instructed to count the number of insects (aphids) on the lettuce.  As I stated earlier, these are USDA scoring guidelines, found in their inspection instructions.  The U.S. Grade Standards do not include these convoluted scoring guidelines.  The U.S. Standards simply say to score as serious damage when the compact portion is infested with insects or worms or when the wrapper leaves are badly infested.  Keeping it simple would be an improvement.

So what is a defect, if you encounter some lemons with rough texture?  The US Grade Standards for Lemons state, “Fairly Smooth means that the appearance of the lemon is not materially affected by protrusions or lumpiness of the skin or by grooves or furrows.”

As shown above, if you encounter rough texture depicted in each of these images, these you would be considered as defects, called “rough texture.”  But remember, if you are inspecting lemons bought as “Choice”, these are US No. 2 lemons.  Choice lemons allow a rougher texture, scored as a defect when the skin is badly folded, badly ridged, or very decidedly lumpy.  (The lemon in the top image would not meet the requirement of the US No. 1 or US No. 2 Grade, while the lemon in the bottom image would not meet the requirement of the US No. 1 Grade, but it would meet the requirement of US No. 2 Grade.)

And remember, texture is a quality issue.  Meaning the texture, or roughness will not progress or become worse.

Let’s take a look at tomatoes, to discuss the differences between sunburn and sunscald.

Take a look at the image above.  This image illustrates the classic look of sunburn.  Although this is depicting sunburn on tomatoes, you could expect cucumbers, peppers, and watermelon to show the typical yellow discoloration of sunburn.  Sunburn results from heat stress leading to injury of the affected cells on the surface of the specimen.  Transpiration or evaporation of moisture helps cool the surface of the exposed surface area.  If the sun and or heat is gradual, the fruit or vegetable can adjust to the condition.  But the greatest problem occurs when they are suddenly exposed to high temperatures and intense sunlight.

Sunburn will always be found on one side of the specimen, the side exposed to the sun.  The discoloration will vary in intensity, from a light yellow to dark yellow color.  The surface may or may not be soft.

The image shown above depicts a tomato with suncald.  This is very typical of suncald affecting tomatoes, cucumbers, and peppers.  They all exhibit the dry, white bleached area.  Sunscald is also caused by sudden exposure to intense sunlight.  The affected cells are injured badly.  The killed tissue is bleached, gradually collapses forming a slightly sunken area, that may wrinkle.   The killed tissues encourage the development of secondary decay.  Sunscald  sometimes occurs during a period of light rain followed by intense sunlight.  The water, on the fruit or vegetable, acts as a magnifying glass, directing the sun’s rays onto its surface, killing off the cells.

So the difference between sunburn and sunscald is obvious, sunburn shows a slight yellow discoloration affecting the exposed area of a specimen, while sunscald is more serious, as the cells are killed by the sun and you will always see the sunken, dry, bleached area.  The USDA realizes the difference between the two defects, categorizing sunscald as a free from defect…meaning any amount of suncald would be a defect.  Sunburn is less serious, and depending on the product a specific area of sunburn is allowed, maybe a 1/2 inch area up to 5% of the surface.

But have you encountered light green broccoli?

This is sometimes found, and you may believe the light green color detracts from the appearance, but it is not to be scored as a defect.  In the above image you may find some yellow and discolored bud clusters (depicted with red arrows) mixed in the light green areas, and the yellow and discolored buds are scored as defects.  But if you only see the light green color, then you are not allowed to score this as a defect.

You may have heard the term “blonding” associated with this condition.  You may have heard a scoring guideline, allowing for up to 30% of the surface area before scoring this as a defect.  Unless your company has specs written to cover this light coloring, you should not score the light green areas as defects.

The USDA has created a visual aid (shown above) depicting light green, or what they call “whitish green areas” on broccoli.  But the visual aid clearly states to ignore this, and do not score light green as a defect.