For example, some USDA inspectors were inspecting the entire carton of Romaine Hearts, opening up every consumer package, inspecting every romaine plant.  Other USDA inspectors were only inspecting one or two consumer packages, ignoring the romaine in the rest of the carton.  And even others were opening enough consumer bags to make a sample size of 15 plants.  So what is the correct procedure?

The confusion is very surprising because there are written instruction procedures for the proper sampling of Romaine Hearts in the USDA Inspection Instructions for Lettuce.  The instructions state:  “The total number of plants in the container shall be the sample size.  However, if the plants are in consumer type packages, with 2 or more plants in a package within master containers, the consumer package will be the unit of sample.  Bag or wrapping material must be completely removed from the sample plants in order to determine the presence or absence of defects.”

To summarize, if the Romaine Hearts are packed in a consumer package, having at least two plants, you would open up the package and inspect the plants.  For example, if your consumer bag has three plants, as pictured above, your sample size would be 3.  If one of the plants had decay, you would have 33% (1 out of 3) decay for that sample.  You would inspect two to three consumer bags per master.

You would want to look at least three masters for a quick inspection, meaning you would have 9 samples in total on your notesheet, assuming you inspected three consumer bags per master.  If you had one plant (33%) with decay, in your first sample, and no other defects in the remaining samples, you would have 4% decay for the lot.

I hope I cleared this up a little.  If I totally confused you with the percentages and sample sizes, etc, maybe this light-hearted video will help you with the formulas used in determining percentages.  Click on the:  Produce Math Video

The shriveling will most likely be caused by the fruit losing some its moisture, yet it will still be firm to the touch.  When inspecting plums do not squeeze the fruit to make the skin shrivel; for the plum to be considered a defect by shriveling it must be noticeable upon careful examination. 

How much is allowed, on the plum, to be considered shriveled?  Any amount.  If you can see the shriveling, the plum is a defect. 

How many plums can have shriveling?  Because shriveling is always considered a serious damage defect, only 6% of the plums in a lot are allowed to have shriveling.

The shriveling is usually found around the stem area, but in extreme cases the shriveling may extend down the sides, especially along the suture.

Of course nothing is ever simple.  If you are inspecting President Plums, shriveling is much more common. For this reason the USDA allows an area of up to a 1/2 inch of shriveling extending from the stem scar.  In other words, if the shriveling on President Plums extends greater than 1/2 inch from the stem scar it is a defect, considered as serious damage.

For example, you may receive strawberries, blueberries, or raspberries in clamshells marked 1/2 pint or 1 pint.  The clamshells are not required to weigh a specific weight.  The dry measurements are based on your old math equations, V=length x width x height.  Think of it this way.  You could have a full pint of potato chips and full pint of rocks……each is full, but the pint of rocks would weigh much more than the pint of potato chips.  The inspectors from the state departments of weights and measures would need to have a standard pint measuring device, such as a measuring cup.  2 cups is the equivalent of 1 pint.  Place the contents of the strawberries from the 1 pint clamshell or basket into the 2 cup measuring cup.  If the contents are equal or above the 2 cup line, the volume requirements have been met.  If the contents are below the 2 cup line, the pint of strawberries is in violation. 

Now remember, many if not most of the berry containers are now marked in net weight.  If this is the case, the net weight of the individual clamshell must be met.  Please see the post from February 23, 2009 for the procedures in determining net weight.

You may also find other products that sometimes are packed using volume or are packed by net weight.  For instance, cabbage and onions may be packed in sacks marked as 4/5 bushel by volume, or in sacks marked 50 lbs. Net Weight.  Let me know if you have any questions concerning net weight, or if you have encountered some other containers that make it difficult to determine its contents.

          May 19-20, 2010
            October 6-7, 2010

These training events will be held at Merchants Distributors, Inc, Hickory, NC.  These training classes provide an excellent opportunity for participants to receive a training  program based on the inspection procedures and guidelines of many commodities.  The course agenda is structured to allow particiapants with extensive hands-on instruction.  Nine commodities have been chosen for the first class, and nine different commodities will be covered in the second training class.

The classes will include about 4 hours of reviewing the inspection basics and procedures, the inspection terminology, sampling procedures and the explanation of reading and understanding the U.S. Grade Standards for fresh fruit and vegetables.
 
The remainder of the lessons are devoted to individual commodities, such as the inspection instructions, defect identification, defect scoring guidelines and the tolerances involved for that particular commodity.  Each lecture is followed up with a demonstration and/or hands-on grading exercise where the participants will actually inspect a carton of produce based on the U.S. Grade Standard.  Official USDA visual aids are introduced as well as the necessary inspection equipment, such as sizing rings, a refractometer or a penetrometer.

For registration and lodging information and to review the course agenda, please click here.

See you there!

The entire chat can be found here:  Fresh Talk Blog 

A few people have asked me follow up questions surrounding Hunts Point, and the future of the USDA Inspection Service.  While being a trainer for the USDA, for about 7 years at the Training and Development Center in Fredericksburg, VA I was able to meet and get to know every terminal market inspector in the country.  At the Training Center we first started to provide two week refresher classes for every Federal and Federal State Inspector.  A 10 week class for new inspectors was created and held on an annual basis.  Each of these courses devoted much time to ethics training, customer service and professional skill training, as well as extensive hands on grading exercises for technical training.  Due to financial problems within the USDA’s inspection program, the two week refresher classes were cut back to a mere 6 hours of on-line training last year.  The annual new inspector training course has been cut back to an 8 week course, and has only been held once during the past three years.

The spacious Training Center is in the process of being scaled down, eliminating the computer class room, eliminating the library, and moving the grading lab to another location within the building.  Will these cutbacks in training and resources have an adverse affect on the workforce?  It most definitely will.  Couple the loss of training with the loss of personnel through layoffs and attrition, and there is problem brewing within the inspection ranks.

I was asked if I thought another “Operation Forbidden Fruit” could occur.  It was a very dark day period of time for the inspection service.  Many thought it was the end of the program. The produce industry had lost complete faith and trust in a service that depends on trust.  The inspectors have done a terrific job of resurrecting the service, maintaining the credibility of the program was paramount, and despite the decisions by management to increase Washington, DC overhead, cut back personnel in the field offices and training opportunities for everyone, the inspectors, the workers, have done an admirable job of providing the best service they can.

• Discontinue Agriculture and Markets Farm Products Grading. Farm products wholesalers would work directly with existing private entities to grade products for quality and potential price, rather than use State resources. The State currently provides the service for a nominal fee, which is now inadequate to support Department expenses. Existing Federal funding for a portion of the program would continue. (2010-11 Savings: $426,000; 2011-12 Savings: $1.3 million)

I have no idea if this portion of his budget will actually pass the legislature, but it none the less has placed a bulls eye on the fresh products inspection program in New York.  Will the inspection program be eliminated, replaced, down-sized or left alone, is any one’s guess right now.

I have personal first hand knowledge of the New York program, as I began my inspection career with them in 1976.  I know many if not all of the inspectors and supervisors.  For those not familiar with the program ramifications of a closure, the state of New York supplies fruit and vegetable inspectors to the wholesalers in Rochester, Syracuse, Albany…..and they recently assumed the inspection duties of Buffalo when the USDA eliminated their service to those applicants.

They also perform shipping point inspections, which could have a detrimental affect on the marketing of NY state produce.  Apples being shipped out of the country have to undergo a manadatory inspection, to meet the requirements of the Apple Export Act.  Without this inspection the apples do not leave the U.S.   Potato shippers also have to undergo a mandatory inspection, for Canada to receive them.   If a grower would like to participate in the USDA’s Commodity Procurement Program, they too have to receive a mandatory USDA/Federal State inspection.

As the governor states, they will utilize a third party inspection company (existing private entities) to handle the inspection requests.  Well, that would mean the USDA would have to recognize an independent third party as a licensed entity to handle their inspections.  Currently Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture utilizes a third party.  Aside from 3 state supervisors, the entire inspection workforce is made up of employees from the Fruit andVegetable Inspection Association of Pennsylvania…..and yes, the USDA does recognize them as USDA federal/state licensees.

Could New York do the same?  The short answer is “yes”, but I have a feeling the fruit and vegetable industry of New York will have a  lot to say about this proposed change.  I will say this, many other state programs are watching closely what happens in New York.

Alternaria Rot is a fungus disease to tomatoes that may occur wherever tomatoes are grown.  The fungus causing this decay is a weak pathogen that is usually unable to cause an active rot on sound, uninjured, green tomatoes.  Unfortunately tomatoes that have been subjected to cold temperatures too long are extremely vulnerable to Alternaria rot.

Typical symptoms on chill-injured fruit are a ring of decay around the stem scars and numerous lesions at skin breaks over the surface of the fruits.  The lesions are shallow, sunken, and grayish black and will become darker in color turning black.

Alternaria does not produce a watery-leaking decay, as the infected tomatoes usually remain firm.  When the fungus produces some black mold spores the chance of spreading the decay to adjacent sound tomatoes is increased.

The USDA Grade Standard allows for 5% of the tomatoes being soft or decayed.

The first questions many people have are;  “What does freezing injury look like?” and “Where is found on the fruit?” and “How much do I have to cut?   Within the next few days or even weeks, citrus that has been subject to freezing temperatures may show 

1.   Segment walls have buckled at a cross section cut near the stem end;
2.   Watersoaked condition of the core;
3.   Mushy condition of segments or portions of segments;

After a few weeks the watersoaked portions will dry out, as the juice sacs collapse having been emptied of juice.

As an inspector you will want to familiarize yourself with some basic inspection procedures for looking for freezing injury in citrus.  Follow these steps:

As shown in the image above of this cara cara orange, you will make a preliminary cut on the orange , cutting enough of the rind at the stem end to just expose the flesh.

The next step is to cut a slice about 1/4 in width.  This segment is allowed to be totally dry or mushy from the freezing injury.  But if this entire segment is affected, and the mushy or dry condition extends into the remaining portion of fruit, the fruit is considered as being damage, a defect.  This defect is considered a quality defect and is scored against the 10% tolerance.

The most important question everyone asks is, how much do you have to cut?  As you can see the USDA has developed a cutting plan for their inspectors. 

The USDA recommends cutting a minimum of 10 fruit if freezing injury is suspected.   For example, if after cutting 10 oranges the inspector finds at least orange with a scoreable defect, from freezing injury, the inspector must cut all remaining fruit in that sample.  They must continue with this procedure for all their samples they inspect.

If you would like to deviate from this procedure I think it would be safe to cut 3-5 fruit per sample, and if a defect is found, cut 20 fruit in your sample.  Doing this for 3 samples would give you a good estimate of the percentage of citrus with freezing injury.

Take a look at the image above.  The area on this strawberry is definitely indented or sunken, no evidence of mold, nor does it appear to be soft or mushy.  This is a bruise.  No doubt about it.  The only question; is the bruised area large enough to be considered a defect?  The USDA inspection instructions state the bruise must exceed 1/2 inch in area on a strawberry 1-1/2 inches in diameter.  If you score the strawberry as a defect, it counts against the 10% tolerance for total defects.

But now the confusion begins.  While inspecting you come across this strawberry, as shown above.  You can definitely see the sunken area, still no evidence of mold, and it appears to be soft and mushy.  The USDA inspection instructions tell us to score any soft or mushy areas as serious damage by bruising (no matter what size of area is affected).  But is it decay?  Many inspectors will quickly call this type of defect decay, simply because it is soft and mushy and may be leaking strawberry juice all over your hands.  They may be incorrect.  To be certain you must touch the soft area with your finger and determine if the soft or decayed tissue scoops out.  If so, then it is decay.  Also if you take some of the soft or decayed tissue and rub it between your fingers, if it is decay the tissue will disintegrate.

Is it confusing, especially to a new inspector?  Absolutely.  Blue Mold Rot is a very common decay found in strawberries but in early stages you will not see any mold growth.  Typical of Blue Mold Rot the decayed tissue will scoop out, leaving a cavity on the side of the strawberry.

My advice, take your time when inspecting strawberries, and don’t be too quick to jump on calling bruised berries decayed berries.

First off, products with higher sugar content usually have a lower freezing point.  For example, broccoli and celery will freeze at 31 degrees, while the freezing point of cherries and grapes is about 28 degrees Fahrenheit.  Finding the freezing injury on some commodities is relatively easy, such as identifying frozen lettuce, romaine, cucumbers.

Other commodities are more difficult to detect freezing injury, especially if it is slight.  Potatoes will breakdown when thawed out, will leak and will produce a strong odor, but in the frozen state they are very difficult to detect.  An inspector must take the point of their knife and insert it into the potato about 3/8 inch and twist the knife, hoping to hear a sharp snap.  If no snap is heard, the potato most likely is frozen.  Sweet peppers are also difficult to detect when freezing injury has affected them, as they will develop sunken pitted areas after they warm up.  But catching the problem up front is not easy.

There are a few places you can concentrate your search for possible frozen product: 

1. If you suspect a problem, as you may actually see frost inside the trailer floor or wall, the first pace you would want to look would be product in contact with the trailer floor.  Most shippers will stack their product on pallets or lay cardboard down on the floor for protection.  Whether the product is floor-stacked or not always zero in on the floor layer containers first.
2. The second place to check out would be any containers in contact with the sidewalls.  More specifically check the product that would be in contact with the walls.  Although the walls are insulated the extreme cold may penetrate the walls and affect the product.
3. And lastly you would want to inspect any of the cartons in contact with the metal rails along the sides of the trailer.  The metal will act as a conductor for the cold and will cause problems for some products in contact with the metal.

If you do find freezing injury always work you way up from the bottom or in from the sides of the trailer or rail car to determine how extensive the freezing injury may be.  If you need to call for a USDA inspection always let the inspector know you have found some freezing injury, point out the location of the problem, and you can even choose to request the inspection be restricted to freezing injury only.  They may otherwise miss the freezing injury as they take random samples throughout the load, not necessarily concentrating on the problem areas.