International Produce Training

Sweet Peppers- Second Growth

While inspecting sweet peppers it is a good idea to cut a few peppers from each sample, looking for any signs of internal defects.  Cutting the pepper crosswise (at the equator), is the proper method, examining the seed cavity for the presence of mold insects or insect damage.

Every now and then you may cut the pepper and find this.

Second-growth2

This second growth, or second pepper found growing inside the pepper may not be desirable, but it is not a defect of the U.S. Grade Standards neither.  Sometimes you may actually hear the small pepper rattling around inside when shaken.  The good news, the second growth will not continue to grow once the pepper is removed from the plant.  If your company finds this to be a problem, the presence of second growths may be added to your company’s specifications, as a defect, scored against the general lot tolerance for defects.  But until that happens, this should be ignored.

The only time this may be a defect is if there is decay, mold, insect damage or some other defect affecting the second growth, then the pepper shall be scored as a defect, as damage, serious damage or as mold or decay.

If you are curious as to what causes this abnormality, please click on this link to the Christian Science Monitor for some additional information.

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