HAR §4-41-27. Standards for Hawaii-grown avocados

(a) As used in this section: "Clean" means practically free from dirt, staining, spray residue, or other foreign material. "Damage" means any of the following specific defects, or an equally objectionable variation of any one of these defects, any other defect, or any combination of defects, which materially detracts from the appearance, or the edible or shipping quality of the avocados: (1) Insect stings, when more than two healed stings are on Guatemalan type avocados, or when more than six healed stings are on West Indian type avocados; (2) Rough russeting or rough or dark scars, when aggregating an area three-fourths inch in diameter on an avocado weighing sixteen ounces or more, or an area one-half inch in diameter on an avocado weighing less than sixteen ounces; (3) Smooth russeting or light colored smooth §4-41- 41-23 scars, when aggregating more than an area equivalent to fifteen per cent of the fruit surface; or (4) Sunburn, when light and aggregating an area more than fifteen per cent of the fruit surface, or when badly discolored and aggregating more than an area three-fourths inch in diameter on an avocado weighing sixteen ounces or more, or more than an area one-half inch in diameter on an avocado weighing less than sixteen ounces. "Excessive fiber" means the vascular strands or other tissues in the flesh of the fruit are tough and woody, except that a few short fibrous strands may be present near the stem or blossom end. "Excessively large seeded" means the average weight of the seeds in the avocados in any container or lot is more than twenty-eight per cent of the total weight of the fruit. "Fairly small seeded" means the average weight of the seeds in the avocados in any container or lot shall be not more than twenty-three per cent of the total weight of the fruit. "Fairly well formed" means the avocado may be slightly abnormal in shape but not to the extent which detracts materially from its appearance. "Free from fiber" means none of the vascular strands or other tissues in the flesh of the fruit are tough or fibrous. "Injury" means any of the following specific defects, or an equally objectionable variation of any one of these defects, any other defect, or any combination of defects, which appreciably detracts from the appearance, or the edible or shipping quality of the avocados: (1) Insect stings, when there is any healed sting on a Guatemalan type avocado, or more than three healed stings on a West Indian type avocado, provided the allowance for scars is not exceeded; (2) Rough russeting or rough or dark scars, when aggregating more than an area one-fourth inch in diameter; or (3) Smooth russeting or light colored smooth scars, when aggregating an area one inch or more in diameter on an avocado weighing sixteen ounces, or an area three-fourths inch or more in diameter on an avocado weighing §4-41- 41-24 less than sixteen ounces. "Mature" means the avocado has reached a stage of growth which will insure a proper completion of the ripening process. "Overripe" means dead-ripe with the flesh becoming excessively soft, or discolored, or past commercial utility. Overripe avocados are considered to be seriously damaged. "Serious damage" means any of the following specific defects, or an equally objectionable variation of any one of these defects, any other defect, or any combination of defects, which seriously detracts from the appearance, or the edible or shipping quality of the avocados: (1) Pulled stem, when there is any pulled stem on Guatemalan or similar type avocados, or when the exposed stem cavity or surrounding skin is injured or torn on West Indian type avocados; (2) Rough russeting or rough or dark scars, when aggregating more than an area two inches in diameter on an avocado weighing sixteen ounces or more, or an area one and one-half inches in diameter on an avocado weighing less than sixteen ounces, or when any scar is excessively deep; (3) Smooth russeting or light colored smooth scars, when aggregating more than an area equivalent to twenty-five per cent of the fruit surface; or (4) Sunburn, when light and aggregating an area more than twenty-five per cent of the fruit surface, or when badly discolored and aggregating more than an area one and one- half inches in diameter on an avocado weighing sixteen ounces or more, or more than one inch in diameter on an avocado weighing less than sixteen ounces. "Similar varietal characteristics" means the avocados are alike in shape, texture, and color of the skin and flesh. "Small seeded" means the average weight of the seeds in the avocados in any container or lot shall be not more than twenty per cent of the total weight of the fruit. "Well formed" means the fruit shape is characteristic of the variety and the avocado is not so abnormally shaped as to appreciably detract from the appearance of the fruit. §4-41- 41-25 "Well trimmed" means the stem, when present, is cut off smoothly at a point not more than one-fourth inch beyond the shoulder of the fruit. (b) Hawaii Fancy (Hawaii Grade AA) avocados consist of Hawaii-grown avocados of similar varietal characteristics which are mature, not overripe, clean, well trimmed, well formed, and small seeded; which are free from fiber, decay, worms, wormholes, unhealed insect stings, broken skin, bruises, freezing injury, sunburn, disease, and pulled stem; and which are free from injury caused by russeting, scars, insect stings, other insect injury, or mechanical or other means. Minimum individual fruit oil content shall be twelve per cent. Unless classified with an optional size classification, each fruit shall weigh not less than ten ounces. In order to allow for variations incident to proper grading, sizing, and handling, the following tolerances, based on count, are provided: (1) For defects, not more than a total of ten per cent of the avocados in any lot may fail to meet the requirements of this grade, provided not more than three-tenths of this amount, or three per cent, shall be allowed for avocados seriously damaged by any cause, including not more than one per cent affected by decay; and (2) For off-size, not more than ten per cent of the avocados in any lot may vary from the size specified, provided not more than one- half of this amount, or five per cent, shall be allowed for avocados not meeting the specified minimum size. (c) Hawaii No. 1 (Hawaii Grade A) avocados consist of Hawaii-grown avocados of similar varietal characteristics which are mature, not overripe, clean, well trimmed, well formed, and fairly small seeded; which are free from fiber, decay, worms, wormholes, unhealed insect stings, broken skin, bruises, and freezing injury; and which are free from damage caused by russeting, scars, insect stings, other insect injury, sunburn, disease, or mechanical or other means, and from serious damage caused by pulled stem. Minimum individual fruit oil content shall be twelve per cent. Unless classified with an optional size classification, each fruit shall weigh not less than ten ounces. In order to allow for variations incident to §4-41- 41-26 proper grading, sizing, and handling, the following tolerances, based on count, are provided: (1) For defects, not more than a total of ten per cent of the avocados in any lot may fail to meet the requirements of this grade, provided not more than three-tenths of this amount, or three per cent, shall be allowed for avocados seriously damaged by any cause, including not more than one per cent affected by decay; and (2) For off-size, not more than ten per cent of the avocados in any lot may vary from the specified size, provided not more than one- half of this amount, or five per cent, shall be allowed for avocados not meeting the specified minimum size. (d) Hawaii No. 2 (Hawaii Grade B) avocados consist of Hawaii-grown avocados of similar varietal characteristics which are mature, not overripe, clean, well trimmed, fairly well formed, and not excessively large seeded; which are free from excessive fiber, decay, worms, wormholes, unhealed insect stings, broken skin, bruises, and freezing injury; and which are free from serious damage caused by russeting, scars, insects, sunburn, disease, pulled stem, or mechanical or other means. Minimum individual fruit oil content shall be ten per cent. In order to allow for variations incident to proper grading, sizing, and handling, the following tolerances, based on count, are provided: (1) For defects, not more than a total of ten per cent of the avocados in any lot may fail to meet the requirements of this grade, provided not more than one-tenth of this amount, or one per cent, shall be allowed for avocados affected by decay; and (2) For off-size, not more than ten per cent of the avocados in any lot may vary from the size specified, provided not more than one- half of this amount, or five per cent, shall be allowed for avocados not meeting the specified minimum size. (e) Size of avocados in any container or any lot may be specified in connection with the grade based on the following optional size classifications: (1) Small, each fruit under ten ounces; (2) Medium, each fruit ten to sixteen ounces; (3) Large, each fruit sixteen to thirty-two ounces; or (4) Extra large, each fruit over thirty-two §4-41- 41-27 ounces. [Eff 5/29/81; am and comp 8/18/83; am and comp 3/24/86] (Auth: HRS §147-4) (Imp: HRS §147-4)