HAR §4-4l-44. Standards for Hawaii-grown lettuce

(a) As used in this section: "Burst" means the head is broken open. "Clean" means the head is practically free from dirt 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 lettuce: (l) Aphids, when infestation is on the compact portion of the head, or wrapper leaves are badly infested; (2) Broken midribs, when more than two outer head leaves are affected; (3) Dirt, when the head is smeared with mud, or wrapper leaves are badly smeared with mud, or the basal portion is caked with mud or dry dirt, or head and wrapper leaves are covered with a heavy layer of dust; (4) Freezing, when outer head leaves show discoloration over more than half the crown, or more than three outer head leaves are appreciably affected; (5) Seedstems, when apparent upon inspection of the head; (6) Sunburn, when discoloration of head leaves affect more than half the crown; or (7) Tipburn, when aggregating an area more than one inch long and one-half inch wide. "Doubles" means two heads on the same stem. "Excessively trimmed" means the outer head leaves have been removed exposing the tender, inner leaves. "Fairly clean" means the appearance of the head or plant is not materially affected by the presence of dirt or other foreign material. "Fairly firm" when applied to heads of iceberg type lettuce means the head is fairly compact and has good head formation and is not soft or spongy; and when applied to big boston type lettuce means the head is not soft or spongy. "Fairly well formed" means the head is fairly symmetrical and not decidedly off shape in any respect, and the midribs are not excessively prominent and protruding. "Firm" when applied to heads of iceberg lettuce §4-41- 41-78 means the head is compact but may yield slightly to moderate pressure; and when applied to big boston type lettuce means the head is fairly compact. "Fresh" means the head is crisp although the wrapper leaves may be slightly wilted, or in the absence of wrapper leaves, one or two head leaves may be slightly wilted. "Not badly misshapen" means the midribs are not badly curved and do not protrude excessively, although the head may be asymmetrical and irregular in shape. "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 lettuce: (l) Broken midribs, when more than four outer head leaves are affected; or (2) Tipburn, when any single spot is more than one and one-half inches long and three- fourths inch wide. "Similar varietal characteristics" means the heads have the same characteristic leaf growth. "Well formed" means the head is reasonably symmetrical and the midribs are not protruding or abnormally prominent. "Well grown" means the heads or the plants are not stunted or poorly developed. "Well trimmed" means the butt is trimmed off neatly close to the point of attachment of the outer leaves and the outermost leaves of the head show some shade of green color. No wrapper leaves shall be permitted on lettuce sold direct to consumers, and lettuce sold in wholesale quantities shall have no more than four wrapper leaves per head, provided such wrapper leaves are not coarse, materially torn, or badly blistered. "Wrapper leaves" means leaves which do not closely enfold the compact portion of the head. (b) Hawaii Fancy (Hawaii Grade AA) head lettuce consists of Hawaii-grown head lettuce of similar varietal characteristics which are fresh, firm, clean, well formed, well trimmed but not excessively trimmed, well grown, and not split, burst, or open; and which are free from decay, tipburn, doubles, russet, brown blight, and spotted wilt and from damage caused by seedstems, broken midribs, freezing, sunburn, discoloration, disease, aphids or other insects, or mechanical or other means. §4-41- 41-79 In order to allow for variations incident to proper grading and handling, not more than a total of ten per cent, by count, of the heads in any lot may fail to meet the requirements of this grade, provided not more than one-half of this amount, or five per cent, shall be allowed for heads with serious damage by any cause, including not more than two per cent with soft rot affecting the compact portion of the head. (c) Hawaii No. l (Hawaii Grade A) head lettuce consists of Hawaii-grown head lettuce of similar varietal characteristics which are fresh, fairly firm, fairly well formed, well trimmed but not excessively trimmed, well grown, and not split, burst, or open; and which are free from decay and doubles and from damage caused by seedstems, broken midribs, freezing, sunburn, discoloration, disease, aphids or other insects, russet, brown blight, spotted wilt, tipburn, or mechanical or other means. Hawaii Grade A lettuce shall be clean and Hawaii No. l lettuce may be fairly clean. In order to allow for variations incident to proper grading and handling, not more than a total of ten per cent, by count, of the heads in any lot may fail to meet the requirements of this grade, provided not more than one-half of this amount, or five per cent, shall be allowed for heads with serious damage by any cause, including not more than two per cent with soft rot affecting the compact portion of the head. (d) Hawaii No. 2 (Hawaii Grade B) head lettuce consists of Hawaii-grown head lettuce of similar varietal characteristics which are fresh, not badly misshapen, well trimmed but may be excessively trimmed, and not split, burst, or open; which are free from decay; and which are free from damage caused by seedstems, freezing, russet, brown blight, spotted wilt, or dirt and from serious damage caused by wilting, tipburn, broken midribs, discoloration, disease, aphids or other insects, or mechanical or other means. Hawaii Grade B lettuce shall be clean. In order to allow for variations incident to proper grading and handling, not more than a total of ten per cent, by count, of the heads in any lot may fail to meet the requirements of this grade, including not more than two per cent with soft rot affecting the compact portion of the head. [Eff 5/29/81; am and comp 8/18/83; am and comp 3/24/86] (Auth: HRS §147-4) (Imp: HRS §l47-4) §4-41- 41-80