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Regulation (EC) No 2257/94
Banana law
ANNEX I

ANNEX I — QUALITY STANDARDS FOR BANANAS

    I.DEFINITION OF PRODUCE

    This standard applies to bananas of the varieties (cultivars) of Musa (AAA) spp., Cavendish and Gros Michel subgroups, as well as hybrids, referred to in Annex II, for supply fresh to the consumer after preparation and packaging. Plantains, bananas intended for industrial processing and fig bananas are not covered.

    II.QUALITY

    This standard defines the quality requirements to be met by unripened green bananas after preparation and packaging.

      A.Minimum requirements

      In all classes, subject to the special provisions for each class and the tolerances allowed, the bananas must be:

  • green and unripened,
  • intact,
  • firm,
  • sound; produce affected by rotting or deterioration such as to make it unfit for consumption is excluded,
  • clean, practically free from visible foreign matter,
  • practically free from pests,
  • practically free from damage caused by pests,
  • with the stalk intact, without bending, fungal damage or dessication,
  • with pistils removed,
  • free from malformation or abnormal curvature of the fingers,
  • practically free from bruises,
  • practically free from damage due to low temperatures,
  • free from abnormal external moisture,
  • free from any foreign smell and/or taste.

In addition, hands and clusters (parts of hands) must include:

  • a sufficient portion of crown of normal colouring, sound and free from fungal contamination,
  • a cleanly cut crown, not beveled or torn, with no stalk fragments.

The physical development and ripeness of the bananas must be such as to enable them to:

  • withstand transport and handling,

    and

  • arrive in satisfactory condition at the place of destination in order to attain an appropriate degree of maturity after ripening.

    B.Classification

    Bananas are classified into the three classes defined below:

    1. Extra class

      Bananas in this class must be of superior quality. They must have the characteristics typical of the variety and/or commercial type.

      The fingers must be free from defects, apart from slight superficial blemishes not covering a total of more than 1 cm2 of the surface of the finger, which must not impair the general appearance of the hand or cluster, its quality, its keeping quality or the presentation of the package.

    2. Class I

      Bananas in this class must be of good quality. They must display the characteristics typical of the variety and/or commercial type.

      However, the following slight defects of the fingers are allowed, provided they do not impair the general appearance of each hand or cluster, its quality, its keeping quality or the presentation of the package:

      • slight defects in shape,
      • slight skin defects due to rubbing and other slight superficial blemishes not covering a total of more than 2 cm2 of the surface of the finger.

      Under no circumstances may such slight defects affect the flesh of the fruit.

    3. Class II

      This class covers bananas which do not qualify for inclusion in the higher classes but satisfy the minimum requirements specified above.

      The following defects of the fingers are allowed, provided the bananas retain their essential characteristics as regards quality, keeping quality and presentation:

      • defects of shape,
      • skin defects due to scraping, rubbing or other causes, provided that the total area affected does not cover more than 4 cm2 of the surface of the finger.

      Under no circumstances may the defects affect the flesh of the fruit.

    III.SIZING

    Sizing is determined by:

  • the length of the fruit expressed in centimetres and measured along the convex face, from the blossom end to the point where the peduncle joins the crown,
  • the grade, i.e. the measurement, in millimetres, of the thickness of a transverse section of the fruit between the lateral faces and the middle, perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis.

The reference fruit for measurement of the length and grade is:

  • the median finger on the outer row of the hand,
  • the finger next to the cut sectioning the hand, on the outer row of the cluster.

The minimum length permitted is 14 cm and the minimum grade permitted is 27 mm.

As an exception to the third paragraph, bananas produced in Madeira, the Azores, the Algarve, Crete, Lakonia and Cyprus which are less than 14 cm in length may be marketed in the Community but must be classified in Class II.

    IV.TOLERANCES

    Tolerances in respect of quality and size shall be allowed within each package in respect of produce not satisfying the requirements of the class indicated.

      A.Quality tolerances

      1. Extra class

        5 % by number or weight of bananas not satisfying the requirements for the extra class but meeting those for Class I, or, exceptionally, coming within the tolerances for that class.

      2. Class I

        10 % by number or weight of bananas not satisfying the requirements of Class I but meeting those for Class II, or, exceptionally, coming within the tolerances for that class.

      3. Class II

        10 % by number or weight of bananas satisfying neither the requirements for Class II nor the minimum requirements, with the exception of produce affected by rotting or any other deterioration rendering it unfit for consumption.

      B.Size tolerances

      For all classes, 10 % by number of bananas not satisfying the sizing characteristics, up to a limit of 1 cm for the minimum length of 14 cm.

    V.PRESENTATION

      A.Uniformity

      The contents of each package must be uniform and consist exclusively of bananas of the same origin, variety and/or commercial type, and quality.

      The visible part of the contents of each package must be representative of the entire contents.

      B.Packaging

      The bananas must be packed in such a way as to protect the produce properly.

      The materials used inside the package must be new, clean and of a nature such as to avoid causing any external or internal deterioration of the produce. The use of materials such as, in particular, wrapping papers or adhesive labels bearing commercial indications is allowed provided that the printing and labelling is done with a non-toxic ink or glue.

      Packages must be free from any foreign matter.

      C.Presentation

      The bananas must be presented in hands or clusters (parts of hands) of at least four fingers. Bananas may also be presented as single fingers.

      Clusters with not more than two missing fingers are allowed, provided that the stalk is not torn but cleanly cut, without damage to the neighbouring fingers.

      Not more than one cluster of three fingers with the same characteristics as the other fruit in the package may be present per row.

      In the producing regions, bananas may be marketed by the stem.

    VI.MARKING

    Each package must bear the following particulars in writing, all on the same side, legibly and indelibly marked and visible from the outside:

      A.Identification

      Packer and/or dispatcherName and address or officially issued or recognized conventional mark.

      B.Nature of produce

  • The word Bananas where the contents are not visible from the outside,
  • the name of the variety or commercial type.

    C.Origin of the product

    Country of origin and, in the case of Community produce:

  • production area, and
  • (optionally) national, regional or local name.

    D.Commercial specifications

  • Class,
  • net weight,
  • size, expressed as minimum length and, optionally, as maximum length.

    E.Official control mark (optional).