Cantaloupe Grading and Packing Manual

This manual is a summary of the regulations which apply to the grading, packing and marking of cantaloupes in the Province of Ontario. It is supplied by the Food Inspection Branch to assist in the marketing of cantaloupes in Ontario.

Regulation 378/90 under the Farm Products Grades and Sales Act is the source of this information.

This edition, while accurate, is prepared for convenience only. For complete reference, please refer to the official volumes of the Farm Products Grades and Sales Act.

Contents:

| Grades | Packing Level Tolerances | Markings | Packages |
| Bilingual and Metric Requirements | OMAFRA Contacts |

Grades

The grades and grade names for cantaloupes are Canada No. 1 and Ontario No. 2. All cantaloupes sold in Ontario must be properly packed to the grade standards and marked accordingly.

The following table identifies the requirements of the Canada No. 1 and Ontario No. 2 grades.

 Grade
Factors

 Canada No.1

Ontario No. 2
Properly Packed When packaged, the cantaloupes must not be slack, overpressed or otherwise in a condition likely to result in permanent damage during handling or in transit. When packaged, the cantaloupes must not be slack, overpressed or otherwise in a condition likely to result in permanent damage during handling or in transit.
Variety Cantaloupes must be of one variety when in a package. Cantaloupes must be of one variety when in a package.
Condition Cantaloupes must be free from frost injury, softness associated with overripness or any other injury which may affect the appearance, edibility or shipping quality of the cantaloupe. Cantaloupes must be free from frost injury, softness associated with overripness or any other injury which may affect the appearance, edibility or shipping quality of the cantaloupe.
Decay No soft, mushy or leaky breakdown is allowed.  No soft, mushy or leaky breakdown is allowed. 
Maturity  Cantaloupes must have reached a stage of development which will ensure completion of the ripening process when picked. Cantaloupes must have reached a stage of development which will ensure completion of the ripening process when picked.
Appearance

Cantaloupes must be free from:

  1. caked dirt that exceeds 5% of the surface
  2. adhering or thinly smeared dirt, spray residue or other foreign matter which exceeds 20% of the surface.

Cantaloupes must be free from:

  1. caked dirt that exceeds 5% of the surface
  2. adhering or thinly smeared dirt, spray residue or other foreign matter which exceeds 20% of the surface.
Disease Cantaloupes must be free from disease. Cantaloupes must be free from disease.
Cracks  Cantaloupes must be free from any cracks which expose the flesh. Cantaloupes must be free from any cracks which expose the flesh.
Black Mould Cantaloupes must be free from black mould which covers more than 5% of the surface and be free from any sunken discoloured areas. Cantaloupes must be free from black mould which covers more than 5% of the surface and be free from any sunken discoloured areas.
White Mould Cantaloupes must be free from white mould which covers more than 5% of the surface and must not detract from the appearance of the melon. Cantaloupes must be free from white mould which covers more than 5% of the surface and must not detract from the appearance of the melon.
Insects Cantaloupes must be free from insects, insect larvae or insect injury. Cantaloupes must be free from insects or insect larvae.
Shape Cantaloupes must be well formed and should not be irregular or lopsided. No requirement.
Netting Cantaloupes must be covered with a well defined netting characteristic of the variety. No requirement.
Size Cantaloupes, when in a package, must not vary more that 1 ½ inches (38mm) in diameter. No requirement.
Ground Spots

Must be free from areas which:

  1. are soft and depressed
  2. have dark discoloured and exceed more than 5% of the surface area
  3. are light in colour and exceed more than 20% of the surface area.
Must be free from areas which are soft.
Scars

Scars must:

  1. be well healed
  2. not have more than 5% of the surface rough or dark in colour.
Must be well healed.
Bruising Must be free from bruising which causes discolouration of the flesh. Must be free from soft or sunken areas.
Other Defects Must be free from hail marks, cracks or any other injury, defect or combination that affects the appearance, edibility or shipping quality. Must be free from other injury that may affect the keeping quality.

 

Packing Level Tolerances

The following tolerances by count apply to any package or lot of cantaloupes before the package or lot would fail to meet the grade requirements at the packing level:

  1. 10% of the packages of cantaloupes by count may be outside the size variation for Canada #1
  2. 3% of the cantaloupes by count may be affected by decay
  3. 5% of the cantaloupes by count in a lot may have the same grade defect
  4. 10% of the cantaloupes by count in a lot may have grade defects of any kind (including decay).

Additional Destination Tolerances

In addition to those tolerances permitted at packing level, another 5% of the cantaloupes by count in the lot may have condition defects (of which not more than 2% is decay) at any other subsequent level of trade. Condition defects are those which can develop or worsen after packing (i.e. bruising, crushing, decay, freezing, overheating, etc.).

Markings

All packages of cantaloupes must be marked with the following:

  1. name and address of packer
  2. grade
  3. country or Canadian Province of Origin in the form of "Product of"
  4. the word "Cantaloupes" where the product is not visible.

Note:

  1. The grade and origin markings must be immediately adjacent to one another and of the same size print.
  2. All required markings must be of a print at least 1/8 inch in height on tags and ¼ inch in height on all other packages (baskets, cartons, etc.).
  3. Capacity markings must be at least ½ inch in height for for cartons of ½ and 1 bushel capacity.
  4. All markings must be legible of a permanent nature, and of a size reasonable in proportion to the size proportional to the size of the package or label.

Packages

Cantaloupes may be packed in the following containers:

  1. 1,110 cubic inch half bushel box, carton or crate
  2. 2,220 cubic inch bushel box, carton or crate
  3. any standard or experimentally authorized containers.

Bilingual and Metric Requirements

All markings on packages of cantaloupes should be printed in equal prominence in both English and French as there is a possibility of export from Ontario. Names and addresses are required only once.

Federal law requires that all net quantity markings be printed in imperial measure (pounds, quarts, etc.) with the equivalent metric measure of the same size.

For further information on bilingual or metric marking requirements or for shipments out of Ontario, contact your local Inspector with the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA).

Ministry of Agriculture Food and Rural Affairs Contact

Foods of Plant Origin
1 Stone Road West, 5th Floor North West
Guelph, ON N1G 4Y2



For more information:
Toll Free: 1-877-424-1300
Local: (519) 826-4047
E-mail: ag.info.omafra@ontario.ca
Author: OMAFRA Staff
Creation Date: 19 February 2003
Last Reviewed: 16 January 2004