Carrots Grading and Packing Manual

This manual is a summary of the regulations which apply to the grading, packing and marking of carrots in the Province of Ontario. It is supplied by the Food Inspection Branch to assist in the marketing of carrots 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 carrots are Canada No. 1 and Canada No. 2. All carrots 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 Canada No. 2 grades.

Note: The grades do not apply to bunched carrots.

 Grade
Factors

 Canada No.1

 Canada No.2
Properly Packed When packaged, the carrots must not be slack, overpressed or otherwise in a condition likely to result in permanent damage during handling or in transit. When packaged, the carrots must not be slack, overpressed or otherwise in a condition likely to result in permanent damage during handling or in transit.
Decay Must be free from decay, any soft mushy condition or leaky breakdown from freezing injury. Must be free from decay, any soft mushy condition or leaky breakdown from freezing injury.
Seeders  Must be free from any sign of a seed stem, thick top, yellowish colour or carrots that are hard and woody to cut. Must be free from any sign of a seed stem, thick top, yellowish colour or carrots that are hard and woody to cut.
Variety  Must be of similar varietal type. Short and long types may not be mixed. Need only be of same general type.
Condition Must be firm, solid, unyielding to the touch and not wilted or woody. Must not be soft, flabby, shrivelled or woody.
Top Growth  Not more than 75% should show top growth over ½ inch (13mm) and remainder must not exceed 1 inch (25mm). Must not exceed 1 inch (25mm) in length.
Appearance Must be free from brownish discolouration or bronzing which affects more than 15% of the surface. No requirements.
Shape

Must not be rough, materially misshapen, or affected by secondary rootlets which means:

  1. not ridged, grooved, or lumpy from secondary growth to materially affect the appearance
  2. may have a slight smooth curve or may have two gentle curves, two ways on the same plane
  3. must be free of sharp curves, double corkscrew-like twists and curves with constrictions.

Must not be badly deformed which means:

  1. slightly forked, with the fork no longer than 1 inch (25mm) and free from broken forks
  2. may be curved but not with a sharp constriction that would result in more than 10% cut-off by weight
  3. not so badly corkscrew shaped, lumpy or ridged as to seriously affect the appearance.
Trimming Must be trimmed so that 75% of the tops are not over ½ inch (13mm) and the balance not over 1 inch (25mm) in length. Must be trimmed so that tops are not over 1 inch (25mm) in length.
Cleanliness 

Must be clean if washed. If not washed, must not be affected by:

  1. mould, decayed matter or caked dirt over 5% of the surface
  2. staining or clinging dirt over more than 15% of the surface.

Must be reasonably clean if washed. If not washed, must not be affected by:

  1. caked dirt over more than 15% of the surface
  2. clinging dirt over more than 50% of the surface.
Size

Carrots must have:

  1. a minimum length of 4 ½ inches (114mm).
  2. a minimum diameter of 1 inch (25mm) and a maximum diameter of 1 ¾ inches (44mm)
  3. a minimum diameter of ¾ inch (19mm) and;
    1. meet a size range marked on the package or label
    2. are packed in a transparent package
    3. are in a bulk display at a retail store.
  4. a minimum diameter of 1 ½ inches (38mm) or greater if so marked or the greater minimum size designation that may be applicable.
Carrots must have a minimum length of 4 ½ inches (114mm) and a minimum diameter of ¾ inch (19mm).
Cracks and Splits

Must be smooth and shallow and be free from cracks which:

  1. are not clean
  2. are more than 1/8 inch (3mm)
  3. are more than ¼ inch (6mm) deep
  4. exceed 1/3 the length of the carrot.

Must not be deep and wide to seriously affect the appearance or saleability, or which:

  1. are not clean
  2. exceed ½ the length of the carrot per crack
  3. have 1 crack exceeding ¾ the length of the carrot.
Mechanical Injury

Must be free from damage which:

  1. is more than 3/16 inch (4mm) in deep
  2. is noticeably discoloured
  3. affects a total area of more than ½ the diameter of the carrot.
Must be free from serious damage which causes more than 10% cut-off by weight.
Crown Damage

Must be free from damage which:

  1. is rough, jagged, badly discoloured or is not well healed
  2. is more than ½ inch (13mm) in depth.
  3. affects an aggregate area exceeding 2/3rd the diameter of the carrot.
Must be free from damage which seriously affects the appearance or saleability of the carrot.
Insect Damage 

Must be free from damage which:

  1. materially affects the appearance due to discolouration that is tan or black even if waste is less than 5% cut-off
  2. is more than 5% cut-off.

Must be free from damage which:

  1. seriously affects the appearance even if waste is less than 10% cut-off
  2. is more than 10% cut-off.
Broken Specimens

Must be free from specimens where the:

  1. general shape does not conform
  2. cut or break is rough, jagged or badle discoloured
  3. length is less than 6 inches (152mm) and the break is greater than ½ the diameter of the carrot.
Must be a minimum length of 4 ½ inches (114mm) and the break must be smooth, clean and not badly discoloured.
Wart-Like Growth and Colour Must be free from injury that has a dark colour and wart-like appearance. Must not exceed an aggregate of ½ inch (13mm) of dark discolouration.
Sunburn

Must be free from sunburn that:

  1. extends more than ½ inch (13mm) average below the outer edge of the crown
  2. affects more than 10% of the carrots with greening below the outer edge of the crown.
Must be free from sunburn that affects more than 1 inch (25mm) average below the outer edge of the crown.
Cavity Spot or Side Decay Must not show any light to dark brown discolouration around or under the spot. Four spots are allowed providing no one spot is not larger than 1/8th inch (3mm) in diameter.  Must not seriously affect the appearance, edibility or shipping quality of the carrot. 
Growth Rings Must be free from rings that are so deep or scarred that they affect the appearance in relation to the balance of the lot. No requirement. 
Other Damage 

Must be free of any other damage or defect not described which:

  1. materially affects the appearance, edibility or shipping quality of the carrots
  2. cannot be removed by 5% of the total weight.

Must be free of any other damage or defect not described which:

  1. seriously affects the appearance, edibility or shipping quality of the carrots
  2. cannot be removed by 10% of the total weight.

 

Packing Level Tolerances

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

  1. a maximum of 4% of the carrots by weight may be below the required or declared size
  2. a maximum of 8% of the carrots by weight may be over the required or declared size
  3. a maximum of 2% of the carrots by weight may be affected by decay
  4. a maximum of 5% of the carrots by weight may be affected by the same defect other than size
  5. a maximum of 10% of the carrots by weight may be affected by more than 1 defect other than size but including decay.


Additional Destination Tolerances

In addition to those tolerances permitted at packing level, another 5% of the carrots by weight 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 carrots 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 "Carrots" where the product is not visible
  5. the net weight of the contents on bags or catchweight packages
  6. the price per kilogram or pound on catchweight packages.


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 at least 1/8 inch in height on tags, 3/16 inch in height on bags and capacity ¼ inch in height on all other packages (cartons, bushels, baskets, etc.).
  3. All markings must be legible of a permanent nature, and of a reasonable size proportional to the package or label.

Packages

Carrots may be packed in the following containers:

  1. Baskets of 2, 4, 6, 8, 11 quart or 2 and 4 litre capacity
  2. 1,110 cubic inch half bushel box, carton or crate
  3. 2,220 cubic inch bushel box, carton or crate
  4. bags, cartons, boxes or crates with the capacity of 1, 2, 3, 5, 10, 15, 25, 50, 75 and 100 pounds
  5. any bag, carton or crate that is properly packed and filled which is authorized for experimental use.

Bilingual and Metric Requirements

All markings on packages of carrots 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