Head Lettuce Grading and Packing Manual

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

Grades

The grades and grade names for head lettuce are Canada No. 1 and Canada No. 2. All head lettuce 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.

Grade Factors

Canada No. 1

Canada No. 2

Properly Packed

When packaged, the head lettuce must not be slack, overpressed to bulge cartons or otherwise in a condition likely to result in permanent damage during handling or in transit.

 When packaged, the head lettuce must not be slack, overpressed to bulge cartons or otherwise in a condition likely to result in permanent damage during handling or in transit.

Variety

Must be of similar varietal type. Iceburg and leafy types may not be mixed.

 Must be of similar varietal type. Iceburg and leafy types may not be mixed.

Decay

Must be free from soft decay or soft slimy breakdown including decay or slimy butts.

 Must be free from soft decay or soft slimy breakdown including decay or slimy butts.

Freshness

Head leaves must be crisp and fresh. Wrapper leaves may be slightly wilted but not withered or shrivelled .

 Head leaves must be crisp and fresh. Wrapper leaves may be slightly wilted but not withered or shrivelled .

Burst Heads

Must be free from split or broken heads.

Must be free from split or broken heads.

Seed Stems

Must be free from any outward appearance plainly showing the formation of a seed stem.

 Must be free from any outward appearance plainly showing the formation of a seed stem.

Doubles

Must be free from any formation clearly showing more than one centre of growth.

 Must be free from any formation clearly showing more than one centre of growth.

Tip Burn and Brown Blight

Must be free from any yellow or brown spots along the edge of the leaf or leaf tips or any decay on or in the compact portion of the head.

 

Must be free from any yellow or brown spots along the edge of the leaf or leaf tips or any decay on or in the compact portion of the head.

Aster Yellows

Must be free from heads showing a lighter yellow colour, lighter in weight, and showing yellow brown discolouration into the head.

 Must be free from heads showing a lighter yellow colour, lighter in weight, and showing yellow brown discolouration into the head.

Trimming

Must be trimmed so that the butt is cut off close to the point of attachment of the wrapper leaves

Must be trimmed so that the butt is cut off close to the point of attachment of the wrapper leaves

Size

Where packed in a container, lettuce must not vary by more than 2 inches (52mm) in diameter.

No requirement.

Wrapper Leaves

Must not have more than eight wrapper leaves, and have any coarse, damaged or otherwise objectionable wrapper leaves removed.

Must not have more than eight wrapper leaves, and have any coarse wrapper leaves removed.

Maturity and Firmness

Must be firm to hard and compact and yield only slightly to moderate pressure.

Head formation must be fairly firm and not soft and spongy. Must be a saleable head with reasonable head formation.

Broken Midribs

No more than 2 head leaves which are clearly broken due to abnormal growing conditions may be visible.

No more than 4 head leaves which are clearly broken due to abnormal growing conditions may be visible.

Bruising

Must have no more than 1 head leaf materially bruised or 2 head leaves noticeably bruised.

Must have no more than 4 head leaves seriously bruised which show a reddish brown discolouration oor water soaked appearance.

Crushed Midribs

No more than 2 head leaves may be crushed or broken.

No more than 4 head leaves may be crushed or broken.

Dirt

Must be free from dirt in or on the compact portion of the head, or dirt or mud smeared on the wrapper leaves or butt.

Must be free from dirt or mud penetrating the compact portion of the head.

Discolouration

Must be free from;

  1. Yellow or brown discolouration affecting the appearance of the wrapper leaves.
  2. Yellow or brown discolouration affecting more than ½ the crown of the head.
  3. Brown or black spots on the outer surface of the rib which exceed 1 inch (25mm) in length or affect more than 1 head leaf.
  4. Water soaked appearance or discolouration on the butt which penetrates more than ¼ inch (6mm) into the butt.

Must be free from;

  1. Yellow or brown discolouration affecting the whole crown area or penetrating the head portion.
  2. Brown or black spots on the outer surface of the rib which exceed 2 inch (25mm) in length or affect more than 2 head leaves.
  3. Discolouration penetrating more than ½ inch (13mm) into the butt.

Pink Rib

Not more than 2 midribs of more than 2 head leaves may show a deep pink colour totaling more than 2 inches (50mm) in length in each leaf.

Must not show more than and aggregate of 4 inches (100mm) of deep pink colour on each leaf.

Russet Spotting

No more than 2 outer leaves may be affected with russet spotting which is over ¼ inch (6mm) in size.

No more than 4 outer leaves may be affected with russet spotting or when discolouration seriously affects the appearance.

Freezing Injury

No more than 75% of the crown on the 2 outer head leaves may be affected by blistering and peeling .

No requirements.

Mechanical Injury

No more than 2 outer leaves may be torn, damaged or parts removed.

No more than 4 outer leaves may be torn, damaged or parts removed.

Insect Injury

Must be free from insect larva or insect damage on the compact portion of the head.

Must be free from insect larva or insect damage on more than 2 outer leaves.

Other Damage

Must be free of any other damage or defect not described which materially affects the appearance, edibility or shipping quality of the head lettuce.

 

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

  1. Seriously affects the appearance, edibility or shipping quality of the head lettuce.
  2. Cannot be removed without a loss of some of the compact portion of the head.

Packing Level Tolerances

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

    1. 10% of the packages may contain a greater or lesser number of heads than the number marked on the packages.
    2. A maximum of 2% of the heads by count may be affected by decay.
    3. A maximum of 3% of the heads by count may be affected by decay in total, including the compact portion.
    4. A maximum of 10% of the head by count may be affected by more than 1 or more defect other than count but including decay.

Additional Destination Tolerances

In addition to those tolerances permitted at packing level, another 5 % of the head lettuce 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 head lettuce 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 "Head Lettuce" where the product is not visible.
    5. The numerical count on all packages where the count 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 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

Head lettuce may be packed in the following standards containers:

    1. Baskets of 2, 4, 6, 8, 11 quart or 2 and 4 litre capacity.
    2. Bushel hampers of 16 quart capacity.
    3. Bushel hampers of 32 quart capacity.
    4. Half bushel box, carton or crate of 1,110 cu. inch capacity.
    5. Bushel box, carton or crate of 2,220 cu. inch capacity.

Head lettuce may also be packed in the following containers:

    1. Cartons measuring 19 ½ in. x 16 ½ in. x 11 in.
    2. Cartons measuring 24 in. x 16 ½ in. x 11 in.
    3. Sound, suitable non standard open containers.
    4. Sound wire bound crates.

Bilingual and Metric Requirements

All markings on packages of head lettuce 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