Properly Packed

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

Variety

Onions must be of similar varietal characteristics. Different colours or types cannot be mixed in the same package.

Decay and Condition

Onions must be free from any moist or slimy breakdown such as neck rot, skin rot which would include wet sunscald, heart rot, butt rot, soft rot, or any slimy condition of the onions.

Seed Stems

Onions must be free from any hard, pipe stem like or hollow type neck that extends down through the middle of the onion.

Thick Necks

Onions must be free from bottle shaped necks which show little or no shoulder.

Wet Necks

Onions should be free from wet necks where juice is squeezed out when pressure is exerted on the neck.

Size

Size requirements are listed following this table.

Maturity

Onions must be firm and well cured meaning:

1. The necks are completely dry except that prior to September 16 of each crop year may have necks only moderately dry, a damp pliable feeling, but moisture cannot be squeezed from the necks.
2. Onions do not yield to moderate pressure except prior to September 16 of each crop year may yield to moderate pressure but not soft.

Onions must be firm and well cured meaning:

1. The necks are completely dry except that prior to September 16 of each crop year may have necks only moderately dry, a damp pliable feeling, but moisture cannot be squeezed from the necks.
2. Onions do not yield to moderate pressure except prior to September 16 of each crop year may yield to moderate pressure but not soft.

Onions must be moderately dry and yield only slightly to moderate pressure.

Appearance and Colour

Must be free from loose onion scales and be clean and bright to meet the staining requirement.

Must not be so badly stained or dirty that the appearance or saleability is seriously affected.

Doubles and Shape

Must be free from ovoid specimens, lopsided specimens, or specimens which clearly indicate more than one centre of growth.

Must not have outer skins broken so as to expose more than one centres of growth.

Insect Injury

Must be free from insect injury usually at the base but sometimes the side of the onion where:

1. The insect larva is present.
2. The worm hole penetrates beyond the hard root.
3. The worm hole penetrates more than one edible scale on the outer part of the onion.

Must be free from insect injury usually at the base but sometimes the side of the onion where:

1. The insect larva is present.
2. The worm hole penetrates beyond the hard root.
3. The worm hole penetrates more than one edible scale on the outer part of the onion.

Must be free from insect injury usually at the base but sometimes the side of the onion where:

1. The insect larva is present.
2. One single hole penetrates more than two edible scales.
3. Two holes penetrate more than three edible scales.

Mechanical Injury

Must be free from any mechanical injury that penetrates more than one edible scale.

Must be free from any mechanical injury that penetrates more than two edible scale.

Old Root Growth

Must be free from roots that are coarse, heavy and are longer than 1 inch (25mm) that cannot be removed by normal handling.

Must be free from roots that are coarse, thick and heavy that seriously affect the appearance.

Old Top Growth

Not more than 25% of the onions may have old top longer than 3 inches (76mm).

Not more than 50% of the onions may have old top longer than 3 inches (76mm).

Staining

10% of the onions may be completely stained, while the remainder must not have more than 25% of the surface stained in the aggregate.

10% of the onions may be completely stained, while the remainder must not have more than 50% of the surface stained in the aggregate.

Sunburn

10% of the onions must be free from sunburn that is darker than light green affecting an area of more than 15% of the surface.

No requirement.

Sunscald

Must be free from damaged areas of scalded tissues leaving sunken leather-like pockets of which:

1. The affected tissues are not dry.
2. The affected areas of dry and sunken pockets penetrate deeper than one edible scale.

Must be free from damaged areas of scalded tissues leaving sunken leather-like pockets of which:

1. The affected tissues are not dry.
2. The affected areas of dry and sunken pockets penetrate deeper than one edible scale.

Must be free from damaged areas of scalded tissues leaving sunken leather-like pockets of which:

1. The affected tissues are not dry.
2. The affected areas of dry and sunken pockets penetrate deeper than two edible scales.

Bruising

Where the flesh is not broken and the area is definitely soft, bruising must not affect:

1. More than two edible scales.
2. More than 5% of the surface.

Where flesh is broken, bruising must not extend through more than one edible scale.

Where the flesh is not broken and the area is definitely soft, bruising must not affect:

1. More than two edible scales.
2. More than 5% of the surface.

Where flesh is broken, bruising must not extend through more than one edible scale.

Where the flesh is not broken and the area is definitely soft, bruising must not affect:

1. More than three edible scales.
2. More than 10% of the surface.

Where flesh is broken, bruising must not extend through more than two edible scales.

Cuts

Must not extend through more than one edible scale.

Must not extend through more than two edible scales.

Freezing Injury

When cut, onions must not show:

1. A wet, water-soaked or translucent appearance.
2. Where the freezing injury has dried out affecting an equivalent area equal to one complete outer scale.
3. That the injury has left the onion less than firm.

When cut, onions must not show:

1. A wet, water-soaked or translucent appearance.
2. Where the freezing injury has dried out affecting an equivalent area equal to one complete outer scale.
3. That the injury has left the onion less than firm.

When cut, onions must not show:

1. Where the freezing injury has dried out affecting an equivalent area equal to two complete outer scales.
2. That the injury has left the onion less than reasonably firm, yielding only slightly to moderate pressure.

Peeling

25% of the onions may be completely peeled, while the remainder must not have more than 15% of the surface exposed.

25% of the onions may be completely peeled, while the remainder must not have more than 30% of the surface exposed.

New Root Growth

1. Must be free from new root growth at shipping point.
2. Must be free from any new growth at destination that exceeds ¼ inch (6mm), and is sufficiently heavy so as to materially affect the appearance.

1. Must be free from new root growth at shipping point.
2. Must be free from any new growth at destination that exceeds ¼ inch (6mm), and is sufficiently heavy so as to materially affect the appearance.

1. Must be free from any new growth at shipping point that exceeds ¼ inch (6mm) in length.
2. Must be free from any new growth at destination that exceeds ½ inch (13mm) in length, and sufficiently heavy to seriously effect the appearance.

Smudge or Dark Powdery Discolouration

10% of the onions may be completely affected by black spots or powdery blotches on the outer surface, while the remainder must not have more than 25% of the surface affected.

10% of the onions may be completely affected by black spots or powdery blotches on the outer surface, while the remainder must not have more than 50% of the surface affected.

Other Defects

Must be free from any injury, defect or a combination not described above which materially affects the appearance, edibility or shipping quality .

Must be free from any injury, defect or a combination not described above which seriously affects the appearance, edibility or shipping quality.