Acts Online
GT Shield

Agricultural Product Standards Act, 1990 (Act No. 119 of 1990)

Regulations

Grading, Packing and Marking of Dried Fruit intended for sale in the Republic of South Africa

Part V : Sampling and Analysis

18. Sampling

 

(1) For the purpose of an inspection, grading and sampling for quality control, an inspector shall take such samples of a product, material, substance or other article in question as he or she may deem necessary.

 

Sampling of containers

 

(2) For the purpose of determining the deviations (tolerances) in a batch of dried fruit, excluding mixed dried fruit and dried fruit mixed with other foodstuffs, packed in containers, the following procedure shall apply:
(a) Combine and thoroughly/evenly mix the dried fruit that make up the total number of samples selected under sub-regulation (1) to constitute the composite sample.
(b) Select the following quantity from the composite sample obtained under paragraph (a):
(i) 100 fruit units in the case of apples, apricots, peaches, pears, plums, prunes, figs and tomatoes.
(ii) 100g in the case of bananas, mangoes, pawpaws (papayas), pineapples, dried grapes (raisins) dates, goji berries and cranberries.
(c) Should the inspection result in non-conformity, further random sampling and inspection of the batch shall be  conducted and the same procedure set out in paragraphs (a) and (b) shall be followed.

 

Sampling of mixed dried fruit and dried fruit mixed with other foodstuffs

 

(3) In the case of mixed dried fruit and dried fruit mixed with other foodstuffs packed in containers, the following procedure shall apply:
(a) The same sampling procedure set out in sub-regulation 2(a) shall be followed.
(b) All the different types of dried fruit in the composite sample shall be separated into groups.
(c) The number of dried fruit in a group shall be weighed or counted and the total reading recorded.
(d) The dried fruit in each group shall be graded according to the requirements stipulated in these regulations for the type of dried fruit concerned, and any defects recorded.
(e) The defects found shall be expressed as—
(i) either  the  number  of  deviating  units/total  number  of  units  in  the  group concerned, in the case of deviations by number or count; or
(ii) the mass of the deviating units/total mass of the units in the group concerned, in the case of deviations by mass.
(f) The results recorded in paragraph (e) shall then be calculated pro rata to—
(i) 100 fruit units in the case of deviations by number or count; or
(ii) 100 g in the case of deviations by mass.
(g) The deviations  in each group  of dried fruit shall  not exceed the permissible limits stipulated in these regulations for the type of dried fruit concerned.
(h) Should the results of the inspection indicate non-conformity for any group of dried fruit, further sampling and inspection of the batch shall be conducted in accordance with the same procedure set out in paragraphs (a) to (f) shall be followed.

 

Sampling of bulk containers

 

(4) For the purpose of determining the deviations (tolerances) in a batch of dried fruit which have been packed in bulk containers at the premises of the packer, the following procedure shall apply:
(a)  randomly a number of batches containing the bulk dried fruit product concerned. The number of batches so selected shall constitute the primary sample.
(b) Take randomly from each primary sample selected under paragraph (a), adequate produce to constitute the secondary sample.
(c) The same procedure set out in sub-regulations (2)(a) to (b) shall then be followed.