Non-Tariff Barriers

Non-Tariff Measure

NTM classification

A84: Inspection requirement 

Date when the measure came into force

27 May 2016 

Publication where the measure is specified

Government Gazette No. 40014, 27 May 2016 

Regulation where the measure is specified

Regulations Relating To The Grading, Packing And Marking Of Table Grapes Intended For Sale In The Republic Of South Africa 

Country/Region applying the measure

South Africa 

Coded list of objectives

X: For purposes n.e.s. 

Description of the measure

2. (1) No persons shall sell table grapes in the Republic of South Africa other than imported table
grapes referred to in subregulation (3) –
(e) unless the samples for inspection are drawn according to the requirements sets out in regulations 12, 13 and 14;
(f) unless the samples are inspected in accordance with the method set out in regulations 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20 , and 21.
SAMPLING PROCEDURES
Obtaining a sample of the consignment
12. At least two per cent of the containers in a consignment shall be drawn at random for inspection purposes and an inspector shall be satisfied that the containers so drawn are representative of the consignment concerned.
Obtaining an inspection sample
13. An inspection sample shall be taken from each container which are obtained in accordance with regulation 12 and shall consist of the entire contents of the container.
Deviating sample
14. If an inspector should notice during the process of drawing the random sample or during the inspection, that some of the containers derived from any part of the pallet load, truck load or consignment, contain table grapes which are noticeably inferior to or differ from the contents of the containers which represent the remainder of the pallet load, truck load or consignment, the inspection result shall be based only on the containers derived from the deviating portion of the pallet load, truck load or consignment, and further samples required for inspection shall be drawn from this deviating portion.
METHODS OF INSPECTION
Determination of ripeness
15. (1) The ripeness of table grapes shall be determined as follows:
(a) Take as a working sample at least 1 kg of berries at random any of the bunches from 50% of the containers which were taken at random for inspection purposes, in accordance with item 18. A minimum of 5 berries and a maximum of 30 berries per bunch may be taken for large berry varieties while a minimum of 5 berries and a
maximum of 50 berries per bunch may be taken for small berry varieties. No full bunch/bunches may be taken for testing.
(b) Obtain the juice of the table grapes in a manner as set out in regulation 16.
(c) Determine the total soluble solids (TSS) in a manner as set out in regulation 17.
(d) Determine the acid content in a manner as set out in regulation 18.
(e) Determine the ratio of the total soluble solids (TSS) to the acid content (sugar to acid ratio) in a manner as set out in regulation 19.
(2) (a) The minimum number of tests to be taken with regard to the number of containers in the consignment is as follows:(see Table on page 6 of the regulations)
(b) If two, three or four samples are tested, the consignment shall be approved if not more than one of the samples thus tested, fails by less than one unit to comply with the minimum sugar to acid ratio as set out in Table 3 of Annexure 1 for the particular cultivar and the average of all the samples thus tested complies with the aforesaid prescribed requirements: Provided that where any test fails to comply by one unit or more with the prescribed minimum requirements, the consignment shall be rejected.
(c) If five samples are tested, the consignment shall be approved if not more than one sample thus tested, fails by not more than two units to comply with the minimum sugar to acid ratio as set out in Table 3 of Annexure 1 for the particular cultivar and the average of all the samples thus tested complies with the aforesaid prescribed requirements.
(d) If six or more samples are tested, the consignment shall be passed if not more than two samples thus tested fail by not more than two units to comply with the minimum sugar to acid ratio as set out in Table 3 of Annexure 1 for the particular cultivar and the average of all the samples thus tested complies with the aforesaid prescribed
requirements.
Obtaining the juice of table grapes
16. The juice in a working sample of table grapes is extracted as follows:
(a) Remove randomly prescribed number of the berries from the selected bunches and squeeze out all the juice from the berries with a suitable juice press or liquidiser.
(b) Drain the juice so obtained through a layer of muslin in a suitable receptacle.
(c) Apply slight pressure by hand on the muslin to speed up the straining of the thick juice and pulp.
(d) Stop pressure as soon as the liquid becomes thick and turbid.
Determination of the total soluble solids (TSS)
17. The total soluble solids (TSS) of table grapes in a consignment shall be determined with a calibrated refractometer as follows:
(a) Place an equal number of drops (1 or 2) from the drained juice obtained in regulation 16 onto the refractometer prism plate.
(b) Note the reading on the prism scale to one decimal place.
(c) Place a thermometer of the range 0°C to 50°C, calibrated in degrees Celsius, for at least one minute in the juice and take the reading thereon. Provided that if the refractometer with automatic correction is used no temperature adjustment is needed.
(d) Repeat the steps in paragraphs (a) and (b), after the prism plate was cleaned with distilled water and wiped dry.
(e) Determine the average of the two readings.
(f) Use the particulars in Table 6 of Annexure 1 to convert the figure obtained in paragraph (e) with due regard to the temperature taken in paragraph (c).
Determination of the acid content
18. (1) The acid content of the table grapes in a consignment shall be determined as follows:
(a) Transfer 20 millilitre of the juice, extracted in accordance with regulation 16, by means of a 20 millilitre pipette to a glass titration flask in which a small quantity of distilled water has been placed.
(b) Add five drops of phenolphthalein indicator to the mixture of juice and water in the flask.
(c) Titrate a 0,1333N sodium hydroxide solution into such juice until:
(i) in the case of white table grape cultivars, the end-point of light pink (light red/light rose) stays constantly visible for 30 seconds without changing while the flask is being swirled; or
(ii) in the case of red/black table grape cultivars, the end-point of smutty green or khaki green stays constantly visible for 30 seconds without changing while the flask is being swirled.
(d) Determine how many millilitre of the solution concerned was used for this neutralisation and divide this figure by 20.
(2) The end result obtained in subregulation (1) (d) represent the percentage acid content of the consignment concerned.
(3) If the grape juice is dark in colour and the determination of the end-point thereby hampered, the test shall be repeated and the 20 millilitre of grape juice may in such a case be further diluted with distilled water before titration takes place.
Determination of the ratio of the total soluble solids (TSS) to acid content
19. The ratio of the total soluble solids (TSS) to acid content (sugar to acid ratio) of table grapes in a consignment shall be determined by dividing the percentage obtained in regulation 17 by the percentage obtained in regulation 18.
Determination of the berry size of table grapes
20. The berry size of table grapes is determined as follows:
(a) Take as working sample of an intact bunch or bunches of at least 525 g of table grapes of the bunches that appears to be the smallest berries from the inspection sample obtained in regulation 13: Provided that the working sample may be taken from two or more of the containers in the inspection sample.
(b) Strip the berries from the stalk(s) and weigh off 500 g taken at random from the working sample. Use suitable sizing rings and determine the diameter of the berries in the 500 g sample by placing each berry with the stem-end facing upwards on the opening prescribed for the relevant berry size as set out in Table 1 of Annexure 1. The diameter of any berry that falls through the prescribed opening through the action of gravity, shall be deemed to be too small.
(c) Weigh the berries which were found to be too small and determine it as a percentage of the total weight of each working sample. The berries which deviates may not be smaller than the prescribed minimum diameter as set out in Table 1 and exceed the prescribed tolerances permitted in Table 5 regulation 8.
(d) The consignment shall be approved if it complies with:
(i) the deviation tolerance as set out in regulation 8 of Table 5; and
(ii) the deviation tolerance as set out in the table below (see page 8 of the regulations).
(e) The consignment shall not be approved if any working sample deviates with more than 5% from the deviation tolerances mentioned in item 8 of Table 5.
Determination of the presence of seeds in seedless cultivars
21. The number of seeds per 100 g berries in a consignment of seedless grapes is determined as follows:
(a) Take as a working sample 100 g berries, which according to the opinion of the inspector, are the most likely to contain seeds, from one of the inspection samples obtained in accordance with subregulation (13).
(b) Take one representative working sample for every 5 pallets or part thereof.
(c) Cut all the berries obtained in paragraph (a) in half through the longitudinal axis.
(d) Count the hard, mature seeds. Seeds which are still soft and underdeveloped and which can be squashed by the pressure applied between two fingers should not be counted. 

Reference of the measure

Regulations 2(1)(e) and 12-21 

Measure also domestic

Yes 

Products affected by the measure.

Description

Table grapes 

Countries/Regions affected by the measure.

Description

All countries