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Which class are you?

(i) ‘Extra’ class

Bananas in this class must be of superior quality. They must have the characteristics typical of the variety and/or commercial type.

The fingers must be free from defects, apart from slight superficial blemishes not covering a total of more than 1 cm2 of the surface of the finger, which must not impair the general appearance of the hand or cluster, its quality, its keeping quality or the presentation of the package.

(ii) Class I

Bananas in this class must be of good quality. They must display the characteristics typical of the variety and/or commercial type.

However, the following slight defects of the fingers are allowed, provided they do not impair the general appearance of each hand or cluster, its quality, its keeping quality or the presentation of the package:

  • slight defects in shape,
  • slight skin defects due to rubbing and other slight superficial blemishes not covering a total of more than 2 cm2 of the surface of the finger.

Under no circumstances may such slight defects affect the flesh of the fruit.

(iii) Class II

This class covers bananas which do not qualify for inclusion in the higher classes but satisfy the minimum requirements specified above.

The following defects of the fingers are allowed, provided the bananas retain their essential characteristics as regards quality, keeping quality and presentation:

  • defects of shape,
  • skin defects due to scraping, rubbing or other causes, provided that the total area affected does not cover more than 4 cm2 of the surface of the finger.

Under no circumstances may the defects affect the flesh of the fruit.

Sizing is determined by:

  • the length of the fruit expressed in centimetres and measured along the convex face, from the blossom end to the point where the peduncle joins the crown,
  • the grade, i.e. the measurement, in millimetres, of the thickness of a transverse section of the fruit between the lateral faces and the middle, perpendicularly to the longitudinal axis.

The reference fruit for measurement of the length and grade is:

  • the median finger on the outer row of the hand, 
  • the finger next to the cut sectioning the hand, on the outer row of the cluster.

The minimum length permitted is 14 cm and the minimum grade permitted is 27 mm.