Determining the grade of a sample unit

(a) General. In addition to considering other requirements outlined in the standards the following quality factors are evaluated:

(1) Factors not rated by score points. (i) Flavor; (ii) Uniformity of size (styles of whole and pitted only).

(2) Factors rated by score points. The relative importance of each factor which is scored is expressed numerically on the scale of 100. The maximum number of points that may be given such factors are:

Points (i) Color 30 (ii) Absence of defects 40 (iii) Character 30 Total score 100

(b) Definition of flavor—(1) Good flavor. (i) “Good flavor” in ripe type means a distinctive flavor characteristic of ripe type olives (including that of properly spiced olives) which have been properly prepared and processed and which are free from objectionable flavors of any kind.

(ii) “Good Flavor” in green-ripe type means a distinctive mellow flavor characteristic of green-ripe type olives which have been properly prepared and processed and which are free from objectionable flavors of any kind.

(2) Reasonably good flavor. “Reasonably good flavor” in either ripe type or green-ripe type (including that of properly spiced olives) means that the flavor may be slightly lacking in distinctly characteristic flavor for the respective type but the olives are free from objectionable flavors of any kind.