WAC 16-403-270   Damage.  (1) "Damage" means any specific defect defined in this section; or an equally objectionable variation of any one of these defects, any other defect, or any combination of defects, which materially detracts from the appearance, or the edible or shipping quality of the apple. The following specific defects shall be considered as damage:

     (a) Russeting in the stem cavity or calyx basin which cannot be seen when the apple is placed stem end or calyx end down on a flat surface shall not be considered in determining whether or not an apple is damaged by russeting, except that excessively rough or barklike russeting in the stem cavity or calyx basin shall be considered as damage when the appearance of the apple is materially affected. The following types and amounts of russeting outside of the stem cavity or calyx basin shall be considered as damage:

     (i) Russeting which is excessively rough or rough on green and yellow varieties.

     (ii) Smooth net-like russeting, when an aggregate area of more than 15 percent of the surface is covered, and the color of the russeting shows no very pronounced contrast with the background color of the apple, or lesser amounts of more conspicuous net-like russeting when the appearance is affected to a greater extent than the above amount permitted.

     (iii) Smooth solid russeting when an aggregate area of more than 5 percent of the surface is covered and the pattern and color of the russeting shows no very pronounced contrast with the background color of the apple, or lesser amounts of more conspicuous solid russeting when the appearance is affected to a greater extent than the above amount permitted.

     (iv) Slightly rough russeting which covers an aggregate area of more than one-half inch.

     (v) Rough russeting in the red and partial red varieties which covers an aggregate area of more than one-fourth inch in diameter.

     (b) Sunburn or sprayburn which has caused blistering or cracking of the skin, or when the discolored area does not blend into the normal color of the fruit unless the injury can be classed as russeting.

     (c) Limb rubs which affect a total area of more than one-half inch in diameter, except that light brown limb rubs of a russet character shall be considered under the definition of damage by russeting.

     (d) Hail marks, drought spots, other similar depressions or scars:

     (i) When any unhealed mark is present;

     (ii) When any surface indentation exceeds one-eighth inch in depth;

     (iii) When the skin has not been broken and the aggregate affected area exceeds one-half inch in diameter; or

     (iv) When the skin has been broken and well healed, and the aggregate affected area exceeds one-fourth inch in diameter.

     (e) Stem or calyx cracks which are not well healed, or well healed stem or calyx cracks which exceed an aggregate length of one-fourth inch.

     (f) Invisible watercore existing around the core and extending to watercore in the vascular bundles; or surrounding the vascular bundles when the affected areas surrounding three or more vascular bundles meet or coalesce; or existing in more than slight degree outside the circular area formed by the vascular bundles.

     (g) Disease:

     (i) Scab spots which affect a total area of more than one-fourth inch in diameter.

     (ii) Cedar rust infection which affects a total area of more than one-fourth inch in diameter.

     (iii) Sooty blotch or fly speck which is thinly scattered over more than one-tenth of the surface, or dark, heavily concentrated spots which affect an area of more than one-half inch in diameter.

     (iv) Red skin spots which are thinly scattered over more than one-tenth of the surface, or dark, heavily concentrated spots which affect an area of more than one-half inch in diameter.

     (v) Bitter pit or Jonathan spot when one or more spots affects the surface of the apple.

     (h) Insects:

     (i) Any healed sting or healed stings which affect a total area of more than three-sixteenths inch in diameter including any encircling discolored rings.

     (ii) Worm holes.



[Statutory Authority: Chapters 15.17 and 34.05 RCW. 06-12-117, § 16-403-270, filed 6/7/06, effective 7/8/06; Order 1374, § 16-403-270, filed 7/26/74, effective 9/1/74.]