{"id":"F2008B00638","name":"Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code - Standard 2.3.1 - Fruit and Vegetables","slug":"australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-2-3-1-fruit-and-vegetables","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"repealed","isInForce":false,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":71970,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2008B00638-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"Repealed","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code - Standard 2.3.1 - Fruit and Vegetables","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\nmeta-generator: Aspose.Words for .NET 20.2\ntitle: Revised Code Index\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\nStandard 2.3.1\n\n \n\nFruit and Vegetables\n\n \n\n \n\nPurpose\n\n \n\nThis Standard provides specific definitions for fruit and vegetables, which include nuts, spices, herbs, fungi, legumes and seeds based on processing categories in Standard 1.3.1 for the purpose of providing specific additive permissions.\n\n \n\nTable of Provisions\n\n \n\n1 Interpretation\n\n2 Composition\n\n \n\nClauses\n\n \n\n1 Interpretation\n\n \n\nIn this Code –\n\n \n\nfruit and vegetables means fruit, vegetables, nuts, spices, herbs, fungi, legumes and seeds.\n\n \n\nsurface treated fruit and vegetables means fruit and vegetables harvested, washed and treated with permitted processing aids and food additives.\n\n \n\n2 Composition\n\n \n\nFruit and vegetables in brine, oil, vinegar or water, other than commercially canned fruit and vegetables, must not have a pH greater than 4.6.\n\n\n{THIS PAGE INTENTIONALLY LEFT BLANK}\n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"_metrics":{"model":"kimi-k2.5","source":"moonshot-batch","completionTokens":1212},"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The standard remains tightly focused on its original purpose: providing broad definitions of produce categories for additive permissions and establishing the pH safety limit for non-canned preserved vegetables. No scope creep is evident."},"complexity_factors":["Only 2 defined terms in the interpretation section","Single technical requirement (pH ≤ 4.6) with one explicit exception (commercially canned products)","No nested exceptions or conditional logic","Minimal cross-referencing (only to Standard 1.3.1 for processing categories)","Extremely brief: only 2 substantive clauses"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this is:** A food safety rule that defines what counts as \"fruit and vegetables\" under Australian and New Zealand food law, and sets acidity requirements for preserved produce.\n\n**Key definitions:**\n- **Fruit and vegetables** (in this Code) means not just apples and carrots, but also nuts, spices, herbs, mushrooms (fungi), legumes (beans and peas), and seeds.\n- **Surface treated** means produce that's been harvested, washed, and treated with permitted chemicals or processing aids.\n\n**The important safety rule:**\nIf you preserve fruit or vegetables in brine, oil, vinegar, or water (but **not** if they're commercially canned), the food must have a pH of 4.6 or lower. This acidity level prevents dangerous bacteria—particularly *Clostridium botulinum* (which causes botulism)—from growing and producing toxins.\n\n**Why it matters:** This ensures pickled vegetables, marinated products, and similar foods are safe to eat without refrigeration, while allowing the broader food industry to use specific additives permitted for these categories under Standard 1.3.1."},"summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":1,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Establishes definitions for fruit and vegetables and a pH limit for non-canned products in liquid, interacting with additive permissions under Standard 1.3.1."},"complexity_factors":["Contains only two definitions and a single compositional rule.","Directly references another standard for additive permissions (Standard 1.3.1)."],"plain_english_summary":"This Standard defines “fruit and vegetables” broadly (including nuts, spices, herbs, fungi, legumes and seeds) and a second term for “surface treated” produce (harvested, washed and treated with permitted processing aids/additives). Its key rule: produce packed in brine, oil, vinegar or water must have pH ≤ 4.6 unless commercially canned, to control botulism risk. Manufacturers, importers and retailers using additives or liquid packing should check this Standard alongside Standard 1.3.1."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-2-3-1-fruit-and-vegetables","history":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-2-3-1-fruit-and-vegetables/history","analysis":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-2-3-1-fruit-and-vegetables/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-2-3-1-fruit-and-vegetables/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-2-3-1-fruit-and-vegetables/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/australia-new-zealand-food-standards-code-standard-2-3-1-fruit-and-vegetables/documents"}}