CODEX ALIMENTARIUS FOR FRESH AND VEGETABLES

INTRODUCTION

Scientific research over the last decades has shown that a diet rich in fruits and

vegetables, together with a marked increase in the year around availability of fresh fruits

and vegetables from a global market, has contributed to the substantial increase in

consumption of fresh fruits and vegetables over the past two decades. However, the

recent increase in reports of food borne illness associated with fresh fruits and vegetables

has raised concerns from public health agencies and consumers about the safety of these

products. The fresh fruit and vegetables industry is very complex. Fresh fruits and

vegetables are produced and packed under diverse environmental conditions. It is

recognized that some of the provisions in this code maybe difficult to implement in areas

where primary production is conducted in small holdings. In both developed and

developing countries and also in areas where traditional farming is practiced. Therefore,

the code is necessity, a flexible one to allow for.

OBJECTIVES

 To find their ways in selling fruits and vegetables

 To determine how they handle the fruits and vegetables
 To determine the vendors if they are following the Philippine National Standard
 To find out what`s the differences between fruits and vegetables
 To conduct a survey

FINDINGS
 Through our survey, we comprised between the Codex Alimentarius for fresh fruits

and vegetables and the vendors in the market. We find out that the vendors in fruits and

vegetables are just 30% following the Philippine National Standard for fresh fruits and

vegetables because on our survey some vendors are recycling the rot or not good fruits

and vegetables. For example, a group of sari-sari, some vendors picking up the good

among the already cut vegetables and we come out to our mind if the vegetables should

be cooked at the time of cutting but for them if the cut vegetables are not totally became

rot , they are picking up and mix with a newly cut vegetables for recycling, but it is very

wrong because when the vegetables already cut they are nearby to the attack of bacteria

that is contamination, and picking up the good cut vegetables from already cut through

sari-sari and mix with newly cut is a tendency that the consumers who buy those

vegetables will be in poison or diarrhea. Fruits and vegetables has it`s difference texture

according to temperature. Fruits should be handle with care it`s because fruits are

sensitive while vegetables will last long according on how you handle it. Vegetables that

are leafy are easily looks like rot, compared to other kinds of vegetables. According to our

survey, we find out that fruits and vegetables have different supplier.

The following questions is the basis of our survey:

1. How many days does your fresh fruits and vegetables order will arrived?

2. What is the storage of your fruits and vegetables when it going to be delivered?

3. What will you do to those vegetables that is not sold? How about the fruits?

4. Will you give overprice on your product?

 5. Do you have a Sanitary Health Clearance from the municipal?

6. If ever there will be a seminar about vendors on your place , will you attend or

not?

7. What is your exact season , month, or day to make the price more of your product?

How about less price?

8. Did you follow price selling?

9. What are the product that are sold easily?

10. Does the leafy vegetables are still fresh when it be delivered?

11. Does the price of your item depends on how is the shape on your item?

So according to the vendor that we interviewed , it takes 5 days to 1 week before the

fruits and vegetables will arrived. The storage of the fruits and vegetables when it is

delivered are sacks or cartoon. The vegetables that are not sold will depend on the kind

of vegetables for example those vegetables that are easily became rot they will make it

sari-sari and other will be trash like onions (sibuyas) , on the fruits it will depends on the

texture because some fruits will not get easily rot like apples, pineapples, oranges, etc.

that will last long on how many days while fruits like banana, papaya, watermelon they

will make it a fruit salad and fruit like rambutan should be trash. They will just give

overprice to a product if the product is not sold well. According to the vendor , they have

a Sanitary Health Clearance because they will not allowed to display any kind of

item/product if they do not have that kind of requirement. If ever that there will be a

seminar on their place, Yes they will attend if ever that would be the number one

requirements of our mayor and also to help them to gain more learnings on their business.

The exact season or month to make the price more usually in December times of
Christmas while the season or month that the product became less price usually in May.

As they say , they follow price selling because if there`s no price selling they can`t gain

on their capital. The product that are sold easily fruits like apple, banana , and oranges

while in vegetables spices , eggplant , bitterguord , and squash .Leafy vegetables are

still fresh when it is delivered but not last longer . The price of the item/product will depend

on the shape it`s because some fruits is big that will enough for 2 persons and for

vegetables big white onions are expensive than ordinary onion.