Post harvest chemical treatment - fruit

This requirement can be followed up, for example, by carrying out spot checks on delivered food products. This can be done by checking one of the following:

• Valid licence/certificate for a label/certification that covers the requirement, for example Svenskt Sigill/IP Sigill Frukt och Grönt [Swedish Seal/IP Seal Fruit & Vegetables] or equivalent.

Make use of specialist expertise in your organisation when following up the summitted evidence of compliance. This could, for example, be an environmental or sustainability strategist with extensive expertise within questions related to sustainability.

The criterion is not relevant for products that are processed directly after harvest and it is not possible to apply the criterion to conventionally grown citrus fruit as they are, to all intents, always subject to post harvest treatment. The criterium is primarily relevant for fresh, conventionally grown apples and pears. For other fruits, availability may be limited and be subject to seasonal variation. Conduct a market analysis to ensure availability.
Market analysis (in Swedish).

Fresh fruit and vegetables often lack a unique identification in the form of GTIN and the corresponding article information in the digital system. Therefore, follow-up can require significant resources, for both the purchaser and the supplier. The availability of products on the market that comply with the requirements can vary within different product groups. Evaluate the availability by conducting a market analysis.
More about GTIN and identification of fruit and vegetables (in English)

Another way to ensure the desired quality during a procurement can be to specify specific types or sizes, for example Ingrid Marie or Aroma.

The requirement aims to reduce the use of post harvest chemical treatment and to limit unnecessary exposure for consumers to higher residue levels of these substances. To achieve a circular economy the dependency on chemical plant protection products needs to be reduced and hazardous substances need to be stopped from re-entering the ecosystem cycle.

For fruit, post harvest chemical treatment is used to protect against pest and disease problems after harvest or to have an impact on life processes (for example germination or ripening) and thereby extend the shelf life. Post harvest treatment, both chemical and non-chemical, can contribute to a reduction in food waste and it is therefore not always desirable to completely exclude these types of treatment. This applies to, for example, citrus fruits.

Since July 2015, the use of chemical plant protection products that contain fungicides is not permitted in Sweden in the treatment of fruit or table potatoes after harvest. This is described in the Regulation (2014:425) on Plant Protection Products, chapter 2 §39 b. Imported fruit, for examples apples, can be treated.

The version date indicates when the sustainability criterion was created or last updated. Last reviewed dated tells when we last checked that the sustainability criterion still is relevant.

2023-02-07, Requirement ID 11114:1: New version number. Changes requirement level from basic to advanced. Criteria name adjusted for greater clarity. Criterion text adjusted to be able to include more fruits than just apple, but not citrus. Added suggestions for follow-up. Adjusted motive text and how the requirement should be used. Added to the National Food Strategy requirements package.
2020-01-08: Evidence changed from IP Basic Certification to IP Seal - no version management
2016-12-16: Original version