Overview
ISO 874:1980 - Fresh fruits and vegetables - Sampling - specifies a practical, standardized method for taking representative samples of fresh fruits and vegetables intended for international trade. The standard covers preparation of the lot, taking elementary increments, forming a bulk (global) sample, reducing to a laboratory sample, and requirements for packaging, marking, transport and storage to preserve sample integrity. ISO 874 is intended primarily for quality assessment and dispute resolution between trading parties.
Key topics and technical requirements
- Scope and purpose: Sampling to determine quality or specific characteristics of fresh produce in a lot; suitable for on‑site checks and laboratory testing.
- Definitions: Clear terms for delivery, lot, elementary increment, global sample, reduced sample and laboratory sample.
- Random vs selective sampling: Sampling is normally random so increments represent the whole lot; selective sampling is permitted when checking for a particular defect, variety or disease.
- Minimum increments: At least five elementary samples must be taken per lot; for large or non‑homogeneous deliveries the lot should be divided into homogeneous sublots and sampled separately.
- Prescribed sample sizes: The standard includes tables that define the number of packages or total mass of increments required depending on lot size and product type (examples provided for packaged and bulk produce and for bulky items where pieces are counted).
- Preparation and reduction: Procedures to combine increments into a global sample and to reduce this to a representative laboratory sample.
- Packaging and sealing: Laboratory samples must be packaged to ensure preservation, sealed, and labeled to prevent substitution.
- Marking and label contents: Required label data include product name/species/variety, shipper, place and date of sampling, lot and sample ID, sampler signature, and tests to be performed.
- Transport and storage: Guidance to avoid product alteration during transport; prompt shipment and control testing are recommended.
- Sampling report (procès‑verbal): A numbered report must accompany samples and include extensive information (product, parties, dates/times, conditions of storage/transport, number of lab samples, technique used, names of samplers, etc.).
Applications and users
ISO 874 is used by:
- Exporters and importers for pre‑shipment inspection and dispute resolution
- Quality control inspectors and port authorities
- Third‑party inspection and testing laboratories
- Customs and regulatory agencies dealing with phytosanitary and quality checks
Practical benefits include consistent, defensible sampling for contract enforcement, reduced sampling bias, and standardized documentation for international trade.
Related standards
- Standards for specific test methods or quality grading (refer to ISO/TC 34 committee publications)
- National phytosanitary and grading regulations that may cite or complement ISO 874
Keywords: ISO 874, fresh fruits and vegetables sampling, sampling procedure, laboratory sample, lot preparation, sample handling, international trade sampling.