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Description
Dates
History:
The date palm has been
cultivated and prized from remotest antiquity; its fruit has been
the staple food and chief source of wealth in the irrigable desert
of the middle East and North Africa.
Spanish missionaries carried
the tree to the New World in the 18th and 19th
centuries, but it was not until the early 1900s that the United
States cultivated a commercial date crop in southern California.
Varieties:
Deglet Noor ("Date
of light")
|
Semi-soft,
medium/large, and amber colored, this variety makes up the
vast majority of the dates sold in the retail market
|
Medjool
|
A
large, soft date is considered a premium fruit, as it is cultivated
and harvested largely by hand. Considered less sweet to the
taste and softer than other date varieties. |
Zahidi ("Nobility")
|
A
semi-soft date that is smaller, more egg-shaped, and more
golden in color than the Deglet Noor |
Khadrawy ("Green")
|
A
soft date that is harvested by hand |
Halawy ("Sweet")
|
A
soft date with a slightly sweeter taste than the Khadrawy
|
Typically, dates dry on
the palm and are harvested at a naturally dehydrated state.
Harvest Time:
September through January
Storage and Handling:
The storage quality and
environmental requirements of dates are directly related to the
moisture content of the fruit. Since dates deteriorate from physiological
causes and/or microbiological impurities, the higher the moisture
content the more subject they are to quality loss.
The majority of California
date products store well. At 40 Degrees F they can be held for
about eight months, at 60 degrees F for three months, and at 80
degrees F for one month. California date products can be kept
frozen at below 10 degrees F for up to one year.
Growing Region
:
Almost all U.S. production
of dates is grown in the Coachella Valley in Southern California.
Medjools are also grown across the border in Northern Mexico.
California
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| Product
Name: |
Dates
|
| Source:
|
USDA
Nutrient Databases |
Analysis*:
|
Nutrient
(per 100 g)
|
Units
|
Quantity
|
|
|
|
|
| Proximates
|
|
|
| Water
|
g
|
22.5
|
| Calories
|
kcal
|
275.0
|
| Carbohydrates
|
g
|
73.5
|
| Protein
|
g
|
2.0
|
| Fat
|
g
|
0.5
|
| Dietary
Fiber |
g
|
7.5
|
| Ash
|
g
|
1.6
|
|
|
|
|
| Minerals
|
|
|
| Calcium
|
mg
|
32.0
|
| Iron
|
mg
|
1.2
|
| Magnesium
|
mg
|
35.0
|
| Phosphorus
|
mg
|
40.0
|
| Potassium
|
mg
|
652.0
|
| Sodium
|
mg
|
3.0
|
| Zinc
|
mg
|
0.3
|
| Copper
|
mg
|
0.3
|
| Manganese
|
mg
|
0.3
|
|
|
|
|
| Vitamins
|
|
|
| Vitamin
C |
mg
|
0.0
|
| Thiamin
(B1) |
mg
|
0.1
|
| Riboflavin
(B2) |
mg
|
0.1
|
| Niacin
|
mg
|
2.2
|
| Panothenic
Acid |
mg
|
0.8
|
| Vitamin
B6 |
mg
|
0.2
|
| Folate
|
mcg
|
12.6
|
| Vitamin
B12 |
mcg
|
0.0
|
| Vitamin
E |
mg
|
0.1
|
* Nutrition Information
is based on dried dates.
Disclaimer: The range
of values obtained through various private and government investigators
are true and accurate to the best knowledge. Variations may occur
due to crop differences year to year. Analysis and ranges of values
obtained by various private and governmental sources may vary
from actual data obtained from current and future crop years.
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| Product
Name: |
Dates
|
| Standard:
|
US
|
Grades:
Dates are the properly
cured fresh fruit of the date tree (Phoenix dactylifera) which
may or may not be softened by hydration. For the purposes of the
standards in this subpart, dates, when referred to as dry dates
for processing, means that the dates are dry and have not been
softened by hydration.
Styles of dates.
- Whole or whole dates
means whole unpitted dates from which the pits have not been
removed and which may be slit longitudinally.
- Pitted or pitted dates
means whole dates from which the pits have been removed.
- Pieces or date pieces
means dates that have been cut or sliced into small pieces and
that can be handled as individual units.
- Macerated or macerated
dates means dates that have been ground, chopped, mashed, or
broken or that have been cut or sliced into small pieces and
that cannot be handled as individual units.
Grades of dates.
- U.S. Grade A or U.S.
Fancy is the quality of whole or pitted dates that are of one
variety, that possess a good color, that are practically uniform
in size, that are practically free from defects, that possess
a good character, and that score not less than 90 points when
scored in accordance with the scoring system outlined in this
subpart.
- U.S. Grade B or U.S.
Choice is the quality of whole or pitted dates, other than whole
dry dates for processing that are of one variety, that possess
a reasonably good color, that are reasonably uniform in size,
that are reasonably free from defects, that possess a reasonably
good character, and that score not less than 80 points when
scored in accordance with the scoring system outlined in this
subpart.
- U.S. Grade B (Dry)
or U.S. Choice (Dry) is the quality of whole dry dates for processing
that are of one variety, that possess a reasonably good color,
that are reasonably uniform in size, that are reasonably free
from defects, that possess a reasonably good character, and
that score not less than 80 points when scored in accordance
with the scoring system outlined in this subpart.
- U.S. Grade C or U.S.
Standard is the quality of whole or pitted dates other than
whole dry dates for processing that are of one variety or of
date pieces or macerated dates that possess a fairly good color,
that are fairly uniform in size except for date pieces or macerated
dates, that are fairly free from defects, that possess a fairly
good character, and that score not less than 70 points when
scored in accordance with the scoring system outlined in this
subpart.
- U.S. Grade C (Dry)
or U.S. Standard (Dry) is the quality of whole dry dates for
processing that are of one variety, that possess a fairly good
color, that are fairly uniform in size, that are fairly free
from defects, that possess a fairly good character, and that
score not less than 70 points when scored in accordance with
the scoring system outlined in this subpart.
- Substandard is the
quality of dates that fail to meet the requirements of U.S.
Grade C or U.S. Standard or U.S. Grade C (Dry) or U.S. Standard
(Dry), whichever is applicable.
Ascertaining the grade.
In addition to considering
other requirements outlined in the standards, the following quality
factors are evaluated:
- Factor not rated by
score points.
- Varietal requirement.
- Factors rated by score
points. The relative importance of each factor which is scored
is expresses numerically on the scale of 100. The maximum number
of points that may be given such factors are:
| Factors
|
Points
|
| Color
|
20
|
| Uniformity
of size |
10
|
| Absence
of defects |
30
|
| Character
|
40
|
|
|
100
|
Ascertaining the rating
for the factors which are scored.
The essential variations
within each factor which is scored are so described that the value
may be ascertained for each factor and expressed numerically.
The numerical range within each factor which is scored is inclusive
(for example, 18 to 20 points means 18, 19, or 20 points).
Color.
- "A" classification.
Whole or pitted dates that possess a good color may be given
a score of 18 to 20 points. Good color means that the color
of the dates is practically uniform; and, with respect to dates
that are predominantly light amber in color, there may be not
more than 5 percent by count of dates that are dark amber in
color; and, with respect to dates that are predominantly dark
amber in color, there may be not more than 5 percent by count
of dates that are light amber in color.
- "B" classification.
If the whole or pitted dates or whole dry dates for processing
possess a reasonably good color, a score of 16 or 17 points
may be given. Dates that fall into this classification shall
not be graded above U.S. Grade B or U.S. Choice or U.S. Grade
B (Dry) or U.S. Choice (Dry), whichever is applicable, regardless
of the total score for the product (this is a limiting rule).
Reasonably good color means that the color of the whole or pitted
dates or whole dry dates for processing is reasonably uniform
for the type; and, with respect to dates that are predominantly
light amber in color, there may be not more than 10 percent
by count of dates that are dark amber in color; and with respect
to dates that are predominantly dark amber in color, there may
not be more than 10 percent by count of dates that are light
amber in color.
- "C" classification.
If the whole or pitted dates, whole dry dates for processing,
date pieces, or macerated dates possess a fairly good color,
a score of 14 or 15 points may be given. Dates that fall into
this classification shall not be graded above U.S. Grade C or
U.S. Standard or U.S. Grade C (Dry) or U.S. Standard (Dry),
whichever is applicable, regardless of the total score for the
product (this is a limiting rule). Fairly good color has the
following meanings with respect to the following styles:
(1) Whole; pitted.
The color of the whole or pitted dates or whole dry dates
for processing is fairly uniform for the type; and, with respect
to dates that are predominantly light amber in color, there
may be not more than 20 percent by count of dates that are
dark amber in color; and, with respect to dates that are predominantly
dark amber in color, there may be not more than 20 percent
by count of dates that are light amber in color.
(2) Pieces; macerated.
The color may be variable throughout the units or mass, may
be slightly dull but not off-color, and is typical of properly
prepared dates of these styles.
- "SStd" classification.
Dates that fail to meet the requirements of paragraph (c) of
this section may be given a score of 0 to 13 points and shall
not be graded above Substandard, regardless of the total score
for the product (this is a limiting rule).
Score table.
|
¤
Grades
|
Factors¢
|
Color
|
Uniformity
of size
|
Absence
of defects
|
Character
|
| Maximum
Score Points |
20
|
10
|
30
|
40
|
| Grade
A or Fancy |
18
- 20
|
9
- 10
|
27
- 30
|
36
- 40
|
| Grade
B or Choice |
16
- 17*
|
8*
|
24
- 26*
|
32
- 35*
|
| Grade
B (dry) or Choice (dry) |
16
- 17*
|
8*
|
24
- 26*
|
32
- 35*
|
| Grade
C or Standard |
14
- 15*
|
7*
|
21
- 23*
|
28
- 31*
|
| Grade
C (dry) or Standard (dry) |
14
- 15*
|
7*
|
21
- 23*
|
28
- 31*
|
| Substandard
|
0
- 13*
|
0
- 6*
|
0
- 20*
|
0
- 27*
|
Standard
Packing:
| Cartons
of 15 lb (6.80 kg) each |
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