The Secretary shall certify and mark fruit as “MD-CA” certified if it conforms to all of the following standards:
- A. Fruit shall be refrigerated immediately after harvesting and shall be sealed in a controlled atmosphere storage facility within 30 days after harvesting.
- B. The oxygen content of a facility shall be reduced to 5 percent of the facility's volume within 20 cumulative calendar days after the facility's initial sealing.
- C. The maximum amount of oxygen retained in a sealed “MD-CA” facility may not exceed 5 percent by volume.
- D. While fruit is stored in a facility, the temperature shall be maintained within a range normal for each variety without significant deviation.
- E. Fruit shall be stored for a minimum of 90 days in a facility, except 60 days for Jonathan variety apples. However, fruit may not be stored for more than 10 months or later than August 1 following harvest. All fruit shall be sealed in a facility with not more than 5 percent oxygen content.
Authority: Agriculture Article §§10-602 and 10-703, Annotated Code of Maryland
Effective date: October 12, 1981 (8:20 Md. R. 1637)