Division B.2 Sampling of lots of spinach, lettuce, baby foods and processed cereal based food for infants and young children on the market
United Kingdom
The sampling method is applicable to lots smaller than or equal to 25 tonnes.
In the case of large lots (lots > 30 tonnes), the lot shall be subdivided into sublots of in principle 25 tonnes on condition that the sublot may be separated physically. Taking into account that the weight of the lot is not always an exact multiple of 25 tonnes, the weight of the sublot may exceed the mentioned weight by a maximum of 20 %. This means that the sublot may have weight ranging from 15 to 30 tonnes. In case the lot is not or cannot be physically separated into sublots, the sample is taken from the lot.
The aggregate sample shall be at least 1 kg, except where it is not possible e.g. when sampling a single head or package.
The minimum number of incremental samples to be taken from the lot shall be as given in Table 1.
Table 1
Minimum number of incremental samples to be taken from the lot
| Weight of lot (in kg) | Minimum number of incremental samples to be taken | Aggregate sample minimum weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|
| < 50 | 3 | 1 |
| 50 to 500 | 5 | 1 |
| > 500 | 10 | 1 |
If the lot consists of individual packages, then the number of packages, which shall be taken to form the aggregate sample, is given in Table 2.
Table 2
Number of packages (incremental samples) which shall be taken to form the aggregate sample if the lot consists of individual packages
| Number of packages or units in the lot | Number of packages or units to be taken | Aggregate sample minimum weight (kg) |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 25 | 1 package or unit | 1 |
| 26 to 100 | about 5 %, at least 2 packages or units | 1 |
| > 100 | about 5 %, at maximum 10 packages or units | 1 |
Each lot or sublot to be checked for compliance, must be sampled separately. However, in cases where such method of sampling would lead to unacceptable commercial consequences resulting from damage to the lot (because of packaging formats, means of transport, etc.) then an alternative method of sampling may be applied, provided that it ensures that the aggregate sample is sufficiently representative of the sampled lot and is fully described and documented. The position from which a sample is taken in the lot shall preferably be chosen randomly but, where this is physically impractical, it shall be from a random position in the accessible parts of the lot.