Avocado Certification Fact Sheet
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Riversun uses a rigorous certification system commonly employed in the food industry, where exacting regulations for hygiene, product traceability and a close and continuing attention to detail are demanded.
The HACCP system (Hazards Analysis of Critical Control Points) is best understood as a risk management system. Its purpose is to identify any risks to the quality and functioning of the production system and/or the final product. Under HACCP, standard operating procedures (SOPs) are continually reviewed and updated to ensure the integrity of the processes involved.
At Riversun, more than 18 separate processes have HACCP documentation. Our SOPs and quality controls cover every step in the production and sale of avocados.
AUDITORS: Under HACCP, an internal team responsible for quality control continually monitors Riversun's production processes. All processes are audited by a fully trained internal auditor. These internal audits and all quality systems are again audited twice a year by SGS (Société General Surveillance) - an accredited international auditing body based in Switzerland - to confirm compliance to the Riversun certification specifications.
VIRUS STATUS: Virus testing is the realm of Linnaeus Laboratory, a Riversun subsidiary. Linnaeus operates a commercial virus-testing and plant diagnostics service.
It is accredited by IANZ (International Accreditation New Zealand), the stringent external auditing body used by medical and analytical laboratories. In addition, Linnaeus is registered with the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry (MAF) as a Plant Pest Laboratory.
The combination of IANZ and HACCP accreditation enables Riversun to meet - or surpass - certification standards that are legislated by government decree in many countries of the world.
WHAT WE CERTIFY
Riversun certifies not only the plant materials but also the HACCP processes used in their production. We certify plant materials for:
- Trueness to type
- Known virus status
- Physical specifications and quality
- Traceability and tracking
AVOCADO CERTIFICATION
1. Trueness to type
Avocado material is certified as true to type using ampelography and traceability to source material.
2. Known virus status
All plants used to supply material for the production of avocado trees have been virus-tested for Avocado Sunblotch Viroid (ASBVd) at Linnaeus laboratory.
The testing follows LInnaeus's accredited protocols, and involves the use of:
PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction), an ultra-sensitive test developed from molecular biology that can be used to detect a wide variety of viruses.
Sourceblocks are PCR tested to a 99% level of confidence for freedom from ASBVd. Material is tested for Phytopthera and visually inspected for phytoplasmas, bacteria and other fungi, with appropriate treatments applied if warranted.
3. Physical quality
All Riversun avocado trees meet or exceed minimum physical specifications in terms of:
- Diameter
- Top growth
- Root volume
- Graft union
- Stem length
Our avocado trees are grown in a nursery environment with strictly controlled sanitary procedures, designed to
minimise the risk of spreading Phytophthora cinnamomi or other infectious diseases and pests.
All avocado plants used in nursery propagation have been carefully selected (and/or imported) for their physical characteristics and quality. They are harvested, graded and processed through Riversun's certified HACCP production system.
4. Traceability and tracking
Riversun clonal avocado plants are imported from recognised international providers and are traceable to the supplier's source blocks. Non-clonal avocado plants are traceable to seed and scion source.
Riversun tracks all avocado material as it moves through the system. At any point in production, the origin, health status and handling records can be accessed.