Table Olives means the product obtained from sound clean fruits of proper maturity from Olive tree (Olea europaea sativa Hoff of link) and suitably processed and preserved by natural fermentation / thermal processing or by addition of preservative. The product may be in the form of green olives, olives turning colour before complete ripeness or black olives and may be whole, stoned (pitted) stuffed, halved, quartered, sliced, chopped, minced or in broken form. The product may contain water, common salt, vinegar, olive oil, nutritive sweeteners and stuffing material pimiento, onion, almond, celery, anchovy, olive, orange or lemon peel, hazelnut capers etc singly or in combination or in the form of a paste, spices, spice extracts and aromatic herbs. The product shall be of uniform colour except seasoned olives and olives turning colour free from any foreign matter, off flavour and taste and abnormal fermentation. The product may contain food additive permitted in these regulations including Appendix A. The product shall conform to the microbiological requirements given in Appendix B. It shall conform to the following requirements:—

Product in brine	Sodium Chloride in brine	PH of brine	Acidity of brine as lactic acid
Green olives treated /untreated
in hermetically sealed containers	Not less than 6.0 percent	Not more than 4.0
in non hermetically sealed containers	Not less than 6.0 percent	Not more than 4.5
with natural lactic fermentation			Not less than 0.4 Percent
Seasoned green olives
in hermetically sealed containers	Not less than 4.0 percent	Not more than 4.0
in non hermetically sealed containers	Not less than 6.0 percent	Not more than 4.5
Olives turning colour - all Treatments	Not less than 6.0 percent
Black Olives
In brine	Not less than 7.0 percent
in dry salt	Not less than 10.0 percent
Damaged matter		Not more than 2.0 percent by count
Insect damaged Units		Not more than 2.0 percent by count
Foreign matter			Not more than 1 unit per kg

Explanations:- For the purpose of this paragraph,— ‘Damaged Units’ mean units showing imperfection or damage to the mesocarp which may or may not be associated with superficial marks; ‘Insect Damaged Units’ means units showing insect holes or deformed fruits or those with abnormal stains or whose mesocarp has an abnormal aspect; ‘Foreign matter’ means any vegetable matter not injurious to health such as leaves, stem etc.