Quality control requirements vary by product, origin, and destination market. A buyer importing Iranian pistachios into the EU operates under mandatory aflatoxin controls and specific sampling requirements. A buyer taking Kabuli chickpeas into Germany needs clean calibration data and a phytosanitary certificate. Requirements are not the same — and a single fixed checklist applied to every shipment is not enough.
Terraviis coordinates quality verification across three stages for each shipment: assessment of the raw material at source before purchase, processing facility preparation and sorting to specification, and independent inspection with laboratory testing where required. Each stage generates documentation that travels with the shipment.
Three-Stage Quality Verification
For each product and shipment, quality verification runs across three linked stages. No stage replaces another.
Stage 1: Raw Material Assessment at Source
Where Terraviis procures agricultural commodities directly from farmers, elevators, or producers, quality assessment begins before any purchase is made. Our team or designated representatives evaluate the raw material at origin – field, storage facility, or elevator – to establish actual lot condition before a commercial commitment.
- Visual inspection: overall condition, colour, visible contamination, foreign material
- Moisture measurement with calibrated instruments
- Bulk density and test weight where applicable (grains, pulses)
- Size and calibration check against target specification
- Foreign material and admixture estimation
- Detection of off-odour, visible mould, or storage damage
- Sample extraction for reference or pre-purchase lab analysis
This stage applies to direct farm and elevator procurement – pistachios, pulses, grains, and similar commodities where Terraviis acquires raw material before processing. Where product is sourced from an established processor with its own QC protocols, assessment is adapted to that supply arrangement.
Evaluating the lot at source allows Terraviis to base the purchase decision on measured data, not supplier documents alone, and to reject any lot that falls short of the required starting specification before it enters processing.
Stage 2: Processing Facility Quality Control
Once a raw material lot passes source assessment and is accepted for purchase, it moves to the processing or packing facility. This is where the product is cleaned, sorted, graded, and prepared to the buyer’s export specification.
- Sorting and grading against buyer specification or standard export grades
- Defect detection through mechanical and optical sorting systems
- Moisture calibration and physical condition check post-processing
- Packaging to confirmed specification: bag type, net weight, labelling
- Standard export documentation: certificate of origin, phytosanitary certificate, packing list, weight certificate
- Compliance with facility-level food safety protocols for the product and destination
For Iranian pistachios, the processing facility carries out optical and infrared sorting to reduce defect and aflatoxin-risk kernels before packing. For dates, condition and moisture checks are carried out at the packing facility by variety and moisture class. Pulses and grains destined for food use are cleaned, calibrated, and in most cases optically sorted before packing, depending on buyer requirement and destination-market standards.
Processing facility documentation forms the first documentary layer of the shipment file. Where buyer or regulatory requirements call for further verification, Stage 3 applies.
Cleaning, Sorting & Optical Quality Control
Depending on the product, origin, and buyer specification, agricultural commodities processed through our supply chain may pass through multi-stage cleaning and optical sorting systems at the facility. These systems form the physical preparation step — reducing visible defects, foreign material, and quality risks before packing and loading.
What Cleaning and Sorting Covers
- Foreign material removal: dust, husk, stones, soil particles, non-product debris
- Broken kernel and damaged grain removal
- Size calibration and grading to export specification
- Discoloured grain and kernel removal via optical colour sorting
- Foreign seed removal
- Mould-affected, shrivelled, or visibly damaged kernel removal
- Light impurity removal through air classification and gravity separation
Optical colour sorting is a camera-based process that detects and ejects grains, kernels, or seeds that fall outside defined colour and surface parameters. It is used across lentils, chickpeas, beans, corn, wheat, rice, seeds, nuts, and dried fruits, where visual defects and foreign material directly affect export quality and buyer acceptance.
The equipment and configuration used depends on the processing facility. Terraviis works with processors and suppliers whose cleaning and sorting capabilities are assessed as part of lot preparation for each shipment.
Physical Purity — What It Means
After multi-stage cleaning and optical sorting, commodities can reach up to 99% physical purity, depending on the product, starting lot quality, and processing standard applied. Physical purity is the proportion of the product that meets the defined specification: free from foreign material, broken kernels, and physical defects covered by the sorting criteria.
Physical purity (up to 99%) refers to the removal of foreign material, broken kernels, and visible defects through cleaning and sorting. It does not indicate mycotoxin or aflatoxin levels. Aflatoxin is confirmed through laboratory testing – not visual sorting alone.
Optical Sorting and Aflatoxin Risk
For nuts such as pistachios and for dried fruits, optical sorting can support aflatoxin risk reduction by removing kernels that show visible indicators of mould contamination: discolouration, shrivelling, surface damage, or visible mould. Removing these kernels before packing reduces the probability of aflatoxin-positive units remaining in the lot.
This is a risk-reduction step, not a guarantee of aflatoxin-free product. Aflatoxin can be present in kernels that appear visually acceptable. Optical sorting detects surface characteristics — it cannot measure mycotoxin concentration. Final aflatoxin levels are determined by representative sampling and accredited laboratory analysis.
Optical sorting reduces aflatoxin risk by removing visibly affected kernels. It does not replace laboratory testing. Where destination-market regulations or buyer specifications require aflatoxin verification, results are confirmed through accredited laboratory analysis documented in the shipment file.
Stage 3: Independent Inspection & Lab Testing
For shipments where buyer specification, destination-market regulation, or import compliance requirements call for third-party verification, Terraviis coordinates independent pre-shipment inspection and laboratory testing through recognised international inspection providers.
- Pre-shipment inspection: physical quantity and condition verification at the loading point
- Representative sampling from the lot for laboratory analysis
- Laboratory testing for mycotoxins (including aflatoxin), pesticide residues, contaminants, and other parameters confirmed at quotation stage
- Inspection certificates and lab reports issued by the third-party provider — part of the shipment documentation set
- Documentation preparation for destination-country import requirements where applicable
Inspection and testing scope is defined at the quotation and contract stage, based on the product, destination market, regulatory requirements, and buyer specification. Terraviis does not apply a fixed inspection package to every shipment — scope is confirmed per lot.
Aflatoxin Control & Destination-Market Requirements
Aflatoxin is a mycotoxin produced by certain mould strains that can develop in nuts and dried fruits during growth, harvest, or storage under adverse conditions. Regulatory limits vary by market. The EU applies strict maximum levels for aflatoxin B1 and total aflatoxins in pistachios and related products, with defined sampling and testing protocols under EU import conditions for Iranian-origin nuts.
For Iranian pistachios destined for the EU and other regulated markets, aflatoxin testing is coordinated where required by destination-market regulations or buyer specification. This covers:
- Laboratory sampling and analysis against applicable regulatory limits
- Test reports from accredited laboratories — part of the import documentation set
- Pre-shipment QC at the processing facility targeting aflatoxin-risk kernel removal through optical sorting
Terraviis does not guarantee regulatory acceptance by any authority. Import decisions rest with destination-country authorities and depend on the specific lot, test results, and applicable regulations at the time of import. Testing is coordinated, documented, and factored into shipment preparation where required.
For markets where aflatoxin testing is not mandatory but buyers require it as part of their own quality specification, testing is arranged on request.
Standards, Documentation & Certification
Terraviis works with processing facilities and inspection providers that operate under internationally recognised food safety management standards. Documentation available through the supply chain may include:
| Standard / Document | Scope |
|---|---|
| ISO 22000 | Food safety management system — applicable at processing facility level, subject to the facility’s certification status |
| HACCP | Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points — applied at processing and packing facilities in the supply chain |
| SGS / Bureau Veritas / Baltic Control | Independent pre-shipment inspection and lab testing, coordinated where required |
| Certificate of Origin | Issued by the relevant authority confirming product origin |
| Phytosanitary Certificate | Issued by the exporting country’s plant health authority |
| Lab reports / analysis certificates | Issued by accredited laboratories for parameters confirmed at quotation stage |
| Packing list & weight certificate | Standard shipment documentation |
Facility-level certifications (ISO 22000, HACCP, BRC, and equivalent) reflect the status of the processing facility involved in a given shipment — not a blanket Terraviis Group certification. Availability of any specific certificate is confirmed at quotation stage and depends on the product, facility, and destination.
Buyers with specific documentation requirements for import compliance should specify these at inquiry stage so they can be factored into shipment preparation.
Independent Inspection Providers
For independent inspection and laboratory testing, Terraviis coordinates with recognised international providers. The provider for any given shipment is confirmed at contract stage based on product, origin, destination, and buyer preference.
Other recognised inspection and testing providers may be used depending on lot, route, buyer preference, or destination-market requirements.
Frequently Asked Questions
What quality control does Terraviis apply to agricultural commodity shipments?
Is aflatoxin testing carried out on pistachio shipments?
Aflatoxin testing is coordinated where required by destination-market regulations or buyer specification. For EU-bound shipments of Iranian pistachios, EU import conditions require specific sampling and aflatoxin analysis. For other destinations, testing is arranged where the buyer requires it or where destination-country regulations mandate it. Buyers should confirm the applicable testing requirement at inquiry stage.
Can I specify the inspection provider or lab parameters I need?
Yes. Buyers can specify required test parameters, acceptable inspection providers, or documentation requirements at RFQ or quotation stage. Where the requirement is technically feasible and commercially agreed, it is factored into the shipment preparation plan. Tests beyond standard scope may affect lead time and cost.
What does "up to 99% physical purity" mean?
Physical purity refers to the proportion of the product that meets the defined specification after cleaning and sorting — free from foreign material, broken kernels, oversized or undersized grains, and physical defects covered by the sorting criteria. It is a physical sorting output and does not indicate mycotoxin or aflatoxin levels, which are determined by laboratory analysis.
What documentation travels with a standard shipment?
A standard shipment includes: commercial invoice, packing list, bill of lading or CMR (depending on shipment method), certificate of origin, and phytosanitary certificate where applicable. Where third-party inspection has been arranged, the inspection certificate and laboratory reports are added. Additional documents — health certificates, destination-specific certificates — are confirmed at quotation stage by product and destination.
Can you supply under our private label?
Private-label packaging is available subject to minimum order quantity, artwork approval, labelling specifications, and production lead time. Requirements are confirmed before the proforma invoice is issued.
Specify Your Quality Requirements at Inquiry Stage
Buyers with specific food safety, testing, certification, or documentation requirements should include these in their initial inquiry. Terraviis confirms documentation scope and inspection arrangements at quotation stage, before shipment preparation begins.
Quality Control Across All Commodities
Three-stage quality verification applies across all product categories we work with. Below are key examples.