Mushroom sorting is the process of separating discoloured, damaged, insect-infested or off-specification pieces from acceptable product before packing, protecting end-product quality and compliance.
In trade practice
Sorting is performed on inspection belts by trained operators or with optical sorters that detect colour and shape deviations. The acceptable defect thresholds are defined in the product specification and verified at intake by the buyer’s QA team. A common mistake is conflating sorting with grading: sorting removes defective pieces, while grading separates acceptable pieces by size or cut type. Sorting records and rejection rates are reviewed during supplier audits.
In a specification
A specification typically states maximum allowable defect percentages by category, such as discoloured or broken pieces, against which sorting performance is measured at intake.