Lentils are a high-protein pulse that is dried and then soaked and cooked before eating. Lentils vary in size, and are sold in many forms, with or without the skins, whole or split. Canada is now the world's largest exporter of lentils to the global marketplace, selling to over 100 countries each year. The most commonly grown lentils are the large green "Laird" and the red lentil.
Types of Red Lentils
Whole Red Lentils : Whole Red Lentils are 1/2 cm wide with a mild, earthy flavor and soft texture. These lentils are crimson, which is a deep orange-red color. Whole Red Lentils have traditionally been used as a meat substitute.
| Parameter | Requirements | Comments/ Variation |
|---|
| Physical Characteristics | The Lentils shall be hard and well filled |
| Purity | 99% min. by weight | Whole Lentils, defective Lentils and seed coats |
| Moisture | 14% max | ---- |
| Defective Seeds | Container: 3% max by weight | Lentils not of the specified variety. Lentil kernels that are broken, heat damaged, hail damaged, insect damaged, frosted, shrivelled, split, chipped, sprouted, affected by mould (field or storage). Includes pods that contain Lentils, whether broken or unbroken and loose seed coat. |
| Bulk ship: 5% max by weight |
| Varietal Restriction | 1% max by weight | Lentils not of the specified variety. |
| Poor color | 1% max by weight | Discoloured Lentils have excessive discolouration of the seed coat as per the Pulse Australia Lentil Photographic Charts. Includes disease, frost and water staining. |
| Screen size | Aldinga – 2.2mm slotted hole | If whole lentils fall through then classed defective. All material that passes through screen is part of defective or foreign material as applicable. |
| All other varieties – 2 mm slotted hole |
| Foreign Material | 1% max by weight | Unmilliable material and all vegetable matter other than Lentil seed material. |
| Unmillable Material | 0.1% max by weight | Soil, stones, metals and non-vegetable matter. |
| Field insects | One (1) max. | Dead per 200 g sample |
Decorticated Whole Red Lentils (Also known as: Footballs) : The Red Footballs are also made from the Whole Red Lentil. The skin is removed from the lentil, leaving the inside portion of the seed whole (not split). The result is a beautiful intact, reddish-orange polished product.
Split Red Lentils (Also known as: Lentille, Masoor, Mercimek) : Split red lentils are made from splitting the whole red lentil. The skin is removed and the remaining reddish-orange seed is then split into two halves. A product of Canada, and among the best in the world known for quality.
| Parameter | Requirements | Comments/ Variation |
|---|
| Physical Characteristics | Good colour lentils: Split lentils having a clean and bright appearance. The lentils shall be milled from hard and well-filled whole red lentil seed. |
| Purity | 99.75% min. by weight | Split lentils, whole Lentils and caps. |
| Moisture | 14% max | ---- |
| Foreign Material | 0.25% max by weight | Unmilliable material (i.e. includes soil, stones, metals and non-vegetable matter) and all vegetable matter other than Lentil seed material including detached seed coats. |
| Poor colour | 0.25% max by weight | Kernel that is distinctly off colour from the characteristic colour of the predominating class. Includes lentils that are brown, black, green and / or yellow. |
| Chalky white disease | 0.25% max by weight | --------- |
| Caps | 0.25% max by weight | Caps are those seed coats adhering to split or broken see measured as a combined weight. |
| Dehulled whole lentils | 5% max by weight | ------ |
| Broken and /or kibble lentils | 5% max by weight | Lentil seed material that passes through a round hole screen. Northfield = 2.87mm; all other varieties = 3mm |
| Screen size | Northfield = 2.78mm round hole | Lentil material broken or kibble if falls through. |
| All other varieties – 3 mm round hole |
| Field insects | Nil tolerance | Dead per 200 g sample |
| Foreign seeds | 2 cereal seeds max. | Cereal seeds exception only. |