A 2026-ready, buyer-focused guide to specifying, negotiating, and verifying glaze percentage and true net product weight for Indonesian IQF vegetables. Practical test methods, AQL sampling, contract clauses, and pre-shipment steps to stop short-weight and over-glazing.
If you’ve ever opened a “1 kg” bag that cooked like 850 g, you’ve felt the pain of excess glaze. In our experience, short-weight and over-glazing are the most common sources of lost value in IQF vegetables. The good news is you can control both with a tight spec, a simple test method, and disciplined pre-shipment checks.
We’ve pulled together what works on real Indonesian production lines and during third-party inspections. Here’s a focused playbook you can apply today.
Why glaze percentage matters in 2026
Glaze protects against dehydration and freezer burn. But over-glazing hides short weight and frustrates your customers. Retailers are getting stricter, and buyers are using video-verified weight tests pre-shipment. We’re seeing more contracts shift to “net weight excluding glaze,” even for retail private label.
The reality is, glaze is useful. And mis-specified glaze is costly. So the goal isn’t “zero glaze.” It’s an agreed range with a shared test method and clear penalties.
What’s a reasonable glaze percentage?
We size glaze to the product’s surface area, storage length, and distribution conditions. Here’s what typically works in practice:
- Retail packs (300 g–1 kg): 6–10% glaze for most cuts. 3–5% for robust kernels like Premium Frozen Sweet Corn. Up to 10–12% for delicate items like peas or sliced peppers such as Frozen Paprika (Bell Peppers).
- Foodservice/bulk (1–2.5 kg): 6–12% glaze. Long storage or multiple cross-dock points may justify the upper end.
- Special cases: Whole pods like Premium Frozen Okra can be stable at 6–8% if the cold chain is tight. Pre-fried items like Premium Frozen Potatoes usually run lower glaze because surface oil already reduces dehydration.
Practical takeaway: Set a target range, not a single number. Example: “Glaze 8% ±2%.” Then back it with a defined test method.
Net weight rules: does declared weight include glaze?
Labeling rules vary by market and category. Fish has very explicit rules excluding glaze, while vegetables aren’t always spelled out the same way.
- EU and US retail norms increasingly expect that the declared net weight represents the edible portion. Many private-label buyers now require “net weight excluding glaze” in spec, and they verify it.
- B2B/foodservice packs are commonly specified and checked on a “net excluding glaze” basis.
Since regulations and retailer policies differ by country and program, we recommend you do both in contracts: declare the pack’s net weight, and separately lock the net weight excluding glaze and the glaze range, plus the test method. That removes ambiguity.
The glaze test method we actually use
Here’s a simple, no-lab procedure you can use at factory or warehouse. It’s repeatable if everyone follows the same temperatures and times.
- Condition the sample.
- Test packs must be at -18°C or colder for 12 hours. Record the temperature.
- Weigh the frozen product in pack.
- Weigh the sealed pack. Record as Gross Pack Weight (GPW).
- Remove contents and weigh frozen contents.
- Quickly empty the frozen contents onto a pre-chilled tray and weigh. Record as Frozen Contents Weight (FCW). Keep the room cool to prevent thawing.
- Deglaze with controlled water.
- Rinse the frozen contents under a gentle shower of potable water at 18–22°C for 30–45 seconds while agitating by hand to release surface ice. Don’t crush or break pieces.
- Drain and surface-dry.
- Drain in a mesh colander for 120 seconds. Gently blot the bottom of the colander with paper towel. Do not squeeze the product.
- Weigh deglazed product.
- Record as Net Weight Excluding Glaze (NWEG).
- Calculate glaze percentage.
- Glaze % = [(FCW − NWEG) ÷ NWEG] × 100
- Check bag and frost.
- Weigh empty pack materials and any loose ice shards separately. Excess loose frost often signals poor cold chain.
Two non-obvious tips we’ve learned:
- Standardize the water flow rate. Slow, consistent flow avoids partially thawing the product, which artificially inflates NWEG.
- Verify repeatability. Have two technicians perform the test on the same unit once per shift. If results differ by more than 1 percentage point, retrain and recalibrate.
What sampling plan should I use to check glaze and short weight?
If you’re doing a pre-shipment inspection, a two-stage approach keeps it efficient.
- Stage 1: Screening. Randomly pick 10–20 units per SKU per lot. If all pass, you’re likely good. If 1 fails, escalate.
- Stage 2: AQL-based check. Use ISO 2859-1 (ANSI/ASQ Z1.4) General Inspection Level II. Choose an AQL for net weight and glazing. Many buyers use AQL 2.5 or 1.5. Determine the sample size from your lot size and the standard’s table.
Acceptance criteria ideas that work in practice:
- Lot average must meet label net weight and target glaze range.
- Unit tolerance. No individual unit may be below 98% of declared net weight excluding glaze. No unit may exceed the glaze upper limit by more than 2 percentage points.
If you don’t have the tables handy, default to 32–80 samples for medium lots as a practical range. Then document your chosen plan in the contract.
How do I prevent over-glazing or short-weighting?
Most “bad glaze” starts with vague specs. We use a simple control stack:
- Specify the method. Attach the test procedure above as an appendix. Same temperatures, times, and draining.
- Control the process. At the plant, glaze is set by water temp, spray pressure, belt speed, and dwell time. Ask for their process window and set acceptable ranges.
- Verify at three points. End-of-line checks, third-party pre-shipment inspection, and destination QA on arrival.
- Manage the cold chain. Frost inside bags grows when product warms and re-freezes. This can look like “glaze” but it’s just sublimation and re-crystallization. Audit loading temps and transit logs.
What’s interesting is that controlling the cold chain reduces the “need” for higher glaze. You save cost twice.
Is higher glaze ever beneficial?
Yes, in specific contexts. Higher glaze can help if you have:
- Long storage greater than 12 months.
- High-surface-area cuts like diced peppers or beans in mixed veg.
- Volatile cross-dock routes where door openings are frequent.
But there’s a ceiling. Above about 12% on most vegetables, we see diminishing returns and frequent consumer complaints. For robust items like Premium Frozen Sweet Corn, we rarely go above 6% if the cold chain is tight.
Contract clauses we recommend in 2026
Tight language prevents arguments. Here’s wording we actually use.
- Net weight. “Declared net weight: 1000 g per pack. Net weight excluding glaze (NWEG) must average ≥1000 g per lot. No individual unit may be below 980 g.”
- Glaze range. “Glaze 8% ±2% by warm-water rinse method defined in Annex A.”
- Method. “Deglazing: 18–22°C water for 30–45 s, 120 s drain, as Annex A. Any alternative method is invalid unless agreed in writing.”
- Tolerances and AQL. “AQL 2.5, ISO 2859-1, General Level II for NWEG and glaze. If the lot fails, seller pays for independent re-inspection.”
- Remedies. “Short weight or over-glaze: buyer may claim price adjustment equal to product shortfall plus 15% handling or request rework at seller’s expense.”
- Records. “Supplier to keep process control logs for glaze equipment and end-of-line checks for 12 months.”
Need a spec template tailored to your SKUs and markets? Contact us on whatsapp and we’ll share a clean, editable draft.
Pre-shipment inspection checklist for Indonesian IQF vegetables
We keep this lean and decisive.
- Sampling. Draw random cartons from across the pallet stack. Keep a traceable map.
- Temperature. Core temp ≤ -18°C on entry and exit of inspection.
- Weights. Perform the glaze test on the chosen sample size. Record GPW, FCW, NWEG, bag tare, and loose frost.
- Visuals. Look for clumping, broken pieces, and patchy glaze. Patchy glaze often means poor spray coverage.
- Labelling vs spec. Confirm “net weight excluding glaze” and glaze range are on the spec sheet. Retail labels must match market rules.
- Photos/video. Photograph every weighed unit on the scale, including the display and the unit code. Video one full deglaze test.
- Retention. Freeze reserve samples at -18°C for any disputes.
For Indonesian lines, we also audit water quality and spray calibration. It takes 20 minutes and prevents days of back-and-forth later.
Common mistakes we still see (and how to avoid them)
- No defined test method. Two labs, two answers. Put the method in the spec and train it.
- Overly tight tolerances. “Exactly 8%” sounds nice but fails in the real world. Use a range with ±2%.
- Ignoring packaging frost. Excess loose ice indicates poor cold chain. Fix the process, don’t argue the math.
- Wrong sample size. Ten packs can miss a systemic issue. Escalate to an AQL plan when any unit fails the screen.
Where this advice applies (and when to adjust)
This framework fits most IQF vegetables: mixed veg, corn, peas, okra, peppers, edamame, and similar. Leafy IQF is trickier because rinsing can strip fragile leaves. In those cases, shorten rinse time and use gentler agitation, or specify “no glaze” with stricter cold chain controls.
If you’re fluctuating between Indonesian suppliers, keep the same method across all of them. Variability loves ambiguity.
Final takeaways you can use this week
- Lock a glaze range by item. Example for mixed veg 1 kg: 8% ±2%.
- Define and attach the rinse-and-drain test method. Train both sides.
- Use a two-stage inspection: quick screen, then AQL if anything fails.
- Align remedies. Short weight should never be cheaper than compliance.
If you’re evaluating SKUs like Frozen Mixed Vegetables, Premium Frozen Okra, or Premium Frozen Sweet Corn, we can propose item-specific glaze specs based on your routes and pack sizes. Want to see current lines and formats? View our products.
We’ve spent years tuning these details on Indonesian lines, and the pattern is consistent. When glaze is defined, measured, and enforced, disputes drop and repeat orders rise. That’s the whole point.