GCC STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION (GSO)

GSO5/1./2008

FROZEN MOULOKHIA

Prepared by:
Gulf technical committee for standards of food and agriculture products
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

This document is a draft Gulf standard circulated for comments, it is therefore,

subject to change, and may not be referred it as a Gulf standard, until approved by
the Board of Directors. .

GULF STANDARD

GSO ......./2008

Foreword

Standardization Organization for GCC (GSO) is a regional Organization

which consists of the National Standards Bodies of GCC member States. One
of GSO main functions is to issue Gulf Standards /Technical regulation
through specialized technical committees (TCs).
GSO through the technical program of committee TC No 5 " The Gulf
Technical Committee for Food and Agricultural Standards Products" has
prepared this Standard . The Draft Standard has been prepared by (KINGDOM
)
OF SAUDI ARABIA
The draft Standard has been prepared based on relevant ADMO, International
and National foreign Standards and references.
This standard has been approved as Gulf (Standard / Technical Regulation)
by GSO Board of Directors in its meeting No..../.... .held on / / / H
, / / G

GULF STANDARD

GSO ......./2008

FROZEN MOULOKHIA

1.

SCOPE AND FIELD OF APPLICATION

This standard is concerned with frozen Moulokhia (Jews mallow) conforming
to the characteristics of plant (corchorus olitoris) for direct consumption
without further processing.

2.

COMPLEMENTARY REFERENCES

2.1

GSO 9 Labeling of prepackaged foods.

2.2

GSO 1287 Methods of Sampling of Prepackaged Fruit and Vegetable

Products.

2.3

GSO 20/1984 Methods for the Determination of Contaminating Elements in

Foodstuffs.

2.4

GSO 21 Hygienic Regulations for Food Plants and their Personnel.

2.5

GSO 244 Methods of Test for and their Products Fruits and Vegetable
Products Part 1: Orgnoleptic Examination, Determination of Net Weight and
Drained Weights, Apparent Viscosity, Head Space, Extraneous Matter and
Defective Fruits.

2.6

GSO 1023 Expiration Periods for Food Products.

2.7

GSO 299 Methods of Test for Vegetables, Fruits and their Products, Part II:
Determinations of Moisture, Total Solids Insoluble in Alcohol, Total Ash,
Calcium, Mineral Oil, Ascorbic Acid.

2.8

GSO 300 Fruits and Vegetable Products Determination of Insoluble Ash in

Hydrochloric Acid.

2.9

GSO 323 General Requirements for Transportation and Storage of Chilled

and Frozen Foods.

2.10

GSO 382 Maximum Limits for Pesticide Residues in Agricultural and Food
Products Part 1.

2.11

GSO 383 Maximum Limits for Pesticide Residues in Agricultural and Food
Products Part 2.

2.12

GSO 839 Food Packages Part 1 General Requirements.

2.13

GSO 988 Radiation Levels Allowed in Foodstuffs Part I.

GULF STANDARD

GSO ......./2008

2.14

GSO 998 Methods of Detecting Radiation Levels Permitted in Foodstuffs

Part I, Spectra photmetric Analysis of Gamma Radiation.

2.15

GSO 1016 Microbiological Limits of Food Articles and Foodstuffs

Part I.

2.16

GSO .......... Methods of Detection and Determination of Pesticide Residues in

Food Products.

3.
3.1

4.

DEFINITIONS
Frozen Moulokhia: Food product prepared from leaves of Moulokhia
conforming with the character estics of plant (Corchorus olitoris) after
washing, blanching, and grinding. The product shall be quick frozen and
should be kept at a temperature not exceeding -18oC until consumed.
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS
The following requirements shall be met in frozen Moulokhia.

4.1

The Moulokhia (Moulokhia) used should be prepared from green leaves and
should be free from any yellow leaves and extraneous vegetable materials or
extraneous matter.

4.2

Shall be of homogenous green colour.

4.3

Shall be free from foreign flavour and odour.

4.4

Shall be free from insects and fungi damage.

4.5

Shall be homogenously ground

4.6

It shall be prepared, processed and prepackaged under sanitary conditions in

accordance with Gulf standard mentioned in item (2.4).

4.7

Shall be free from freezing burns.

4.8

Shall not be refrozen after thawing.

4.9

Moisture shall not exceed 93%.

4.10

Ash shall not exceed 1.5% (calculated on dry base).

4.11

Acid insoluble ash shall not exceed 0.15% (calculated on dry base)

4.12

Contaminating heavy metals should be limited according to Table No. 1.

GULF STANDARD

GSO ......./2008

Table 1
Maximum limits of heavy metals
Tin

250 ppm

Lead

1 ppm

4.13

Pesticide residues shall not exceed what is stated in Gulf standard mentioned in
items (2.10 and 2.11).

4.14

Radiation levels shall not exceed what is stated in Gulf standard mentioned in
item (2.13).

4.15

Microbiological limits shall not exceed the what stated in Gulf standard
mentioned in item (2.15).

5.

PACKAGING
Without prejudice to what is stated in Gulf standard mentioned in item (2.12),
the following shall be fulfilled:

5.1

Packaging used for frozen Moulokhia shall protect the organoleptic and other
quality characteristics of the product.

5.2

Protect the product from microbiological and other contamination.

5.3

Protect the product from dehydration and leakage.

5.4

Shall not pass any odour, taste, colour or other foreign characteristics to the
product throughout the storage, handling and distribution of the product up to
the time of final sale.

6.

SAMPLING
Samples shall be taken according to Gulf standard mentioned in item (2.2).

7.

TESTING
Tests shall be carried out on the representative sample taken according to item
(6) to determine its compliance to this standard.

7.1

Tests for determination of net weight, defective units and organoleptic

examination shall be carried out according to Gulf standard mentioned in item
(2.5).

7.2

Determination of moisture and total ash shall be according to Gulf standard

mentioned in item (2.6).

GULF STANDARD

GSO ......./2008

7.3

Determination of ash insoluble in Hcl shall be according to Gulf standard

mentioned in item (2.7).

7.4

Determination of pesticide residues shall be carried out according to Gulf

standard mentioned in item (2.16).

7.5

Determination of contaminating heavy metallic elements, shall be carried out

according to Gulf standard mentioned in item (2.3).

7.6

Detection of radiation levels shall be carried out according to Gulf standard

mentioned in item (2.14).

8.

LABELLING
Without prejudice to what is stated in Gulf standard mentioned in item (2.1),
the following shall be declared on each package:
18oC until

8.1

Statement should be kept at a temperature not exceeding

consumed.

8.2

Expiration period of the product according to Gulf standard mentioned in item

(2.6).

9.

TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE

Transportation and storage shall be carried out according to Gulf standard
mentioned in item (2.9), and the temperature of the product shall not exceed
18oC during transportation and storage.