AFDC 7(884 ) CD3                                                                                        
 
First Edition 2021   
 
 
DRAFT TANZANIA STANDARD  
 
 
 
Ginger g arlic paste – Specification  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                  TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDARDS   
  
1 
  
0. Foreword  
Ginger g arlic paste is the product that combines pure and fresh ginger and garlic; blended well  and 
preserved for freshness for use in food to add flavor.  This Tanzania standard was prepared to ensure the 
safety and quality of ginger garlic  paste produced and/or marketed  for domestic and export  market.  
In developing this standard assistance was draw n from stakeholders who provided necessary information 
and samples.  
In reporting the result of a test or analysis made in accordance with this standard, if the final value 
observed or calculated, is to be rounded off, it shall be done in accordance with TZ S 4 (See clause 2).  
1 Scope  
This Tanzania  Standard specifies  requirements, sampling and method of test for ginger garlic paste 
prepared from Allium sativum L . and Zingiber officinale L.   intended for human consumption.  
2 Normative references   
The following  referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this standard . For dated 
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced 
document (in cluding any amendments) applies :-  
TZS 4, Rounding  off numerical values  
TZS 29:201 , Spices and condiments – Terminology  
TZS 33 , Spices and condiments – Sampling    
TZS 47, Ginger Specification   
TZS 109 ,  Food processing units – Code of hygiene  
TZS 122 -1/ISO 6579 -1, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizon tal method for the detection, 
enumeration and serotyping of Salmonella - Part 1: Detection of Salmonella spp.  
TZS 125, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for enumeration of 
coagulase – Positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus a ureus and other species)  
TZS 268, General atomic absorption spectrophotometric method for determination of lead in food stuffs  
TZS 445 , Dehydrated garlic - Determination of volatile organic sulphur compounds.  
TZS 538 (EAS 38:2014), Labelling of pre -packag ed foods — General requirements  
TZS 730 - 2: (1st Ed) ISO 16649 (Part 2),  Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal 
method for the enumeration of -b-glucuronidase -positive Escherichia coli – Part 2 – Colony -count 
technique at 44 0C using 5-bromo -4-chloro -3-indolyl -b-D-glucuronide  
 
TZS 799 (3rd Ed)/ISO 16050,  Foodstuffs – Determination of aflatoxin B1, and the total content of 
aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 in cereals, nuts and derived products – High-performance liquid 
chromatographic metho d 
TZS 1491 - Fruits and Vegetables – Determination of pH  
TZS 1496/ ISO 2173, Fruits, vegetables and derived products – Sampling and methods of test – Part 10: 
Determination of soluble solids   
2 
 TZS 1501/ ISO 6637, Fruits, vegetables and derived products – Sampling and methods of test – Part 16: 
Determination of mercury content – Flameless atomic absorption method  
TZS 1502, Fruits and Vegetables – Determination of Arsenic content  
TZS 1503 , Fruits and Vegetables – Determination of Ash  Insoluble in Hydrochloric A cid 
FTZS 1744 , Dehydrated garlic Specification  
TZS 2426  (ISO 21527 -1), Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the 
enumeration of yeasts and moulds — Part 1: Colony count technique in products with water activity 
greater than  0,95 
Codex Stan 192 , General Standard for Food Additives  
 
 
3 Terms and definitions  
For the purposes of this Tanzania s tandard, the following terms and definitions  shall apply.  
3.1 g inger  
 rhizome grown from Zingiber officinale Roscoe, of the Zingiberaceae  family  
3.2 g arlic 
a bulbous herb ( Allium sativum ) of the lily family strong -smelling bulb made up of small sections called 
cloves  
3.3 ginger garlic paste:  
product obtained by grinding clean raw ginger rhizome and garlic head (cloves) in which salt, citri c acid 
and other spices, condiments and herbs m ay be added.   
3.4 extraneous matters :  
foreign matters such as roots,  soil, skins , stems, leaves,  dirt or any material other than ginger garlic  paste . 
4 Requirements  
4.1 General requirements  
4.1.1 Ingredients  
4.1.1.1 Main ingredients  
The main ingredients for ginger garlic paste shall  be ginger complying with TZS 47  and garlic complying 
with FTZS 1744.  
4.1.1.2 Optional Ingredients  
Salt, spices other than ginger and garlic and herbs listed in TZS 29 complying wit h relevant Tanzania 
Standard may be added.  
 
4.1.2 Colour  
The colour of the ginger garlic paste shall be characteristic of the ingredients used. The product shall be 
practically free from scorched and toasted particles.  
 
4.1.3 Taste and odour   
3 
 Ginger garl ic paste shall have a characteristic taste and pungent odour of ginger and garlic and other 
ingredients used, free from foreign taste, odours and off odours, such as those coming from mouldy, 
rancid or fermented ginger garlic paste.  
 
4.1.4 Freedom from in sects, moulds and extraneous matter   
Ginger garlic paste shall be free from extraneous matter; live insects, and practically free from moulds, 
dead insects, insect fragments and rodent contamination.  
 
4.2 Specific requirements  
Ginger garlic paste shall c omply with the requirements specified in Table 1, when tested by the specified 
method.  
 
Table 1: Specific requirements for garlic and ginger paste  
S/No  Characteristic  limit Method of test  
1 Total soluble solids, % (m/m), min   18 TZS 1496  
2 Total insolubl e pulp, % m/m, max.  2 Annex A  
3 pH  4-5 TZS 1491  
4 Acid insoluble ash, % (m/m), max.  0.5 TZS 1503  
5 Volatile organic Sulphur compounds content, % 
(m/m), min.  0.2 TZS 445  
 
5. Food additives  
The use of food additives in ginger garlic paste shall be in a ccordance with Codex Stan 192.  
 
 6. Hygiene  
Ginger garlic paste shall be prepared under Good Hygienic Practices as stipulated in TZS 109, Codes of 
hygiene for food processing units - General and shall be complied to the requirements specified in Table 
2.  
 
Table 2: Microbiological requirement for ginger garlic paste  
S/No  characteristic  Maximum limit  Test method  
1 E. coli , cfu/g  Absent  TZS 730 -2 
2 Yeast and moulds cfu/g, max.  102  TZS 2426 - 1 
3 Staphylococcus aureus, cfu/g  102 TZS 125  
4 Salmonella, spp p er 25 g Absent  TZS 122  - 1 
 
7 Contaminants  
7.1 Heavy metals  
Ginger garlic paste shall not contain any metal contaminants in excess of levels specified in Table 3. 
 
Table 3: Limits for heavy metal  in ginger garlic paste  
S/No  Characteristic  Maximum limit (mg/kg)  Method of test  
1 Arsenic  0.2 TZS 1502  
2 Lead  0.3 TZS 268  
3 Mercury  0.1 TZS 1501  
 
 
 
7.2 Pesticides Residues   
4 
 Ginger garlic paste shall comply with those maximum pesticide residue limits established by the Codex 
Committee on Pesticide Residues fo r this commodity.  
 
7.3 Aflatoxin  
Ginger garlic paste shall not have more than 5 ppb for Aflatoxin B1 and 10 ppb for total aflatoxin when 
tested according to TZS 799 . 
 
8 Packing , marking and labelling  
8.1 Packing   
Ginger garlic paste shall be packed in c lean, sound and dry food grade containers made of a material 
which does not affect the safety and quality of the product but protects it from light and from the entrance 
of moisture.  
 
8.2 Marking and labelling  
8.2.1 Ginger garlic paste shall also be packe d and labeled in accordance with the requirements 
prescribed in TZS 538.  
 
8.2.2 The following particulars shall legibly and indelibly be marked or labeled on each bag/container:  
a) name of the product, ‘Ginger garlic paste’ or ‘Garlic  ginger paste’  
b) Tra de name or brand name, if any  
c) Name and address of the manufacturer and/or packer.  
d) Batch or lot number  
e) Date of packing/manufacturing  
f) Net weight  
g) Country of origin  
h) Expiry date  
i) Storage condition  
j) List of ingredients  
k) instructio n for use   
 
8.2.3 The language on the label shall be Kiswahili and/or English. A second language may be used 
depending on the designated market . 
8.3 The containers may also be marked with TBS certification mark.   
 
7. Sampling and test  
 
7.1 Sampling  
Ginge r garlic paste shall be sampled in accordance with TZS 33.  
 
7.2 Test s 
Samples of ginger garlic paste shall be tested for conformity with the requirements of this standard  
specification by following the methods of physical, organoleptic , microbiological  and chemical analysis.  
NOTE: The TBS Mark of Quality may be used by manufacturers only under license from TBS. Particulars 
of conditions which the licenses are granted ma y be obtained from TBS offices.  
 
 
  
5 
 Annex A   
(Normative)  
Determ ination of total insoluble  pulp  
Boil 20 g of sample with 100 mL distilled water for 30 -40 min. Filter through dried and weighed filter 
paper. Wash with hot water. Dry paper at 100 oC to constant weight. From this weight subtract the weight 
of the filter paper. This gives the weight  of total insoluble pulp.