AFDC 15 (771) DTZS  
DRAFT  TANZANIA STANDARD  
 
 
 
             Chevdo ( cheuro)  – Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                            TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDARDS  
 
 
 
 0 Foreword  
Chevdo also known as cheuro is a traditional Indian snack consisting of dried spicy ingredients  (such as 
fried lentils, peanuts, chickpeas, chickpeas flour ganthiya, maize , vegetable oil, puffed rice  and curry 
leaves)  that are mixed together to form a crunchy combination.  
This Tanzania  standard has been prepared  to ensure  the safety and quality of chevdo produced and/ or 
traded in the country .   
In the preparation of this Tanzania standard, assistance was drawn from;  
 local manufacturers  
 Indian  standards IS 15271 (2003) Namkeen – specification, published by Indian Bureau of 
Standards (BIS).  
In reporting the results of a test or analysis made in accordance with this Tanzania Standard,  if the final 
value observed or calculated is to be rounded off, it shall be done in accordance with TZS 4 (see clause 
2). 
1 Scope  
This Tanzania Standard specifies safety and quality requirements, sampling  and methods of  test for 
Chevdo (cheuro) intended for human consumption.  
Note: also known as chevda, chidwa . 
2 Normative r eferences  
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 (including any amendments) applies;   
CODEX STAN 192, Codex General Standard for foods additives.  
CODEX STAN 193, Codex General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins  in foods  
TZS 4 , Rounding off numer ical values   
TZS 109, Food processing units - Code of hygiene - General  
TZS 111  bakery units - code of practices . 
TZS 118 -1: 2018/ISO 4833 -1: 2013 - Microbiology of the food chain - Horizontal method for the 
enumeration of microorganisms - Part 1: Colony count at 30 °C by the pour plate technique  
TZS 122 -1:2018/ISO 6579 -1: 2017 - Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the 
detection, enumeration and serotyping of Salmonella - Part 1: Detection of Salmonella spp   
TZS 125 -1/ISO 6888 -1, Microbio logy of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the 
enumeration of coagulase -positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and other species) – Part 1: 
Technique using Baird -Parker agar medium   
 TZS 731 , Microbiology of food and feeding -stuffs - Horizontal method for the detection and enumeration 
of presumptive Escherichia coli - Most Probable Number Technique  
TZS 2426 -1/ ISO 21527 -1- Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs - Horizontal method fo r the 
enumeration of yeasts and moulds - Part 1: Colony count technique in products with water activity greater 
than 0.95  
TZS 2752: Bakery products - methods of analysis  
TZS 2753: Bakery products - methods of sampling  
3 Term s and definitions   
For the purpose of this Tanzania Standard the following terminology shall apply  
3.1 Chevdo (cheuro)  
a deep fried savory s nack mix, which consists of a variable mixture of spicy dried ingredients, such as 
fried lentils, chickpeas,  flaked rice , peanuts,  tambi snacks , sliced potatoes , maize , dry fruits  and curry 
leaves.  
3.2 food  grade packaging material  
Packaging material which safeguards the hygienic, nutritional, technological and organoleptic quality of 
the product.  
 4 Requirements  
4.1 General requirements  
The Chevdo (cheuro) shall  
 have a characteristic fresh taste and pleasant flavo ur and odo ur. 
 be crisp y and homogeneous.  
 be free of foreign matters  and impurities.  
 be free from fungus contamination  
 not be excessively greasy,  
 Be free from off flavo ur or rancid odo ur. 
 not bear any sign of significant burning or charring.  
4.2 Ingredients  
The following  ingredien ts singly, or in combination  shall be used in preparation of  Chevdo (cheuro)  and 
shall comply with relevant Tanzania Standards;  
 Edible nuts  
 edible fats and oil  
 Cereals/Legumes /pulses  and their Products   
 Potatoes  
 salt  
 sugar  and sugar products;  
 spices;   
  dried fruits;  
 any food products fit for human consumption  
4.4 specific requirements  
Chevdo (cheuro ) shall comply with the specific requirements stipulated in Table 1  
 
    Table 1 — Specific requirements for Chevdo (cheuro)  
S/N Characteristics  
 Requirements  
 Test method  
1 Moisture content, %, max.  5  TZS 2752  
2 Acid insoluble ash %, max  0.2 
3 Acid value of extracted  
fat, Max  (Insert unit)  1.0 
4 Peroxide value, meq  
oxygen/kg fat, Max  10 
 
5 Food additives  
Food additives used in the preparation of Chevdo (cheuro ) shall be in accordance with Codex  Stan 192.  
6 Hygiene  
6. Chevdo (cheuro) shall be prepared under Good Hygie nic Practices as stipulated in TZS 109 and TZS 
111 (see clause 2).  
6.2 When tested by appropriate methods of sampling and test, and shall comply with the microbiological 
limits gi ven in T able 2. 
Table 2 - Microbial limits  for Chevdo (cheuro)  
Characteristic  limit  Methods of test  
 Total plate count cfu/g  
  103   TZS 118-1  
 Yeast and mould cfu/g   102   TZS 2426 -1 
 Salmonella per 25 g   absent   TZS 122 -1 
 E. coli cfu/25g   absent   TZS 731  
 S. aureus , cfu/g   102 TZS 125-1  
 
7 Contaminants  
Heavy metal  
Presence of heavy metal shall conform to the limits set in appropriate s ections of CODEX STAN 193 (see 
clause 2).   
 8 Sampling and methods of test  
8.1 Sampling  
Chevdo (cheuro ) shall be sampled  in accordance with Tanzania Standard  TZS 2753 . 
8.2 Method of tests  
Chevdo (cheuro ) shall be tested in accordance with methods described in this Tanzania Standard.  
9 Packing, marking and labelling  
9.1 Packing  
Chevdo (cheuro ) shall be packed in food grade packaging material that do not affect the qual ity and 
safety of the product.  
9.2 Marking and labelling  
9.2.1 Labelling of Chevdo (cheuro ) shall be done in accordance w ith the requirements of the TZS 
538/EAS 38 and the following particular shall be clearly and indelibly marked on each container; printing 
ink if any shall be non -toxic and non -transferable  
a) Name of the product shall be chevdo /cheuro/chevda/chidwa.  
b) Name, physical and postal address of the manufacturer;  
c) Batch or code number;  
d) Date of manufacture a nd expir y date;  
e) Net weight  in SI Units   
f) Country of origin;  
g) List of ingredients;  
h) Storage  conditions ; and  
i) Trade name or brand, if any.  
9.2.2 The containers  may be marked with the TBS Standards Mark of Quality.  
NOTE - The TBS Standards Mark of Quality shall be used by the manufacturers only under licence from 
TBS. Particulars of conditions under which the licences are granted, may be obtained from TBS.