AFDC 07(6574) P3/TZS 1 734:2016  
                                             
 
© TBS 201 9                                                                                                                      First Edition 201 9 
 
                     
   
DRAFT TANZANIA STANDARD  
 
 
 
Cinnamon — Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                  TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDARDS 
ii                                                                                                                    ©TBS 201 9 – All rights reserved    
©TBS 201 9 – All rights reserved   1  
                                                                                   AFDC 07(6574) P3/TZS 1734:2016  
Cinnamon — Specification  
 
0 Foreword  
 
Cinnamon is a spice  obtained from the inner bark of an evergreen tree  (Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume)  
that is used in both sweet and savoury foods. This type of cin namon is also known as real or true 
cinnamon  
 
This Tanzania S tandard was prepared to ensure  the safety and quality of cinnamon produced for local 
and export market.  
 
In the preparation of this Tanzania S tandard  considerable help was derived from ISO 6 539:2014  
Spices and condiments.  
 
In reporting the results of a test or analysis made in accord ance with this Tanzania S tandard if the 
final value, observed or calculated, is to be rounded off, it shall be don e in accordance with TZS 4 
(see clause 2)   
 
 
1 Scope  
 
This Tanzania Standard specifies the requirements , sampling and test methods for whole o r ground 
(powdered) cinnamon which is the bark of the tree or shrub Cinnamomum zeylanicum  blume intended for 
human consumption . 
  
 
2 Nomative References  
 
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For 
dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the 
referenced document (including any amendments) applies;  
              
              
TZS 4 , Rounding off numerical values   
 
TZS 29, Spices and condiments — Nomencl ature  
 
TZS 33 , Spices and condiments — Sampling   
 
TZS 109 , Code of hygiene for food processing units — General  
 
TZS 118 , Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for enumeration of 
micro -organisms - Colony count technique at 30 0C  
 
TZS 119 , Microbiology — General guidance for the enumeration of coliforms — Most probable 
number technique  
 
 
TZS 131: 2006, Microbiology — General guidance for the enumeration of yeast and mould - 
Colony count technique at 25 0C 
 AFDC 07(6574) P3/TZS 1734:2016  
 
2  ©TBS 201 9 – All rights reserved  TZS 268: General atomi c absorption — Spectrophotometric method for the determination of 
lead in food stuffs  
 
TZS 457,  Code of hygienic practices for spices and dried aromatic plants  
 
TZS 730 (Part 2): 2007, Microbiology — General guidance for the enumeration of E.coli — Most 
probable number technique  
 
TZS 1315 , Spices and condiments — Determination of extraneous matter and foreign matter 
content  
 
TZS 1316 , Spices and condiments — Determination of total ash  
 
TZS 1317 , Spices and condiments — Determination of acid insoluble ash   
 
TZS 1318 , Spices and condiments — Determination of moisture content Entrainment method   
 
TZS 1319 , Spices and condiments — Determination of non volatile ether extract   
 
TZS 1492, Fruits and vegetables — Determination of tin content  
 
TZS 1502, Fruits and v egetables — Determination of arsenic content   
 
 
TZS 1581 -Part 1, Determination of cadmium content – Method graphite furnace atomic absorption 
spectrometry  
 
TZS 1501:2016/ ISO 6637 -1984Fruits, vegetables and derived products – Sampling and methods 
of test – Part 16: Determination of mercury content – Flameless atomic absorption method  
 
 
 
3 Terms and definitions  
 
For the purposes of this Tanzania Standard, the following terms and definitions apply.  
 
3.1 whole cinnamon  
 
all commercial forms of cinnamon excep t cinnamon powder.  
 
 
3.2 cinnamon quills  (full tubes)  
 
scraped peel of the inner bark of mature plantation cinnamon shoots joined together by overlaps, the 
hollow of which has been filled with small pieces of the same peel and thereafter dried in the sun a fter air 
curing.  
 
3.3 cinnamon chips  
 
dried pieces of the bark of plantation cinnamon, inclusive of the outer bark, which has been obtained by 
beating or scraping the shoots.  
 
3.4 ground cinnamon  
 
powder obtained by grinding cinnamon of the types considere d in this Standard without adding additives.  AFDC 07(6574) P3/TZS 1734:2016  
©TBS 201 9 – All rights reserved   3 3.6 extraneous matter  
 
this includes foreign matter like chaff, dried leaves, stones, soil particles dust, dirt or any matter other than 
cinnamon.  
 
 
4 Requirements  
 
4.1 General requirements  
 
4.1.1 Forms and a ppearance  
 
Cinnamon, shall be produced in three forms  
 
4.1.1 .1 Quills as defined in 3. 2 shall be uniform in length.  
 
4.1.1.2 Chips refer as defined in 3. 3 shall be of small pieces.  
 
4.1.1.3 Ground cinnamon: shall be ground to such fineness that all of it p asses through a sieve of 500 
micron (0.500 mm).  
 
4.1.2 Taste and odour   
 
The odour and taste shall be fresh and characteristic of cinnamon of the origin concerned. It shall be free 
from foreign flavours, including mustiness.  
 
4.1.3 Colour  
 
Cinnamon shall b e yellowish to reddish -brown in colour.   
 
(see clause 2).  
 
4.2 Specific  requirements  
 
Cinnamon in all forms shall comply with requirements given in Table 1  
 
Table  1 — Physical -Chemical requirements for whole and ground cinnamon  
 
S/No  Characteristics  Requir ements  Test method (see clause 2)  
  whole  Ground   
i  Moisture % m/m, (max.)  14 12  TZS 1318  
ii  Volatile oil ml/100 g % m/m(min.)  1.0 0.7                TZS  1320  
iii  Total ash % m/m, max  7 TZS 1316  
iv  Acid insoluble ash % m/m, (max)  2 TZS 1317  
v  Non volatile et her extract % m/m, max  7 TZS 1319  
vi  Extrenous matter % m/m, max  1 TZS 1315  
NOTE — Requirements from ii to v are on dry basis.  
 
 
5 Contaminants  
 
5.1 metals  contaminants  
 
Cinnamon shall not contain any metallic contaminants in excess of levels specified in  Table 2.  
 AFDC 07(6574) P3/TZS 1734:2016  
 
4  ©TBS 201 9 – All rights reserved   
 
Table 2  — Limit for metallic contaminants for Cinnamon  
  
S/No  Characteristics  Maximum (mg/kg)  Method of test (see clause 2)  
i  Arsenic (as As )  0.2 TZS 1502  
ii  Tin (as Sn)  250 TZS 1 492 
iii  Lead (as Pb)  0.3                   TZS 268  
iv  Cadmium  0.1                   TZS 1581 -Part 1  
v  Mercury  0.1 TZS 1501  
 
5.2 Pesticides Residues  
 
Cinnamon shall comply with those maximum pesticide residue limits established by the Codex Committee 
on Pesticide Residues for this commodity.  
 
5.3 Mycotoxins  
Aflatoxin – 5 ppb 
Total Aflatoxin – 10 ppb  
 
 
 
 
6 Hygiene  
 
6.1 Cinnamon in all forms shall be prepared under Good Hygienic Practic es as stipulated in TZS 109  and 
as per TZS 457 (see clause 2) . 
 
 
Table 3  — Microbiological r equirements for whole and ground cinnamon  
Include Salmonella, Staphylococcus aureus - Absent  
 
 
 
6.2 cinnamon whole and ground shall comply with the microbiological limits given in Table 3.  
(Shift to below 6.1)  
 
 
 
7 Sampling and test methods  
 
Sampling shall be carried out as prescribed in TZS 33 (see c lause 2) and tests according to methods 
specified in this Tanzania S tandard.  
8 Storage and transport of cinnamon  
 S/No  Characteristic  Requirements  Test method (see clause 2)  
i  Total plate count cfu/g, max  1x105               TZS 118  
ii  Yeast  and mould cfu/g , max  1x102                 TZS 131  
iii  Total Coliforms MPN, max  1x102                 TZS 119  
iv  E. coli CFU per 25g,  max Absent  TZS 730 (Part 2)  AFDC 07(6574) P3/TZS 1734:2016  
©TBS 201 9 – All rights reserved   5 8.1 Storage  
 
Cinnamon shall be stored in premises well protected from the sun, rain, excessive heat and 
contam ination.  
 
The store room shall be dry, free from objectionable odours and proofed against entry of insects and other 
vermin. The ventilation should be controlled so as to give good air circulation under dry conditions and to 
be fully closed under damp cond itions. In a storage warehouse, suitable facilities shall be available for 
fumigation.  
 
8.2 Transport  
 
The containers shall be transported in such a way that they are protected from the rain, sun or other 
source of excessive heat, objectionable odours and cross infestation, especially in the holds of ships.  
 
 
9 Pack aging, marking and labelling  
 
9.1 Pack aging  
 
9.1.1 Whole and ground cinnamon shall be packed in clean, sound and dry food grade containers made 
of a material which does not affect the safety and  quality of the product and which protects it from the 
ingress of moisture and loss of volatile matter.  
 
9.1.2 The packaging shall be of food grade and must protect the product safety and quality during 
transportation and storage.  
 
9.2 Marking and labelli ng 
9.2.1  In addition to TZS 538 the following par ticulars shall legibly and inde libly be marked or labelled 
on each container:  
 
a) name of the product;  
 
b) trade name or brand name if any;  
 
c) name and physical and postal address of manufacturer and/or packer;  
 
d) batch or code number;  
 
e) net weight;  
 
f) manufacturing or packing date ; 
 
g) best before date ; 
 
h) country of origin; and  
 
i) storage condition . 
 
9.3 The packages ma y also be marked with TBS Certification M ark of Quality . 
 
NOTE — The TBS Mark of Quality may be used b y manufacturers only under licence from 
TBS. Particulars of conditions which the licences are granted may be obtained from TBS 
offices.   
©TBS 2016  – All rights reserved