هيئة التقييس لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية 
GCC STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION (GSO)  
 
 
 
 
مشروع مواصفة  نهائي  
Final Draft of Standard FDS 
 
 
 
 
 
إعداداللجنة الفنية الخليجية رقم  TC05   
 
Prepared by GSO Technical Committee No. TC05 
 
GSO05 -FDS-1750 :2022  
GSO  1750 :2013  
 
 
 
السردين المعلب 
Canned Sardines 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 ICS: 67.120.30 
This document is a draft Gulf 
Standard/Technical R egulation circulated for 
comments. It is, therefore, subject to alteration 
and modification and may not be referred to as 
a Gulf Standard/Technical Regu lation until 
approved by GSO. هذه الوثيقة مشروع لمواصفة قياسية/ لائحة
فنية خليجية تم توزيعها لإبداء الملحو ظات 
بشأنها، لذلك فإنها عرضة للتغيير والتبديل، ولا 
يجوز الرجوع إليها كمواصفة قياسية/لائحة فنية 
خليجية إلا بعد اعتمادها من الهيئة. GSO  FDS 1750/2 022 GSO STANDARD  
 
 
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تقـديـم 
 
هيئة التقييس لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربيةة هيئةة إيليميةة تفةم فةي عفةويتها الجهةني للو نيةة 
للمواصفات والمقاييس في دول الخليج العربية، ومن مهام الهيئة إعةداد المواصةفات الاياسةية بواسةةة لجةان 
فنية متخصصة. 
يرر مجلس إداري هيئة التقييس لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية في اجتماعه ريم ) ( الذي عقد 
بتاريخ   / / ه ، الموافق  / /  م  اعتماد تحديث اللائحة الفنية الخليجية ريم (GSO 1750  : 2013   
 "السردين المعلب " باللغة ( العربية / الإنجلينية) التي تم دراستها ضمن برنامج عمل "اللجنة الفنية 
الخليجية للمواصفات الغذائية والنراعية  ريم TC05" المدرجة في خةة دولة الكويت 
على ان تلغى اللائحة الفنية ريم (GSO CAC 1750 /2013 ) وتحل محلها. GSO  FDS 1750/2 022 GSO STANDARD  
 
 
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 Canned Sardine  
1.  SCOPE  
 This standard applies to canned sa rdines and sardine -type products, it  
does not apply to specialty products where fish content constitutes  
less than 50% m/m of the net contents of the can.  
2.       COMPLEMENTARY STANDARDS  
2.1 GSO 9: "Labeling of prepackaged foodstuffs".  
2.2  GSO 21:" Hyg ienic regulations for food plants and their personnel ".  
2.3 GSO 382: "Maximum allowable limits of pesticides residue in 
agricultural and food products “. 
2.4    GSO 589: " Methods of physica l and chemical analysis of fish, shell  
fish and their products ".  
2.5     GSO 655: " Methods of microbiological examination of meat, fish, 
shell -fish and their products ". 
2.6    GSO 1000: " Methods of sampling for prepackaged food products".  
2.7    GSO 101 6: " Microbiological Criteria for Foodstuffs ". 
2.8   GSO  1694 : "General principles of food hygiene".  
2.9  GSO 1861:" Fish Products Determination of Histamine (Reference 
Method)".  
2.10  GSO 179 1: "Three -piece steel round cans used for canning food 
stuffs ". 
2.11 GSO 1792: “ Methods of test for three -piece steel round cans used for 
canning food stuffs ”. 
 GSO  FDS 1750/2 022 GSO STANDARD  
 
 
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2.12 GSO CAC / GL 31: 2021 "Guidelines for sensory evaluation of fish 
and lesions".  
2.13          GSO 2333: “Requirements for nutrition and health claim in the 
food”. 
2.14          GSO 2055 -1: “HALAL FOOD - Part 1: General  Requirement s”. 
2.15          GSO 2233: “Requirements of nutritional labelin g”. 
2.16          GSO 2276: “Detection of lard in foo d”. 
2.17:         GSO 261 2: “Guidelines for salt target in foo d”. 
3.  DEFINITIONS:  
3.1  Canned sardines:  
 A food product prepar ed from the following sardine species of fresh, 
frozen or smoked sardine fish which packed in water, oil or other 
suitable packing medium, in hermetically sealed containers and heat 
processed after packing to ensure its commercially sterility to prevent 
its spoilage:  
•  Sardina pilchardus  
•  Sardinops melanostictus, S. neopilchardus, S. ocellatus, S. sagax, S. 
caeruleus,  
•  Sardinella aurita, S. brasiliensis, S. maderensis, S. longiceps, S. 
gibbosa  
•  Clupea harengus  
•  Clupea bentincki  GSO  FDS 1750/2 022 GSO STANDARD  
 
 
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 •  Sprattus sprattus  
•  Hyperlop hus vittatus  
•  Nematalosa vlaminghi  
•  Etrumeus teres  
•  Ethmidium maculatum  
•  Engraulis anchoita, E. mordax, E. ringens  
•  Opisthonema oglinum  
3.2  Foreign materials:   
 Any materials other than fish or packing medium that poses a threat to 
consumer heal th, its presence indicate that no good hygienic 
regulations during processing has been follow.  
4.  REQUIREMENTS:  
 The following requirements shall be met in the canned sardines:  
4.1  Physical requirements:  
4.1.1  The product shall be completely  free from p ig products and its 
derivatives.  
4.1.2  The product shall be prepared from sound, clean fresh, frozen or 
smoked sardine's fish and fit for human consumption.  
4.1.3  The product shall be prepared from sardines, with head and gills 
removed, scale s and / or t ail may be removed If eviscerated, the 
product shall be free from undigested feed and from visceral parts 
other than roe, milt, or kidney.  
4.1.4  The container shall not be containing  less than two fish. 
4.1.5  The product shall meet the distin ctive natural sensory qualities of the GSO  FDS 1750/2 022 GSO STANDARD  
 
 
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 product in terms of shape , color , flavor,  and homogeneous texture and 
is free of weaving , smell and exotic taste.  
4.1.6        The product sha ll be fre e of exotic substances , impu rities, apparent 
mold , living and de ad insects of all kinds and all its phase s and parts.  
4.1.7  The product shall be produced according to regulations mention in 
GSO standard item (2.2) and ( 2.8). 
4.2  Chemical requirements:  
4.2.1  The packing medium and other materials used in packing  shall  be 
food grade and comply with GSO Standard specific to each.  
4.2.2  Histamine content in the product shall not exceed 10 mg / 100 g, 
based on the average of the  sample  unit tested , no sample unit  shall  
contain histamine that exceed s 20 mg/ 100 g.  
4.2.3  Any one of the following substances may b e added to the packing 
medium  according to GMP   GSO  FDS 1750/2 022 GSO STANDARD  
 
 
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 4.2.3.1  
 Thickening or Gelling Agents  No . index  
1 Alginic acid  400 
2 Sodium alginate  401 
3 Potassium alginate  402 
4 Calcium alginate  404 
5 Agar   406 
6 Carrageenan and its Na ,K,and NH4 salts (in cluding 
furcelleran)  407 
7 processed Euchema Seaweed (PES)  407a  
8 Carob gum  410 
9 Guar gum  412 
10 Tragacanth gum  413 
11 Xanthan gum  415 
12 Pectins  440 
13 sodium carboxymetheylcellulose  466 
 
4.2.3.2  
 Mod ified starches :  No. index  
1 Acid trea ted starches  1401  
2 Alkaline treated starches  1402  
3 Oxidized starches  1404  
4 Monostarch phosphate  1410  
5 Distarch phosphate esterified with sodium 
trimetaphosphate; esterified with phosphorus 
oxychloride  1412  
6 Phosphated distarch phosphate  1413  GSO  FDS 1750/2 022 GSO STANDARD  
 
 
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 7 Acetylated distarch phosphate  1414  
8 Starch acetate  1420  
9 Acetylated distarch adipate  1422  
10 Hydroxyporpyl starch  1440  
11 Hydroxypropyl starch phosphate  1442  
 
4.2.3.3  
 Acidity regulators  No. index  
1 Acetic ac id .  260 
2 b- Lactic acid (L -,D-,and DL-).  270 
3 c- Citric acid  330 
  
4.2.3.4  Natural flavours:  
 1- Spice oils.  
 2- Spice extracts.  
 3- Smoke flavors  (Natural smoke solutions and extracts).  
4.2.4  Contaminant metallic elements content shall not exce ed to what has 
been  mentioned against each ( p.p.m ): 
 
 
 metallic elements  p.p.m  
1 Lead  0.4 
2 Mercury  1.0 
3 Cadmium  0.3 
4 Arsenic  1.0 
 GSO  FDS 1750/2 022 GSO STANDARD  
 
 
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 4.2.5  Pesticides residue content shall not exceed to what has been 
mentioned in  GSO standards stated in item (2.3 ). 
4.3  Biological requirements:  
4.3.1  The products shall be free from any foreign material that poses to 
consumer  health and free from, impurities,  the indications of spoilage 
and off flavors . 
4.3.2  The product shall be free from microorganisms capable of 
development under conditions of stor age. 
4.3.3  The product shall be free from any substances derived from 
microorganisms  in amounts which may represent a hazard to health.  
4.3.4  Shall be free from container integrity defects which may compromise 
the herme tic seal.  
4.3.5  Microbiology requi rements shall be complying  to what has been 
mentioned in GSO  standard stated in item (2. 7). 
5.  PACKING, TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE:  
5.1  Packing:  
5.1.1  Sardines shall be packed in hermetically sealed containers and when  
packed with tin – plate it should meet the requirements stated in GSO 
Standard mentioned in item (2. 10). 
5.1.2  The internal surface of the container shall be enameled with suitable 
food grade enamel and free from corrosion.  
5.1.3  The cans shall be free from mechanical defects,  leakage,  and rust.  
5.2  Transportation:  
 The containers shall be transported in a way to keep it from 
mechanical  damage or contamination . GSO  FDS 1750/2 022 GSO STANDARD  
 
 
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 5.3  Storage:  
 The containers shall be store in well ventilated stores far away from 
heat and  contamination sources.  
6.  Methods of examination and test:  
6.1  Sampling:  
 Samples shall be taken according to GSO standard stated in item 
(2.6). 
6.2  Methods of test:  
6.2.1  Physical and chemical tests shall be carried out according to GSO 
standard  stated in item (2. 4). 
6.2.2  Microbiolog ical tests shall be carried out according to GSO Standard 
stated in  item (2. 5). 
6.2.3  Determination of histamine shall be carried out according to GSO 
Standard  stated in item (2. 9). 
6.2.4  Test of three pieces steel rou nd cans shall be carried out accord ing to 
GSO Standard stated in item (2.1 1). 
6.3 Sensory and physical examinations  
Sensory and physical examinations are carried out according to the 
Gulf standard mentioned in item No. ( 2.12). 
6.4           Determination o f net weight  
              The net content of all sample units sh all be determined by  the 
following  procedures :               
              1-The weight of the unopened container . 
               2- Open the container and remove the content.  GSO  FDS 1750/2 022 GSO STANDARD  
 
 
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                3- Weigh the empty container, including its end, after re movin g the 
extra  liquid and  sticking  flesh.  
              4- Subtract the weight of the empty container and al l packing Materia l 
from the weight  of the closed contai ners.  The number obtained is the n et 
content.  
6.5 Determination of Drained  weight  
           The drained w eight of all sample units is determined by the  
           following  procedure : 
1- Keep the container at a temperature between 20° C and 30°C for at  
    least 12 hours before examining it .  
2- Opening and tilting the container to dispense the contents onto  
     a circular sieve that  has been previously weighed and contains a  
    wire mesh  containing  square    holes of size 2.8 mm x 2.8 mm. 
3- Tilt the sieve at an angle of about 17 -20 degrees and  leave the fish  
    to filter for two minutes , starting from the time it  was poured.  
   The product is over the sieve.  
4-   The weight of the sieve that contains the drained fish.  
5-   Determining the wei ght of the drained fish by subtracting the  
     weight  of the sieves from the weight of the sieves with the  
      filtered produ ct. 
 
6.6 Procedures for Packs  in sauces (washed drained weight)  
        1-     Keep the container at a temperature between 20°C a nd 30°C for  
            at least 12 hours before  exami ning it.  
        2-      Opening the container, tilting it and washing the sauce that  covers it  GSO  FDS 1750/2 022 GSO STANDARD  
 
 
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               and then  the entire  content using hot tap water approximately  
               40 degrees  Celsius, using a plastic  washer bottle for example, over   
               a circular sieve.  
      3-   Wash the contents of the sieve using hot tap wat er until it is free of  
          stick sauce , when  possible separate the optional ingredients  
          Seasoning  vegetab les and   fruits using tongs tilting the  sieve at an angle  
 of  approximately 17 -20°C and leave the fish to filter for two minutes    
         starting from the time the product is poured over the sieve.  
    4-   Remove the sticky water from the bottom  of the sieve using a paper 
towel. Weight o f the sieve that contains the fish filtered.  
     5-    Determining the weight of the d rained fish by subtracting the mass of  
          the sieves from the weight of the mass of the sieves with the  
          filtered product .  
 
7.  LABELLING:  
 Without pr ejudice to what has been mentioned in GSO standard stated 
in item (2.1), the following sh all be declared on the can label:  
7.1  Product name (Sardine) attached with the kind of sardine or the name 
of count ry.or geographic area which produced in it. 
7.2  The type of used packing medium as a part of the name of the 
product.  
7.3  The word (smok ed) or smoke flavored,  according to the case.  
7.4  The label shall not include other descriptive terms that will avoi d 
misleading or confusing the consumer.  
7.5  The pro duction and expiration (month -year) . 
 GSO  FDS 1750/2 022 GSO STANDARD  
 
 
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 8. Determination of defectives   
       A unit shou ld be considered defective when it exhibits any of th e 
characteristics listed below.  
 
 
8.1    Foreign matter  
                The presence of any substance in the sampl e unit that is not derived 
from  fish or from the packing medium, does not pose a danger to   
human health, if it is easily identified without the need to enlarge it or 
which is present at a level determi ned by resorting to any method, 
including magnificatio n, which indicates on non -conformity with 
Good Manufacturing and Hygiene Practices.  
 8.2           Odor  ⁄ flavor  
                The sample unit is affected by persistent, distinct and unacceptable 
odors  or flavors indicative of decomposition or rancidity.  
8.3     Textures  
       1-     Meat that is too tender and uncharacteristic of the types presented.  
        2-    Too hard or fibrous meat, uncharacteristic of the species presented.  
 8.4   Discoloration  
                 It is the sample unit affected by characteristic changes in color 
indicating decomposition  or rancidity or affected by sulfide staining 
by more than  5% of the thickness  depending on the weight of the 
sample unit . 
8.5    Objectionable Matter  GSO  FDS 1750/2 022 GSO STANDARD  
 
 
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               It is the sample unit affected by struvite crystals - struvite crystals over 
5 mm in length .
 
 
 
 
 
 
المصطلحات الفنية 
 
احياء دقيقة ممرضة ...........................................................   Pathogenic  micro -organism  
خياشيم  ................................................................ ................................................  Gills 
قشور  ................................................................ ...............................................  Scales 
أجزاء الأحشاء  ................................................................ ......................... Visceral part 
البطارخ (بيض السمك  ................................................................ ............................. Roe 
هستامين  ................................................................ ...................................... Histamine 
الذيل ................................................................ .....................................................  Tail 
مبيدات  ................................................................ ....................................... Pesticides  
التعقيم التجاري  ................................................................ ............ Commercial sterility 
مدخن ................................................................ ............................................   Smoked 
الزئبق ................................................................ ...........................................  Merc ury  GSO FDS 1750:2022  GSO STANDARD  
 
 
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 الزرنيخ ................................................................ ...........................................  Arsenic 
وسط التعبئة ................................................................ ......................   Packing medium