DRAFT TANZANIA  STANDARD  
 
 
 
Sugar  cane  syrup  — Specification   
TBS/AFDC 17 (2280) DTZS / 
REV TZS 2225:  2018  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
          TANZANIA  BUREAU  OF STANDARDS  
ii  
  
 
 
Sugar  cane  syrup  — Specification  
 
0 Foreword  
Sugar cane syrup  is the clean , sound liquid product obtained by evaporati ng the  juice of sugarcane 
(Saccharum officinarum L., ) without the removal of any soluble solids  or by dissolving sugarcane 
concentrate in water  
 
This Tanzania Standard has been  developed in order to ensure wholesomeness, safety and quality of the   
sugar  cane  syrup  
 
In the preparation of this Tanzania Standard, considerable assistance was derived from local manufacturers   
 
1 Scope  
This Tanzania Standard specifies the requirements, methods of sampling and test for sugar cane syrup  
intended to be used as raw material in food and other industries such as catering purposes, soft drinks  and 
pharmaceutical  industries.  
 
2 Normative  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.  
 
 
                CAC/GL 50, General guidelines on sampling  
 
ICUMSA Method GS3-50 Determination of the Total Sugar Content of Invert Sugar Syrups by an    
HPLC Method – Official   
 
 
ICUMSA Method GS2/1/3/9 -15 Determination of Sugar Moisture by Loss on Drying - Official  
 
 
ICUMSA Method GS3/4/7/8 -11, Determination of Sulphated Ash in Brown Sugar, Juice, Syrup and 
Molasses - Official  
 
 
TZS 119, Microbiology  of food and animal  feeding  stuffs  — Horizontal  method  for detection  and 
enumeration of  coliforms  — Most  probable  number  technique  
 
TZS 122, Microbiology  of food and feeding  stuffs  — Horizontal  method  for the detection  of 
salmonella spp  
 
TZS 109, Food  processing  units  — Code  of hygiene  
TZS 118 , Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
microorganisms – Colony -count technique at 30oC 
 
TZS 131 , Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuff – General guidance for     enumeration of yeasts 
and moulds – Colony count technique at 25oC”  
  
 TZS 3719 , Determination of Arsenic in Refined Sugar  
 
TZS 3722, Determination of Copper in Refined Sugar  
 
TZS 3713 , Determination of Lead in Sugar  
 
ICUMSA GS 2/7 -33 
 
3 Terms  and Definitions  
For purposes of  this Tanzania  Standard,  the following  definitions  shall apply:  
 
3.1 sugar  cane  syrup  
 
as the product, in any form or presentation, obtained from the evaporation of sugar cane juice  Saccharum 
officinarum L., which contains amorphous subhedral or anhedral microcrys tals, invisible to the  naked  eye, 
which  maintains  its constituent  elements,  such  as saccharose,  glucose,  fructose  and minerals,  and which  
is not obtained  from the reconstitution  of its elements  (sugars)  
 
3.2 extraneous  matter  
 
any material  of sugar origin such  as twigs,  bark and stems  
 
3.3 foreign  matter  
 
any material  which  is not of sugar  origin  for example  sand,  stones,  metallic  chips  and any organic  matter  
other  than extraneous matter  
 
3.4 contaminants  
 
any physical  or chemical  agent,  foreign  matter,  or any other  substances  not intentionally  added  to food 
which  may compromise  food safety  or suitability  
 
3.5 adulterant  
 
any materials  intentionally  introduced,  that changes  the original  composition  of a product,  etc. 
 
3.6 filth 
 
any material  such  as but not  limited  to dead insects,  rodents  and their derivatives.  
 
 
4 Requirements  
4.1 General  requirements  
 
4.1.1  Raw material  
 
Sugar  cane  juice, Saccharum  officinarum  L. 
 
4.1.1  Colour  
 
Sugar cane syrup may exist in various colours characteristic to the product, depending, among other  
aspects on the sugar cane variety, the agro -ecological conditions of  cultivation and the technologies of  the 
manufacturing  process.  Sugar  cane  syrup shall  have  a uniform  colour.  
 
4.1.2  Flavour  and taste  
 ii  
 The flavour  and taste  shall be characteristic  to the product.   
  
 
 
4.1.3  Defects  
 
The product shall be free from defects such as foreign and extraneous matter, contaminants, filth, 
and adulterants.  It shall not be fermented  nor should  it show  sign of attack  by fungi or  insects  
 
4.1. Specific  requirements  
 
Sugar  cane  syrup  shall fulfil the conditions  shown in  table 1  below.  
 
Table1  —specific  requirements  for sugar  cane  syrup  
 
SL 
No Parameter  Requirement  Test method  
i) Moisture,  % 20-30 ICUMSA GS2/1/3/9 -15 
ii) Ashes,  % (max.)  1.0 ICUMSA GS3/4/7/8 -11 
iii) Total  sugars ,  % (min.)  93.0   ICUMSA  GS4/3 -7 
 
iv) Reducing  sugars  (glucose),  % (min.)  5.0   ICUMSA GS4/3 -7 
 
v) Sulphites,  max.  10 ICUMSA  GS3/4/7/8 -11 
 
 
5. Hygiene  
Sugar cane syrup shall be prepared and handled in compliance with TZS 109  and shall comply  with the 
microbiological  limits  as stipulated  in Table  2. 
 
 
Table  2 — Microbiological  limits  sugar  cane  syrup  
 
SL No. Type  of micro -organism  Limits  Test method  
i) Total  Plate  Count  (mesophylic),  cfu/10g  
max.  103   TZS 118   
ii) Yeast and  moulds,  cfu/10 g,  max.  102 TZS 131  
iii) Escherichia  coli, cfu,/10g  Absent  TZS 119 
iv) Salmonella,  per 25g Absent  TZS 122 
 
 
6. Contaminants  
6.1. The products  covered  by this Tanzania  Standard  shall comply  with the maximum  residue  limits  for 
pesticides  established  by the Codex Alimentarius  Commission.  
 
6.2. The products  shall comply  with the maximum  residue  limits  for heavy  metals  as stipulated  in Table  
3. 
 
Table  3 — Heavy  metal limits  in sugar  cane  syrup  
 
SL No. Parameter  Limit  Test method  
i) Arsenic  (As),  mg/kg,  max.  1 TZS 3719  
ii) Lead  (Pb),  mg/kg,  max.  0.5 TZS 3713  
 
 
 
7. Pack ing, marking  and labelling   
 7.1.Packing  
 
Sugar cane syrup shall be packed in food grade material that ensures product safety and integrity   
7.2. Marking  and labelling  
 
In additional to TZS 538, sugar cane syrup shall be marked  and/or  labeled  legibly  and indelibly  on the 
label  of the  container  with the following information : 
 
a) product  name  as “Sugar  cane  syrup”  
 
b) name  and address  (including  physical  location)  of the manufacturer/  importer/  exporter;  
 
c) date of manufacture;  
 
d) expiry  date;  
 
e) storage  instruction  as ‘’Store  in a cool dry place,  away  from contaminants’’;  
 
f) lot/batch/code  number;  
 
g) net weight;  
 
h) country  of origin.  
 
 
8. Sampling and test  
 
8.1. Sampling shall be in accordance with CAC/GL 50  
 
8.2. Tests shall be done in accordance with Table 1, 2 and 3.