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 TBS/ AFDC 17(593)  P3 
TZS1966:2020  
 
DRAFT TANZANIA STANDARD  
 
 
 
                  STINGLESS BEE HONEY – SPECIFICATION  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDARD S 
©TBS 2020  – All rights reserved     
  
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TBS/ AFDC 17(593)  P3 
TZS1966:2020  
 
STINGLESS BEE HONEY  – SPECIFICATION  
 
0  FOREWORD   
 
Beekeeping  (Apiculture)  with stinging  bees belonging to the genus Apis is more widespread than 
stingless bees – beekeeping ( meliponiculture ) which is  well-known in tropical countries. Both groups of 
bees belong to the family Apidae, order Hymenoptera . They are differentiated at the subfami ly level, 
Apinae  for stinging  bees and Meliponinae  for stingless bees.  
 
This Tanzania Standard was prepared to ensure the safety and quality of stingless bee honey  produced 
and/ or traded in th e country.  
 
In reporting the results 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 TZS 4  (See clause 2) . 
 
1 SCOPE   
 
This Sta ndard prescribes  requirements,  methods of sampling and test ing for stingless bee honey  
produced by subfamily Meliponinae  of genera Melipona, Scaptotrigona  and Trigona  intended for direct 
human consumption . 
 
2  NORMATIVE REFERENCE  (Rearrange in ascending order and proper f ormat)  
 
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) applie s 
 
TZS 109  Food processing units – Code of hygiene  
TZS 1492 Fruits, vegetables and derived products – Sampling and methods of test – Part 6: 
Determination of tin content  
TZS 268  General atomic absorption – Spectro - Photometric method for determination of l ead in 
food stuffs  
TZS 76  General method for determination of arsenic silver diethyldithiocarmate photometric 
method  
TZS 851 Honey – Specification   
TZS 538  labelling of pre -packaged food -General requirement  
TZS 118  Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for enumeration of 
micro -organisms – Colony count technique at 30ºC  
TZS 119  Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuff horizontal method for the detection and 
enumeration of coliforms - most probable number technique . 
TZS 4  Rounding off numerical values  
 
 
3 TERMS AND DEFINITIONS  
 
For the purpose of this standard the following  term and  definition shall apply:  
 
  
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 TBS/ AFDC 17(593)  P3 
TZS1966:2020  
 
3.1 stingless bee honey  
 
is the natural sweet substance produced by stingless bees of  genera Melipona, Scaptotrigona  and 
Trigona  from the nectar of plants or from secretions of living parts of plants, which the stingless bees 
collect, transform by combining with sp ecific substances of their own, deposit, dehydrate, s tore and leave 
in the h oney pots  to ripen and mature.  
 
 
4  REQUIREMENTS  
 
4.1  General requirements  
 
4.1.1  Stingless bee  honey shall be free from  objectionable flavor , aroma  and foreign m atter 
 
4.1.2  The color of stingless bee honey shall be uniform throughout  and characteristics  
 
4.1.3  Stingless bee honey shall  not contain any food additives  
 
4.2 Specific requirements  
 
Stingless bee honey shall also comply with the requirements given in table  1. 
 
Table 1 - Requirements for Stingless bee honey  
Characteristics  Requirements  Methods o f tests TZS 851 (see 
clause 2)  
Moisture, Max %  28 A.3 
Reducing sugar, Min %  50 A.1 
Sucrose, Max %  6 A.2 
Acidity, Max meq/Kg  400 A.6 
Ash, Max %  0.5 A.5 
Hydroxymethyl furfural , Max mg/Kg  40 A.11 
Diastase activity, Min  3.0 A.7 
 
5  CONTAMINANTS  
 
5.1 Metal contaminants  
 
Stingless bee honey shall be free from heavy metals in amounts which may rep resent a hazard to human 
health and shall conform to the limits specified in Table 2.  
 
Table 2: Requirements for  metal contaminants  
Metal  Requirements  (mg/kg, 
max) Methods of test  
Lead  0.1 TZS 268      
Arsenic  0.1 TZS 76  
Tin  5.0 TZS 1492  
 
  
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 TBS/ AFDC 17(593)  P3 
TZS1966:2020  
 
5.2 Residues of pesticides and veterinary drugs  
Residues of pesticides and veterinary drugs  of stingless bee honey shall  comply with tho se maximum 
residue limits  given in Table 3 .  
 
Table 3  – Requirements for p esticides and veterinary drugs residues  
 
Substance  Category  Requirements  
(Max)  Methods of test  
 
Coumaphos  
Phenol  
Streptomycin  
Tetracycline  
Sulfona mide  
Organophosphorus  
Organochlorin e  
Insecticide , mg/kg,  
Disinfectant , mg/kg,  
Antibiotic , mg/kg,  
Antibiotic , mg/kg,  
Antibiotic , mg/kg,  
Pesticides , ppb,  
Pesticides , ppb,   
1.0  
1.0  
1.0  
1.0  
1.0  
50  
50  
  
HPLC  
HPLC  
HPLC  
HPLC  
HPLC  
GLC 
GLC 
 
In addition to table 3 above stingless bee honey  shall comply with those maximum residue limits  of 
pesticides and veterinary drugs  established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission for this commodity.  
 
6  HYGIENE  
 
6.1 Stingless bee honey  shall be prepared under Good Hygienic Practices as stipulated in TZS 109  (See 
clause 2) . 
 
6.2 Stingless bee honey  shall be free from pathogenic microorganisms and shall comply with the 
microbi ological limits given in Table 4 .  
 
Table 4  – Microbial requirements for Stingless bee honey    
Characteristic  Requirements  Methods of test (See clause2)  
Total plate count cfu/ml , max  
 1 x 103 TZS 118  
Coliforms  MPN/ml  absent  TZS 119  
 
7  SAMPLING AND TEST ING  
 
7.1 Sampling  
The product  shall be sampled as prescribed in TZS 851 (See clause 2)  
 
7.2 Test  
 
7.2.1 Testing shall be done as provided in the respective Tables of this standard.  
 
 
 
8  PACKING, MARKING AND LABELING  
8.1  Packing  
  
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 TBS/ AFDC 17(593)  P3 
TZS1966:2020  
 
The product  shall be packed in suitable food grade materials  
8.2 Marking and labeling  
 
8.2.1 The product shall be marked and labeled in accordance with TZS 538 (see clause 2).  
 
8.2.2 In addition each Container/packet of product shall be legibly and indelibly marked with the following 
information:  
a) Name of the product  
b) Batch or code number  
c) Date of packing a nd expiry date.  
d) Name, contact and physical address of the packet  
e) Net weight   
f) Country of origin  
g) Storage condition  
h) Packer registered trade mark, if any  
 
8.2.3  The containers may also be marked with the TBS  Mark of Quality.  
 
NOTE  - The TBS  Mark of Quality may be used by the packers  only under licence from TBS. Particulars of conditions 
under which the licenses  are granted, may be obtained from TBS.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
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