هيئة التقييس لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية  
GCC STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION (GSO) 
 
 
مشروع مواصفة نهائي  
Final Draft of Standard FDS 
 
 
 
 
إعداد اللجنة الخليجية رقم  TC05   
 
Prepared by GSO Technical Committee No. TC05 
 
 
 
GSO 05/ FDS/1919:2020  
CXS 145 -1985  
Adopted in1985.Amended in 2015,2017 
 
 
الكستناء (أبو فروة) المعلبة وهريسة الكستناء المعلبة  
Canned Chestnuts and Canned Chestnut Puree  
 
 
 
 
 
 
ICS: 67.080.01  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 هذذ ا الوقة ذذة ع ذذروص لموااذذةة لاةاةذذةةة خليذذة فنةذذة  لة ةذذة
تذذت توعيع ذذا ءبذذماء المليوأذذا، ل ذذ ف اه لذذ ل  ف ف ذذا  ر ذذة 
للتغييذذذذذذذر والتلاذذذذذذذمرجه وخ ي ذذذذذذذوع الر ذذذذذذذوص  لي ذذذذذذذا  موااذذذذذذذةة 
لاةاةةةةخلية فنةة  لة ةة  خ لعم ا تمادها عن ال يئة. This document is a draft Gulf 
Standard/Technical Regulation circulated for 
comments. It is, therefore, subject to alteration 
and modification and may not be referred to as 
a Gulf Standard/Technical Regulation until 
approved by GSO.    
 
 
Foreword 
 
GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) is a regional Organization which 
consists of the National Standards Bodies of GCC member States. One of GSO 
main functions is to issue Gulf Standards /Technical regulations through 
specialized technical committees (TCs).  
GSO through the technical program of committee TC No ( 5) "Technical 
committee for standards of food and agriculture products " has prepared this 
Standard. The Draft Standard has been prepared by Kuwait .  
The draft Standard has been prepared based on relevant ADMO, International 
and National foreign Standards and references.  
This standard has been approved as a Gulf Technical regulation by GSO Board 
of Directors in its meeting No. (), held on // (//) .  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
 
 
 
تقديم 
هيئذة الت يذذةد لذذموس ع لذذد التعذذاوخ لذذموس الةلذذةة العرمةذذة هيئذذة  يلةمةذذة ت ذذت فذذ    ذذويت ا أ  ذذ ة الت يذذةد 
الوطنةة ف  الموس الأ  اءه وعن ع ام ال يئة   ماد الموااةا، القةاةةة واللذوال  الةنةذة الةلة ةذة بواةذ ة 
ل اخ فنةة عتةصصة. 
يرر(الم لد الةن  سة  ع لد  دارة) هيئة الت يةد لموس ع لد التعاوخ لموس الةلةة العرمةة ف  ا تما ه 
ريت ) (  ال ي   م بتاريخ  / /   ه ه الموافق ة ة  م ا  تماد تيمرث اللالية الةنةة الةلة ةة ريت 
(( GSO1919:2009 الكستناء (أبو فروة) المعلبةوهريسة الكستناء المعلبة  لاللغة (العرمةة واءف لي ية) 
 من برفاعة  مج الل نة الةنةة الةلة ةة ريت TC05 "الل نة الةنةة الةلة ةة للموااةا، الغ الةة
وال راعةة" الممر ة ف    ة دولة  الكويت. 
ويعتلار النص (اءف لي ي) هو المر ع الأةاة   ف  حاس و ود ا تلاف بين النصين.  
 
 
 GSO  FDS  1919/20 20  GSO STANDARD  
 
 
1  
1- SCOPE AND FIELD OF APPLICATION  
 This standard applies to canned products prepared from chestnut 
fruits, as defined in Section 3.1, intended for direct human 
consumpt ion.  The fruits are shelled, styled and canned alone or with 
packing media.  
2- COMPLEMENTARY REFERENCES  
2.1 GSO 9 "Labelling of Prepackaged Foods ". 
2.2 GSO 21 "Hygienic Regulations for Food Plants and Their Personnel ". 
2.3            GSO 2500    " Additives  Permitted for Use in Food Stuffs  ". 
2.4 GSO 168 "Conditions of Storage Facilities for Dry and Canned 
Foodstuffs ". 
2.5 GSO 177 "Methods of Physical and Chemical Test of Canned 
Vegetables ". 
2.6 GSO 178 "Microbiological Methods for Testing Canned Vegetables ". 
2.7 GSO 244  "Methods of Tests for Vegetables, Fruits  and Their 
Products - Part 1:  Organoleptic Examination - Determination of Net 
Weight and Drained Weight - Determination of Apparent Viscosity - 
Determination of Head Space - Determination of Extraneous  Matter 
and Defective Fruits ". 
2.8 GSO 260  "Methods of Tests for Fruits, Vegetables and Their 
Products - Part 3:  Determination of Specific Gravity - Pectin - 
Pentosans - Sorbitol – Sucrose ". 
2.9 GSO 382 "Maximum Limits for Pesticide Residues in Agricultur al 
Food Products - Part 1 ". 
2.10 GSO 383 "Maximum Limits for Pesticide Residues in Agricultural 
and Food Products - Part 2 ". 
2.11 GSO 707  "Flavourings Permitted for Use in Foodstuffs ". 
2.12 GSO 839  "Food Packages - Part 1: General Requirements ". 
2.13 GSO  841 "Maximum Limits of Omycotoxins Permitted in Foods and 
Animal Feeds – Aflatoxins ". 
2.14      GSO 988  "Limits of Radiation Levels Permitted in Foodstuffs – Part 
1". 
2.15  GSO 1016 "Permissible Microbiological Criteria for Foodstuffs -  
Part 1 ". GSO  FDS  1919/20 20  GSO STANDARD  
 
 
2 2.16        GSO 1287 “Methods of Sampling of Prepackaged Fruit and Vegetable 
Products”.  
2.17  GS1791   "Three piece steel round cans used for canning food stuffs 3 
2.18      GSO 1794 "the two piece steel round cans used for canning food -stuffs " 
2.19 GSO 1795 " methods of test  for two -piece steel round cans used in 
canning food –stuffs " 
 
3- DEFINITIONS  
3.1 Canned chestnuts is the product  
(a) prepared from fresh, sound, mature chestnuts of varieties 
conforming to the characteristics of the species Castanea crenata Sieb 
et Zucc . (Japanese chestnut) or Castanea sativa Miller (European 
chestnut) which shall be shelled and may be pellicled or unpellicled;1 
 (b) packed with or without water which may or may not contain 
sugars, seasonings and other ingredients appropriate to the prod uct; 
and 
  (c) processed by heat in an appropriate manner, before or after being 
hermetically sealed in a container, so as to prevent spoilage.   
3.2 Canned chestnut puree  
 Canned chestnut puree is the product (a) pureed by sieving, or other 
mechanical mean s in order to obtain a fruit pulp from chestnuts, as 
defined in sub -section 3/1 (a) . 
 (b) packed with or without sugars and other ingredients appropriate 
to the product  
 (c) heat processed by a procedure as defined in sub -section 3/1(c).  
 
 
4- STYLES   
4.1  Canned Chestnuts  
 Canned chestnuts may be packed in the following styles:  
 4.1.1  Whole - whole chestnuts which are pellicled or unpellicled and/or 
trimmed into a practical tetrahedron.  
4.1.2  Brokens - small pieces which may not be uniform in size and/or 
shape.  GSO  FDS  1919/20 20  GSO STANDARD  
 
 
3 4.2 Canned Chestnut Puree  
4.1.1  Sweetened - with added sugars listed in 5.1.2  not less than 12 percent 
total soluble solids (12  Brix).  
4.1.2  Unsweetened - without added sugars; not less than 10 percent total 
soluble solids (10  Brix).  
4.3 Other Sty les 
Any other presentation of the product shall be permitted provided that it:  
4.3.1  is sufficiently distinctive from other forms of presentation laid down 
in this standard.  
4.3.2  meets all other requirements of this standard.  
4.3.3  is adequately described  on the label to avoid confusing or misleading 
the consumer.  
5- Essential Composition and Quality Fact ors 
5.1  Packing Media  
Where a packing medium is used, it may consist of:  
5.1.1  Water - in which water is the sole packing medium;  
5.1.2  Water which may  have one or more of the following nutritive 
sweeteners as defined by the Gulf standards  added: sucrose, invert 
sugar syrup, dextrose, dried glucose syrup, glucose syrup, fructose, 
fructose syrup, honey.  
5.2  Classification of packing media when nutritive sweeteners are 
added  
5.2.1 When nutritive sweeteners are added to water, the liquid media shall 
be classified on the basis of the cut -out strength as follows:  
               Slightly sweetened water - Water slightly sweetened  
Extra Light syrup    - Not le ss than 10  Brix - but less than 14  Brix  
Light syrup     - Not less than 14  Brix - but less than 18  Brix  
Heavy syrup     - Not less than 18  Brix but less than 22  Brix 
Extra Heavy syrup    - Not less than 22  Brix 
5.2.2  The cut -out strength for any pac king medium shall be determined on 
average, but no container may have a Brix value lower than that of the 
next category below.  
6-  Other Ingredients   GSO  FDS  1919/20 20  GSO STANDARD  
 
 
4  Canned chestnut puree may contain “sugars”, as listed in sub -section 
5.1.2, they shall amount to not more  than 2 percent of total net 
contents. Canned Chestnuts and Chestnut Puree may contain “salt” 
(sodium chloride) in an amount not exceeding 1 percent of total net 
contents.  
7-  REQUIREMENTS  
7.1  Colour  
 When colour is not added, canned chestnuts or canned c hestnut puree 
shall have a normal colour characteristic of the varieties used. 
Browning and discolouration shall be regarded as defects.  
7.2  Flavour  
 Canned chestnuts or canned chestnut puree shall have a normal 
flavour and odour free from flavours and od ours foreign to the 
products.  
7.3  Texture   
7.3.1   Canned chestnuts shall have a reasonably uniform thick texture and 
shall not be excessively firm nor unreasonably soft.  
7.3.2   Canned chestnut puree shall have a uniform consistency and particle 
size. 
7.4  Uniformity of size  
 Whole - in 95 percent, by count, of units that are most uniform in size, 
the weight of the largest unit shall be no more than twice the weight 
of the smallest unit.  
7.5  Defects  and Allowances  
 The product shall be substantially free from defects such as harmless 
plant material, shell, pellicle (in pellicled styles), blemished units, 
split and broken units (in whole styles) and discoloured units. Slight 
syneresis in canned chestnut puree should not be regarded as a defect. 
Certain comm on defects shall not be present in amounts greater than 
the following limitations:  
7.5.1     Not more than 14 percent by mass of chestnuts on the net drained 
weight;  
7.5.2        and Not more than 20 percent of chestnuts which are not whole on the 
net dra ined weight for the style “whole”.  
7.6  Classification of “Defectives”  GSO  FDS  1919/20 20  GSO STANDARD  
 
 
5  A container that fails to meet one or more of the applicable quality 
requirements as set out in sub -section 2.4.1 through 2.4.5 (except 
extraneous plant material which is based on an a verage of the entire 
sample) shall be considered a “defective”.  
7.7  Lot Acceptance  
 A lot will be considered as meeting the applicable quality 
requirements referred to in sub -section 2.4.5. when the number of 
“defectives” as defined in sub -section 2.4.6 d oes not exceed the 
acceptance number (c) of an appropriate sampling plan with an AQL 
of 6.5.  
8-  FOOD ADDITIVES  
8.1  Chelating Agent   Maximum Level in the final product  
8.1.1  Sodium polyphosphate  Limited by Good Manufacturing Practice  
8.2  Antioxidants  
8.2.1   L-Ascorbic acid   300 mg/kg expressed as ascorbic acid  
8.2.2  Sodium ascorbate   singly or in combination  
8.3   Acidifying Agents    Limited by Good Manufacturing Practice 
Acid 10 g/kg  
8.3.1 Citric acid          Limited by Good Manufacturing Practice  
8.3.2  Malic acid          Limited by Good Manufacturing Practice  
8.3.3 L-Tartaric Acid     10 g/kg  
8.4  Bleaching Agent  
8.4.1 Sulphur dioxide (not authorized in puree)  30 mg/kg, calculated 
as S0 2 
8.5 Natural Colouring Agents  Limited by Good Manufacturing 
Practice  
8.5.1 Turmeric (CI 75300)  
8.5.2 Crocin (CI 75100)  
8.5.3 Carthamus Yellow (CI 75140)  
8.6  Flavourings  Limited by Good Manufacturing Practice  
8.6.1 Extract of Vanilla  GSO  FDS  1919/20 20  GSO STANDARD  
 
 
6 8.6.2 Vanillin  
8.7  Thickening Agents  Limited by GMP  
8.7.1  Pectins  
8.8  Firming Agen ts 
8.8.1 Firming agents used in accordance according  to the General Standard 
for Food Additives in Food Category , mentioned in section 2.3,  
(Canned or bottled (pasteurized) or retort pouch vegetables (including 
mushrooms and fungi, roots and tubers, pulses  and legumes, and aloe 
vera), and seaweeds  
8.9  CONTAMINANTS  
Lead (Pb)    1 mg/kg  
Tin (Sn)   250 mg/kg  
8.10  HYGIENE  
8.10.1 It is recommended that the product covered by the provisions of this 
standard be prepared and handled in accordance with the appropri ate 
sections of the General Principles of Food Hygiene,  Memtioned  in 
2.2,  and other standards  of Practice recommended which are relevant 
to this product.  
8.10.2 To the extent possible in Good Manufacturing Practice, the product 
shall be free from objectio nable matter.  
8.10.3 When tested by appropriate methods of sampling and examination, 
the product:  
8.10.3.1    shall be free from microorganisms in amounts which may represent a 
hazard to health  
8.10.3.2    shall be free from parasites which may represent a hazard to health;  
8.10.3.3   shall not contain any substance originating from microorganisms in 
amounts which may represent a hazard to health.  
9- PACKAGING  
 In addition to the requirements of the General Standard for the 
packaging mentioned in section 2.4, the following specific provisions 
apply:  
9.1              Fill of Container  GSO  FDS  1919/20 20  GSO STANDARD  
 
 
7 9.1.1 Minimum Fill  
 The container shall be well filled with chestnuts or chestnut puree and 
the product (including packing medium) shall occupy not less than 90 
percent of the  water capacity of the container. The water capacity of 
the container, is the volume of distilled water at 20 C which the 
sealed container will hold when completely filled.  
9.1.2  Classification of “Defectives”  
 A container that fails to meet the requireme nt for minimum fill (90 
percent container capacity) of sub -section 9.1.1 shall be considered a 
“defective”.  
9. 1.3 Lot Acceptance  
 A lot will be considered as meeting the requirement of sub -section 
9.1.1 when the number of “defectives”, as defined in sub -section 
9.1.2. 
9.1.4 Minimum Drained Weight  
9.1.4.1 The drained weight of the product packed with liquid packing medium 
shall be not less than the following percentages, calculated on the 
basis of the weight of distilled water at 20 C which the sealed 
conta iner will hold when completely filled:  
  Not less than 300 ml of water capacity of the container 60%  
 Less than 300 ml of water capacity of the container 55%  
9.1.4.2 The requirements for minimum drained weight shall be deemed to be 
complied with when the average drained weight of all containers 
examined is not less than the minimum required, provided that there 
is no unreasonable shortage in individual containers.  
 
10-  LABELLING  
  In addition to the requirements of the General Standard for the 
Labelling o f Prepackaged Foods  in section 2.1 , the following specific 
provisions apply:  
10.1 Name of the Food  
10.1.1 The name of the product shall be “chestnuts” if it meets the definition 
in section 3.1 or “chestnut puree” if it meets the definition in section 
3.2. GSO  FDS  1919/20 20  GSO STANDARD  
 
 
8 10.1.2 The style, as appropriate, shall be declared as a part of the name or in 
close proximity to the name: “Whole”, “Brokens”, “Sweetened” 
“Unsweetened”} in the case of chestnut puree only.  
  If the product is produced in accordance with the other styles  
provision in sub -section 1.2.3, the label shall contain in close 
proximity to the name of the product such additional words or phrases 
that will avoid misleading or confusing the consumer.  
10.1.3 The term “unpellicled” shall be declared as appropriate as part of the 
name or in close proximity to the name.  
10.1.4 The packing medium shall be declared as part of the name or in close 
proximity to the name:  
10.1.4.1 When the packing medium is composed of water, the packing medium 
shall be declared as: “In water ” or “Packed in water”.  
10.1.4.2 When nutritive sweeteners are added to water, the packing medium 
shall be declared as:  
                 “Slightly sweetened water”  
                 “Water slightly sweetened”  
                  “Extra light syrup”  
                   “Light syrup”  
                 “Heavy syrup”  
                 “Extra heavy syrup”  
10/1/4/3  When the packing medium contains no added sweetening agents, the 
term “no added sugar” or other words of similar import may be used 
in association with, or in close proximity to the name of the food.  
 
 
11- SAMPLING  
 Samples shall be taken as prescribed in the Gulf standard mentioned 
in 2.1 9. 
12- METHODS OF TEST  
 For checking compliance with this Standard, the methods of analysis 
and sampling contained in the standard  Methods of Analysis and 
Sampling , according to 2.6,2.7 &2.8  
 13- TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE  GSO  FDS  1919/20 20  GSO STANDARD  
 
 
9  Subject to the provisions of t he Gulf standard mentioned in 2. 4 
canned chestnuts shall be transported and stored in such a suitable 
way as to safeguard the hygienic and nutritional qualities of the 
product. Cans are kept in ventilated stores at normal roo m 
temperature and moderate humidity.