DRAFT ZANZIBAR  NATIONAL  STANDARD  
 
 
Canned peas — specification  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ZANZIBAR BUREAU OF STANDARDS  
 
 
©ZBS 202 3 - All rights reserved           First Edition  
 
 
 
 
 
WGD 6: 2021  
PCD 512:2023  
ICS 67.080.20  PCD 512:2023  
 
ii                                                                                                             ©ZBS 2023 - All rights reserved  
 Foreword  
 
The Zanzibar Bureau of Standards (ZBS) was established under Standard Act No. 1 of 2011.  
 
In the preparation of this Standard, the reference was derived from:  
 
CXS 297 -2009 Standard for certain canned vegetables Amended in 2022  published by  Codex 
Alimentarius  
 
IS 3245 : 2021  Canned Peas — Specification , published by Bureau of Indian Standards  
 
Acknowledgement is hereby made for the assistance derived from these sources.  
 
In reporting the results of a test or analysis made in accordance with Zanzibar National Standard, if the 
final value, observed or calculated is to be rounded off, it shall be done in accordance with ZNS 94.  
 
Technical Committee Representatives  
 
This Zanzibar National Standard was prepared by Food Technical Standard Committee which consists 
of representatives from the following organizations:  
 
Chief Government Chemist Laboratory Agency (CGCLA)  
Ministry of Health Zanzibar  
Said Salim Bakhresa & Company LTD  
The State University of Zanz ibar (SUZA)  
Umoja wa Wazalishaji Wadogo Wadogo Zanzibar (UWAZI)  
Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation, Natural Resources and Livestock (MANRL)  
Zanzibar Food and Drug Agency (ZFDA)  
Zanzibar Livestock Research Institutes (ZALIRI)  
Zanzibar National Chamber of C ommerce (ZNCC)  
Zanzibar Bureau of Standards (ZBS) - Secretariat  
 
 
 
 
 
Zanzibar Bureau of Standards (ZBS)  
PO Box 1136  
Zanzibar  
Tel:  +255 24 2232225  
Fax: +255 24 2232225  
E-mail: info@zbs.go.tz  
Web: www.zbs.go.tz  
 PCD 512:2023  
 
©ZBS 2023 - All rights reserved  
 1 
 Canned peas — specification  
 
1 Scope 
 
This draft Zanzibar standard specifies requirements, method of sampling and test for canned peas 
(Pisum sativum  L.) intended for direct human consumption.  
2 Normative references 
 
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this  draft Zanzibar National 
Standard. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition 
of the referenced document (including any a mendments) applies.  
AOAC 912.02, Tin in food. Volumetric method  
  
AOAC 915.02, Tin in food. Gravimetric method   
 
AOAC 999.11, Determination of Lead, Cadmium, Copper, Iron, and Zinc in Foods, Atomic Absorption  
Spectrophotometry after Dry Ashing  
 
Codex Stan 192, General Standard For Food Additives  
 
Codex Stan 193, Codex general standard for contaminants and toxins in food and feed 
 
EAS 39, Hygiene in the food and drink manufacturing industry — Code of practice  
 
EAS 900, Cereals and pulses — Sampling  
 
EAS 901, Cereals and pulses — Test methods  
 
ISO 2173 ; Fruit and vegetable products — Determination of soluble solids — Refractometric method  
 
ISO 6579 -1;Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the detection, enumeration and 
serotyping of Salmonella — Part 1: Detection of Salmonella spp.  
 
ISO 7937; Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal m ethod for the enumeration of 
Clostridium perfringens — Colony -count technique  
 
ISO 16649 -2; Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration 
of beta -glucuronidase -positive Escherichia coli — Part 2: Colony -count technique at 44 degrees C using 
5-bromo -4-chloro -3-indolyl beta -D-glucuronide  
 
ISO 21527 -1; Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration 
of yeasts and moulds — Part 1: Colony count technique in product s with water activity greater than 0,95  
 
ZNS 61 , Packaging and labeling of food  
 
ZNS 94, Rounding off numerical values  
 
3 Terms  and definitio ns 
 
For the purposes of this standard, the following terms and definitions shall apply. 
 
3.1  
head space   
distance between the top of the double seam and the level of the surface of the contents.  
 
3.2  
extraneous matter  
free from organic and  inorganic matter other than peas  
  
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 3.3  
filth 
impurities of animal origin including dead insect  
 
3.4  
unbroken pea seed   
pea seed of which the two cotyledons are held together by the skin, even though the cotyledons may be 
cracked or the skin split.  
3.5  
blemished pea seeds   
units blemished with some injury, such as worm -hole, insect damage, discolouration, pathological and 
hail injury, spotted or otherwise discoloured peas (creamy white or vivid green) or any other abnormality 
readily visible to the naked eye to a noticeable degree.  
3.6  
food grade  packaging  material 
material which shall safeguard the hygienic, safety, nutritional, technological, and organoleptic qualities 
of the product  
 
4 Requir ements 
 
4.1 Raw material  
 
a) green peas  and   
 
b) liquid packing media which may contain ingredients  
i. Water and salt  
ii. sugars and/or other foodstuffs with sweetening properties such as honey;  
iii. aromatics plants, spices or extracts thereof, seasoning;  
iv. vinegar;  
v. regular or concentrated fruit juice;  
vi. edible oil;  
 
4.2 General  requirements 
 
Canned peas shall: 
 
a) have normal colour, flavor, odour of peas and corresponding to the packing medium used and 
shall possess texture characteristic of the product ; 
b) be free of off flavors and objectional odours;  
c) be free from filth, fungi and extraneous matter;  
d) have uniform ten der texture;  
 
4.3 Specific requirements  
 
Canned peas  shall conform to the specific  requirements in Table 1 when  tested in accordance  
with the methods specified therein. 
 
 
Table 1 — Specific requiremen ts for Canned peas  
 
SN Characteristic Requirement Test method 
i.  Total soluble solid, Brix, min  2 ISO 2173  
ii.  Salt content (as sodium chloride), % m/m , max 1.2 Annex  A 
iii.  Head space of the can in mm, Max 16 Annex B  
iv.  Vacuum of the can in mm, Min 125 Annex C  
v.  Drained weight, % of net weight min  65 Annex D  
 
 PCD 512:2023  
 
©ZBS 2023 - All rights reserved  
 3 
 4.4 Defects and tolerances  
Canned peas  shall not exceed limits sets for common defects as defined in Table 2. 
 
Table 2 :Classification of defects  
 
Sn  Defects  Maximum limits (based  
on weight of drained 
canned peas)  
 Test method  
i.  Blemished peas, % m/m  max  5 
EAS 901  ii.  Seriously blemished peas, % m/m  max  1 
iii.  Pea fragments, % m/m  max  10 
iv.  Yellow peas, % m/m  max  2 
v.  Extraneous plant material, % m/m  max  0.5 
vi.  Total defects * 12 
 *The parameter, total defective grains is not the sum total of the individual defects. It is limited 
to 70 % of the sum total of individual defects.  
 
5 Food Additives  
 
The canned peas shall be free from preservatives and artificial flavouring agents. Permitted colours 
may be used  in accordance with Codex Stan 192.  
 
6 Contaminants  
 
6.1 Pesticide residues  
 
Canned peas  shall conform to those maximum residue limits established by the Codex Committee on 
Pesticide Re sidues for this commodity. 
 
6.2 Metal contaminants  
 
 
Canned peas shall comply with those maximum metal limits given in Table 3 when tested in accordance 
with test methods specified therein.  
Table 3: Maximum limits for metal contaminants in canned peas  
 
S/N  
Parameter Maximum limit 
(mg/kg)  
Test method 
i.  Lead (Pb)  0.1 AOAC 999.1 1 
ii.  Tin  (Sn)  150 AOAC 912 /915.02  
 
7 Hygiene 
 
Canned peas shall be produced and handled under hygienic conditions in accordance with EAS 39  and  
shall comply with microbiological limits given in Table 4 when tested in accordance with the methods 
specified therein.  
 
Table 4:Microbiol ogical limits for Canned peas  
 
S/N Micro -organism  Limits Test methods 
i.  Escherichia coli cfu/g absent ISO 16649 -2 
ii.  Salmonella sp.,cfu per 25g absent ISO 6579-1 
iii.  Yeasts and moulds, cfu/ml, max.  102 ISO 21527 -1 
iv.  Clostridium botulinum, cfu/g  absent  ISO 7937   
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 8 Weights and measures  
 
Canned peas  shall be packed in accordance with the weights and measures regulations of Zanzibar.  
 
9 Packaging and Labelling  
 
9.1 Packaging  
 
Canned peas  shall be packaged in food grade material  
 
9.2 Labelling   
 
9.2.1  In addition to the labelling requirements specified in ZNS 61, the containers shall be also  
legibly and indelibly labelled with the following: - 
 
a) name of the product as ‘ Canned peas ; 
b) brand name/trade name if any;  
c) name and address of producer/packer/distributor;  
d) storage  and transportation  condition;  
e) date of manufacturing;  
f) best before date;  
g) declaration of drained weight;  
h) list of ingredient  
i) lot identification or batch or code number;  
j) country of origin; and 
k) instruction for disposal of used packaged material.  
9.2.2  The language on the label shall be ‘Kiswahili’ and/o r English. Additional language may be 
used depending on the designated market.  
 
10 Sampling  
 
Sampling of canned peas  shall be done according  with EAS 900 . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 PCD 512:2023  
 
©ZBS 2023 - All rights reserved  
 5 
 Annex A  
(normative)  
Determination of salt content as sodium chloride  
A.1 General  
The chloride content corresponds to the sum of all anions  (halides) calculated as sodium chloride 
precipitable with silver ions in a nitric acid solution.  
 
A.2 Principle  
 
Quantitative precipitation of the halides extracted from the ash in a nitric acid solution with AgNO3 in 
excess. Back titration of the surplus AgNO3 with ammonium thiocyanate, using ferric alum (ferric 
ammonium sulphate) as the indicator.  
 
A.3 Reagents  
 
A.3.1  Distilled or demineralized water.  
A.3.2  AgNO3 solution, 0.1 N (16.9888 g AgNO3).  
A.3.3  NH4SCN solution, 0.1 N (7.6113 g NH4SCN). In practice a slightly higher weight is taken and 
the solution is adjusted by dilution against a 0.1 N AgNO3 solution.  
A.3.4  Cold saturated NH4Fe (SO4) 2.12H2O solution (approxi mately 40 %). The ensuing brown 
colouring is eliminated by adding pure nitric acid drop wise.  
A.3.5  HNO3 (approximately 30 %)  
A.3.6  Diethyl ether of nitrobenzene  
 
A.4 Apparatus  
 
A.4.1  Measuring flask, 100 ml  
A.4.2  Burette, 50 ml  
A.4.3  Erlenmeyer flask, 200 ml  
A.4.4  Pipettes  
A.4.5  Funnel, filteri ng paper  
 
A.5 Procedure  
 
The ash (residue after carbonization and incineration of the beans at a maximum temperature of 550 °C 
in a muffle furnace) obtained from 1 g – 2 g dry matter is extracted by means of 80 ml – 90 ml hot distilled 
water acidified with a few drops of nitric ac id. The washings are filtered off into a 100 ml measuring flask; 
after cooling distilled water is added until the mark is reached (stock solution). In proportion to the 
expected chloride content aliquot part of this solution, which should preferably contai n 50 mg – 100 mg 
NaCl, taken off, distilled water being added to obtain a quantity of approximately 100 ml. Subsequently 
5 ml ferric alum solution (see A.3.4), 20 ml 0.1 N AgNO3 solution (see A.3.2) and 5 ml – 10 ml ether or 
1 ml nitrobenzene are added; ti tration is carried out by means of an ammonium thiocyanate solution 0.1 
N (see A.3.3), until the red coloring remains after stirring.  
 
A.6  Expression of results  
 
A.6.1  Sodium chloride content shall be calculated using the formula below:  
 
𝑥=5.56(𝑉2−𝑉3)×𝑉×100
𝑉1 ×𝑃 
 
where,  
 
P is the test portion, in milligrams, incinerated;  
V is the millilitres of the stock solution derived from the ash;  
V1 is the volume, in millilitres, of stock solution used from titration;  
V2 is the volume, in millilitres, of AgNO3 added; and  
V3 is the volume, in millilitres, of NH4SCN necessary for back titration.  
 
A.6.2  Report the results in percentage by weight to one d ecimal place.  
  
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 Annex B 
(normative)  
Determination of head space  
 
B.1 Apparatus   
 
B.1.1  A.1.1 Rotary cutter  
B.1.2  A.1.2 Measuring stick - a clean straight flat piece of wood ofsuitable type not more thar, 3 .2 
mm in thickness and 6 .4 mm in width.  
 
B.2 Procedure  
 
Cut out the lid on the edge of the end -plate partially by the rotary cutter, and lift the cut portion carefully 
so that the shape of the end -plate is not altered. Introduce the measuring stick in the can and make 
certain that it goes straight in and rests flat against the bottom of the can and against the body plate. 
Rest for a short time and lift the stick straight. Find out the length of the stick which is wet, the space 
occupied by the contents of the can. Empty out the contents of the can carefully and fill it completely 
with water. Again introduce a similar measuring stick and find out the length of the stick which is wet. 
The difference between the readings gives the gross head space. Net head space is equal to gross 
head space less 5 mm, Take four rec ordings. The average of the four net head space recordings taken 
at different points shall be the head space of the can  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 PCD 512:2023  
 
©ZBS 2023 - All rights reserved  
 7 
 Annex C 
(normative)  
Determination Of Vacuum Of The Cans  
The vacuum in the cans shall be determined with an electric recording type machine without opening 
the can. If such a machine is not available, a vacuum gauge of the piercing type shall be used. Report 
vacuum in millimetres of mercury. Necessary corrections for altitude may be made  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
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 Annex D  
(normative)  
Determination Of Drained Weight  
 
D.1 Principle  
 
The sample is drained on a standard mesh sieve. The weight of the material remaining on the sieve is 
expressed as percentage of the can contents.  
D.2 Apparatus  
 
Sieve with square openings, 2.5 mm × 2.5 mm  
(No. 6 B.S.). Use a sieve of 20 cm if the total weigh t of contents is under 1.5 kg and of 30 cm if the 
weight is more than 1.5 kg.  
D.3 Procedure  
 
Weigh the full can. Open and pour the entire contents on a circular sieve. Without shifting the product, 
incline the sieve to facilitate drainage. In the case of prod ucts with a cavity, such as peach halves, invert 
if necessary, so that the liquid can drain through the cavity but otherwise the product should not be 
disturbed. Drain for two minutes.  
Weigh the drained solids and the empty can.  
% 𝐷𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑  𝑊𝑒𝑖𝑔 ℎ𝑡=𝐷𝑟𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑒𝑑  𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔 ℎ𝑡
𝑁𝑒𝑡  𝑤𝑒𝑖𝑔 ℎ𝑡 𝑜𝑓 𝑐𝑜𝑛𝑡𝑒𝑛𝑡𝑠×100 
                 
Net wt. of contents = Gross weight – tare weight of the can  
 
For products in sauce, use a sieve with square openings of 0.3 mm × 0.3 mm. 
Wash the contents on the sieve with water until free of adhering substances. Spread on sieve and drain 
for 5 min, dry the underside of the sieve and weigh.  
 
Table for Sieve Size  
Method  Capacity of 
container  Sieve 
Diameter, 
mm Mesh opening, mm  Draining 
time, min  
Canned fruits and 
vegetables  a. Less than 850 ml  20 2.5 × 2.5  2 
b. Above 850 ml  30 2.5 × 2.5  2 
Canned tomatoes  a. Less than 850 ml  20 11.2 × 11.2  2 
b. Above 850 ml  30 11.2 × 11.2  2 
Other Products in 
Sauce   20 0.3 × 0.3  5