AFDC 22 ( 286) DTZS                                                                                                   
 
 
 
DRAFT  TANZANIA STANDARD  
 
Edible offal  – Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDARDS  
                                                            AFDC 22 ( 286) DTZS                                                                                                   
 
Edible offal  – Specification  
  
0 FOREWORDS  
 
Edible offal’s are parts of the car cass that has been passed as fit for human 
consumption. In the case of food animals other than poultry, these include red offal, 
green offal and white offal  and exterior parts such as hooves, hides, head  and feet . In 
the case of poultry, these include gibl ets (the heart, gizzard and the liver without the gall 
bladder ).  
 
This draft Tanzania standard has been prepared to ensure that edible offal  produced or 
imported in the country meet the safety and quality  requirements .  
 
In the preparation of this Tanzani a standard assistance was drawn from US 2027 Edible 
offal— Specification published by the Uganda National Bureau of Standards (UNBS).  
 
In reporting, the results of a test or analysis made in accordance with this standard, if 
the final value observed or cal culated, is to be rounded off, it shall be done in 
accordance with TZS 4 (see clause 2).  
 
1 Scope  
This draft Tanzania standard  specifies requirements, methods of sampling and test for 
edible offal for human consumption from the cattle, buffalo, sheep, goa ts, deer, horses, 
pigs, ratites, camelids and poultry . 
 
2 NORMATIVE REFERENCES  
For the purpose of this finalized Tanzania standard, the following references 
shall apply. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated 
references, the late st edition of the referenced document (including any 
amendments) applies:  
 
TZS 789/EAS 12,  Potable water — Specification  
TZS 4, Rounding off numerical values.  
TZS 109, F ood processing units - Code of hygiene.  
TZS 118/ISO 4833, Microbiology of food and anim al feeding stuffs – Horizontal method 
for the enumeration of microorganisms – Colony -count technique at 30 oC. 
TZS 122 /ISO 6579 -1, Microbiology of food and feeding staffs – Horizontal method for 
detection of Salmonella spp . 
TZS 123 /ISO 7937, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method 
for the enumeration of Clostridium perfringens  – Colony -count technique.  
TZS 458:2016 Code of hygiene for meat processing plant  
TZS 538, Labelling of pre -packaged foods — General requirements  
TZS 731/I SO 7251, Microbiology of food and feeding -stuffs – Horizontal method for the 
detection and enumeration of presumptive Escherichia  Coli – Most Probable Number 
Technique  AFDC 22 ( 286) DTZS                                                                                                   
 
TZS 852 -1/ISO 11290 -1, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal 
meth od for the detection and enumeration of Listeria monocytogenes – Part 1 – 
Detection method  
ISO 17604 , Microbiology of the food chain – Carcass sampling for microbiology analysis  
ISO 10272 -1, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal met hod for 
detection and enumeration of Campylobacter spp . – Part 1: Detection method  
TZS 110:2016 Abattoir design, ante mortem and post mortem inspection of slaughtered 
animals, fresh meat and processed meat products – code of hygiene  
OI CAC/GL 50,  General guidelines on sampling  
CAC/MRL 2,  Maximum residue limits for veterinary drugs in food  
CAC/RCP 58 , Code of hygienic practice for meat  
Codex Stan 192,  General standard for food additives  
Terrestrial Animal Health Code  
TZS 110:2016 Abattoir design, ante morte m and post mortem inspection of slaughtered 
animals, fresh meat and processed  meat products – code of hygiene  
TZS 2843 /EAS 955, Production of Packaged Meat Products — Hygienic Requirements  
 
 
3 Terms and definitions  
For the purpose of this draft standard , the following terms and definitions shall apply:  
 
3.1 meat  
all parts of an animal that are intended for, or have been judged as safe and suitable for 
human consumption  
 
3.2 edible offal  
parts of the carcass that has been passed as fit for human consump tion. In the case of 
food animals other than poultry, these include red offal, green offal and white offal  and 
exteri or parts such as hooves, hides, head  and feet . In the case of poultry, these include 
giblets (the heart, gizzard and the liver without the gall bladder)   
 
3.3 red edible offal  
include heart, liver, kidney, spleen, tongue, lungs, pancreases  
 
3.4 green edible offal  
include the rumen, reticulum, omasum, abomasum, small intestines, large intestines, 
colon and gizzards  
 
3.5 white edible offal  
include the brain, spine, bone marrow, testicles and mammary gland  
 
3.6 tripe  
refers to the muscle walls (with the interior mucosal lining removed) of the first three 
chambers of a ruminant stomach the rumen, reticulum and omasum.  
  
3.7 condemned  AFDC 22 ( 286) DTZS                                                                                                   
 
parts  or organs so marked unfit for human consumption meant to be destroyed or 
rendered unfit for food purposes  
3.8 food grade material  
materials that are free from substances that are hazardous to human health and may be 
permitted to come in contact with food   
4 Requirements  
4.1 General requirements  
All animals shall be slaughtered in a hygienically managed slaughter -house in 
accordance with TZS 458 . The slaughter shall be supervised by a competent authority. 
The offal thereof shall be subjected to meat  inspe ction as prescribed in TZS 110 . They 
shall be certified as being sound and free from contagious and infectious diseases and 
fit for human consumption.  
 
The edible offal shall be;  
 
a) obtained from carcasses that have been slaughtered in a licensed premis e.  
b) obtained from food producing animals which have been slaughtered according to TZS 
110. 
c) prepared under hygienic conditions as stipulated in TZS 458 .  
d) free from signs of spoilage  
e) from animals whose meat inspection has been conducted under co nditions 
simulating natural light.  
 
g) free from infectious parasites  
h) from a specified animal specie  
i) Intact, taking into account the presentation  
j) free from blood clots bone dust or bone fragments  
k) free from any visible foreign matter (e.g. d irt, wood, plastic, metal particles) and 
offensive odours  
n) free of contusions having a material impact on the product  
o) free from freezer -burn 
  
4.2 Requirements for routine inspection of edible offal of cattle , pig, goats , sheep , 
buffalo, deer, horses , pigs, ratites, camelids and poultry . AFDC 22 ( 286) DTZS                                                                                                   
 
 
  
The Edible offal shall comply with the inspection requirements as given in Table 1  
 
SN Organ  Requirements  
i Stomach, 
intestines 
and spleen  The outer, and when necessary the inner, surfaces of the stomach , and in testines  shall be 
inspected . The surface and substance of the spleen shall be inspected, together with the 
lymph nodes of the stomach and bowel, gastro -splenic and mesenteric) and web 
(omentum). The spleen shall be put where necessary, for the inspection o f the substance 
(pulp). They shall be free from haemorrhage, cysts and swellings, free from worms  
ii liver The surfaces and substance of the liver shall be inspected. The associated lymph nodes 
(hepatic) shall also be inspected and the bile ducts incised  where necessary. They shall be 
free from haemorrhage, cysts ,swellings  andfree from worms.  
iii kidneys  The lymph -nodes of the kidneys (renal) and the adrenal glands shall be inspected before 
the removal of the kidneys. Thereafter the kidneys shall be exp osed, and the surface 
inspected and, If necessary, the kidneys shall be split by incision and the substance 
inspected. They shall be free from swellings, free from kidney stones, free from 
haemorrhage, free from cysts and any discolourations.  
iv lungs  The lungs shall be inspected and if obviously diseased, they shall be incised at the base. 
The associated lymph -nodes (bronchial and mediastinal) shall also be inspected and if 
found obviously diseased, shall be incised .They shall be free from haemorrhage, 
cysts,swellings, and worms.  
v heart  The heart sac (pericardium) shall be opened, and the heart inspected and if necessary, 
incised. It shall be free of abnormal swelling, haemorrhage, free of worms and cysts.  
vi Poultry offal 
(liver, heart 
and gizzard)  Heart shall be free of abnormal swelling, haemorrhage, free of worms and cysts. Liver shall 
be free from gal, discolouration, contaminants and ulcerations and worms. Gizzard shall be 
clean, shall be free of abnormal swelling, haemorrhage, free of worms and  cysts  
vii Testicles 
and Penis  The outer surface and the substance of the testicles and penis and the superficial inguinal 
lymph -nodes shall be inspected routinely if meant for the consumption. They shall be free 
of abnormal swelling, haemorrhage, free of worms and cysts  
 
Note 2: All the other unmentioned internal and external offal shall be inspected to be of good quality and safety as 
guided by table 1 above.  
5. Storage  
1. Edible offal are highly perishable and shall be chilled at 1-4 ⁰C before leaving the 
premises.  
2. Edible offal may be presented fresh (warm, chilled, frozen ) . Storage temperatures 
throughout the supply chain shall be such as to ensure uniform internal product 
temperatures as follows;  
a) Chilled - Internal product t emperature should be maintained at –1.5° C  to +4⁰C at any 
time following the post -slaughter chilling process.  AFDC 22 ( 286) DTZS                                                                                                   
 
b) Frozen - Internal product temperature maintained at –18° C at any time after freezing . 
6 Hygiene  
6.1 In addition to CAC/RCP 58, Edible offal sh all be produced, processed, handled 
and stored in accordance with TZS 109 and TZS 2843 . 
6.2 Edible offal shall comply with the microbiological limits given in Table 2, when 
tested in accordance with the methods given therein.  AFDC 22 ( 286) DTZS                                                                                                   
 
Table 2 — Microbiological lim its for Edible offal  
S/No.  Microorganism  Edible offal  Test method  
  Heart, liver 
kidney, 
spleen, 
lungs, 
trachea, 
testicles, 
tongue  
 Stomach, 
esophagus, 
gizzard  
 Small 
intestines  
 Large 
intestines   
i Total plate count, 
cfu/g  ,max  105 105 105 108 ISO 4 833-1 
ii Staphylococcus 
aureus , cfu/g ,max  102 103 103 104 ISO 6888 -1 
iii Escherichia Coli , 
cfu/g ,max  102 103 103 104 ISO 7251  
iv Escherichia Coli  
0157:H7 per 25 g  Absent  Absent  Absent  Absent  ISO 16654  
v Salmonella spp, per 
25 g Absent  Absent  Absent  Absent ISO 6579  
vi Clostridium 
perfringes  Absent  Absent  Absent  Absent  ISO 7937  
vii Listeria 
monocytogens , per 
25 g,  Absent  Absent  Absent  Absent  ISO 11290 -1 
viii Campylobacter  per 
25 g Absent  Absent  Absent  Absent  TZS 2280  
Note 3: All the other unmentioned internal and external offal shall comply with the microbiological limits in table 2 
above 
7 Food additives  
Food additives, if used in edible offal shall comply with  Codex Stan 192 . 
8 Contaminants  
8.1 Heavy metals  
Edible offal shall not contain heavy met al in excess of the limits  as specified in Table 2, when tested in 
accordance with the methods given therein.  
Table 2 — Maximum limits of heavy metals  
S/No.  Heavy metals  Maximum limits  
ppm  Test method  
i Arsenic (As)  0.1 TZS 76  
ii Lead (Pb)  0.1 TZS 268  
iii Cadmium (Cd)  0.03 AOAC 973:34  
iv Mercury (Hg)  0.01 AOAC 971:21  AFDC 22 ( 286) DTZS                                                                                                   
 
 
8.2 Pesticide s and Veterinary drug residues  
Edible offal shall comply with the maximum residue limits (MRLs) for pesticides and 
veterinary drug residues as specified in  relevant  Codex A limentarius Commission . 
 
9 Sampling and method of tests  
9.1 Sampling  
Sampling of edible offal shall be done in accordance with ISO 17604.  
6.2 Methods of tests  
Samples of edible offal shall be tested to ascertain conformity of the product to the 
requirement s of each specification by the methods described in the respective 
standards provided under Table 1, 2 and 3 of this standard . 
 
7 Packaging, marking and labeling  
7.1 Packing    
Packaging of edible offal shall be done in food grade packaging materials that p rotect 
the product from physical, microbiological, chemical or any other type of contamination 
during storage and distribution.  
7.2 Marking and l abelling  
The container shall be marked and labelled in accordance with  TZS 538 . In addition, 
each container o f edible offal shall be legibly and in legibly  marked with the following 
information.  
 
a) name of the product (Edible offal) ;  
b) name of the animal from which the edible offal is derived ;  
c) name, location and address of manufacturer/processor;  
d) net weight, in g or kg;  
e) date of production/packaging;  
f) expiry date;  
g) batch number;  
h) storage conditions;  
i) country of origin  
k) declaration of preservatives used;  
 
 
8.3 The container may also be marked with TBS Certification Mark.  AFDC 22 ( 286) DTZS                                                                                                   
 
NOTE  – The TBS Standards Mark of Quality may be used by the 
manufacturers only under licence from TBS. Particulars of conditions under 
which the licenses are granted may be obtained from TBS.