AFDC 7(89 6) CD3                                                                                        
 
© TBS 2016                                                                                                          First Edition 2021   
 
 
DRAFT TANZANIA STANDARD  
 
 
 
Spice paste –– Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                  TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDARDS 
  
1 
  
 
0. Foreword   
Spice paste is a product produced by blending wet and dry spices, oil, water, coconut milk, sugar, salt 
and permitted food additives added to obtain a uniform paste. This Tanzania standard was prepared to 
ensure the safety and quality of spice  paste produced and/or marketed in Tanzania.  
In developing this standard assistance was drawn from stakeholders who p rovided necessary information 
and samples.  
In reporting the result 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 Tanzania  Standard specifies requirements, sampling and method of test for spice paste intended for 
human consumption.  
2 Normative references   
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this standard . For dated 
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced 
document (in cluding any amendments) applies: -  
TZS 4 , Rounding off numerical values  
TZS 33 , Spices and condiments - Sampling  
TZS 109 , Food processing units – Code of hygiene  
TZS 122 -1 /ISO 6579 -1, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the detection, 
enumeration and serotyping of Salmonella - Part 1: Detection of Salmonella spp.  
TZS 125 , Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizont al method for enumeration of 
coagu lase – Positive staphylococci (S taphylococcus aureus and other species)  
TZS 268 , General atomic absorption spectrophotometric method for determination of lead in food stuffs  
TZS 538 (EAS 38:2014 ), Labelling of pre -packaged  foods — General requirements  
TZS 730 (Part 2) (1st Ed) ISO 16649 (Part 2),  Microbiology  of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal 
method fo r the enumeration of -beta-glucuronidase -positive Escherichia coli – Part 2 – Colony -count 
technique at 44 0C u sing 5 -bromo -4-chloro -3-indolyl -b-D-glucuronide  
 
TZS 799 (3rd Ed)/ISO 16050 , Foodstuffs – Determination of aflatoxin B1, and the total content of 
aflatoxins B1, B2, G1 and G2 in cereals, nuts and derived products – High-performance liquid 
chromatographic m ethod  
 
TZS 1488:2016/ ISO 750:1998, Fruits, vegetables and derived products – Sampling and methods of test – Part 2: 
Determination of titratable acidy  
TZS 1491, Fruits  and Vegetables – Determination of pH  
TZS 1496/ ISO 2173 , Fruits, vegetables and derived products – Sampling and methods of test – Part 10: 
Determination of soluble solids   
2 
 TZS 1501 / ISO 6637 , Fruits, vegetables and derived products – Sampling and methods of test – Part 16: 
Determination of mercury content – Flameless atomic absorption method  
TZS 1502 , Fruits and Vegetables – Determination of Arsenic content  
TZS 1503 , Fruits and Vegetables – Determination of Ash Insoluble in Hydrochloric Acid  
 
TZS 1529 , Fruits and Vegetables – Determinat ion of Sodium Chloride in brine   
 TZS 2426 -1 (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 products with water activity 
greater than 0,95  
Codex Stan 192 , General Standard for Food Additives  
 
3 Terms and  definitions  
For the purposes of this Tanzania s tandard, the following terms and definitions  shall apply.  
3.1 spice paste  
  
is a blend of dry and wet spices intended to enhance flavour, taste and aroma in food   
  
3.2 wet spices  
 a mixture of fresh spice s such as onions , coconut, tomatoes garlic , coconut grates, coconut milk    
 
3.3 dry spices  
a mixture of powdered spices such as cardamom, black pepper, curry powder, coriander, garlic, 
cinnamon, ginger and lemon  
 
4 Requirements  
4.1 General requirements  
4.1.1 Ingredients  
4.1.1 .1 Main  ingredients  
The main ingredients for spice paste shall be tomatoes, onions, coconut grates, coconut milk  and garlic 
as well as  powdered cardamom, black pepper, curry powder, coriander, garlic, cinnamon and ginger 
complying with relevant Tanzania Standards.  
 
4.1.1 .2 Optional Ingredients  
Salt, sugar, oil, lemon and tomato paste complying with relevant Tanzania Standard may be added.  
 
4.1.1.2.1 Colour   
The spice paste shall  have  the characteristic colour of the ingredients used . The product shall be 
practically free from scorched and toasted particles.  
 
4.1.1.2.2  Taste and odour  
Spice paste shall have a characteristic taste and pungent odour of mixed spices used and shall be free 
from off odours , foreign taste  and odours . 
 
4.1.1.2 .3 Freedom from  foreign matter  
Spice  paste shall be free from live insects, dead insects, insect fragments , and rodent contamination.   
3 
  
4.2 Specific requirements  
Spice paste shall comply with the requirements specified in Table 1, when tested by the speci fied 
method.  
Table 1: Specific requirements for spice paste  
S/No  Characteristic  Limits   Method of test  
1 Total soluble solids (Brix), % (m/m)  18-30 TZS 1496  
2 Acidity expressed as Acetic acid,%m/m,max  3.5  TZS 1488  
3 pH  2.5 – 3.5 TZS 1491  
4 Acid insol uble ash, % (m/m), max  0.2 TZS 1503  
5 Salt,%(m/m), max  2.5  TZS 1529  
 
5.  Food additives  
The use of food additives in spice paste shall be in accordance with Codex Stan 192.  
 
6. Hygiene   
Spice paste shall be prepared under Good Hygienic Practices as sti pulated in TZS 109, and shall comply 
with the requirements specified in Table 2  
 
Table 2: Microbiological requirement for spice  paste  
S/No  Characteristic  Maximum limit  Method of test  
1 E. coli , cfu/g  Absent  TZS 730 -2 
2 Yeast and moulds cfu/g,.  102  TZS 2426 -1 
3 Staphylococcus aureus, cfu/g  102 TZS 125  
4 Salmonella  spp per  25 g Absent  TZS 122 -1 
 
7 Contaminants  
7.1 Heavy metals  
Spice paste shall not contain any metallic contaminants in excess of levels specified in Table 3. 
 
Table 3: Limits for heavy  metal in spice paste  
S/No  Characteristic  Maximum limit (mg/kg)  Method of test  
1 Arsenic  0.2 TZS 1502  
2 Lead  0.3 TZS 268  
3 Mercury  0.1 TZS 1501  
 
7.2 Pesticides Residues  
Spice paste shall comply with those maximum pesticide residue limits established b y the Codex 
Committee on Pesticide Residues for this commodity.  
 
7.3 Aflatoxin  
Spice paste shall not have more than 5 ppb for Aflatoxin B1 and 10 ppb for total aflatoxin when tested 
according to TZS 799.  
 
8 Packing, marking and labelling  
8.1 Packing   
Spice paste shall be packed in clean, sound and dry food grade containers made of a material which 
does not affect the safety and quality of the product.  
  
4 
 8.2 Marking and labelling  
8.2.1 Spice paste shall also be packed and labeled in accordance with the req uirements prescribed in 
TZS 538.  
 
8.2.2 The following particulars shall legibly and indelibly be marked or labeled on each bag/container:  
a) name of the product, ‘ Spice paste’  
b) Trade name or brand name, if any  
c) Name and address of the manufacturer an d/or packer.  
d) Batch or lot number  
e) Date of packing/manufacturing  
f) Net weight  
g) Country of origin  
h) Expiry date  
i) Storage conditions  
j) List of ingredients  
k) Instruction for use  
l) Allergens  if present  
 
8.2.3 The language on the label shall  be Kiswahili and/or English. A second language may be used 
depending on the designated market . 
8.2.4 The containers may also be marked with TBS certification mark.   
 
9. Sampling and test  
 
9.1 Sampling  
Spice paste shall be sampled in accordance with TZS 33.  
 
9.2 Tests   
Samples of spice paste shall be tested for conformity with the requirements of this standard as Tables 1,  
2 and 3.  
NOTE: The TBS Mark of Quality may be used by manufacturers only under license from TBS. Particulars 
of conditions which the licenses are granted ma y be obtained from TBS offices.