AFDC 05(6194) P3
 
                  
DRAFT TANZANIAN STANDARD  
 
 
 
 
 
Natural Vanilla Extract Products — Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDARDS  AFDC 5 ( 6092 ) P3 
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DRAFT TANZANIAN STANDARD  
Natural Vanilla Extract products — Specification  
 
0.  Foreword  
 
Commercial vanilla products are produced from the cured, dried, and conditioned pods of  
fully mature fruit of the orchid genus Vanilla. Of the 110 known species of vanilla, only Vanilla planifolia 
Andrews, Vanilla tahitensis Moore , and Vanilla pompona Shiede  are of commercial importance today. 
The vanilla species of commerce, Vanilla planifol ia is used for a variety of purposes fragrance, cacao 
flavouring and medicinal.  
 
This Tanzania standard has been developed to keep up with advancements of the natural vanilla extract 
and their products and to ensure the safety and quality of the product tr aded in the markets in order to 
safeguard the health of the consumers.  
In preparation of this Tanzania standard assistance is derived from the following publications; The US 
Code of Federal Regulations for Vanilla, 21 CFR 169.175 –169.182  
 
In reporting the result of a test or analysis made in accordance with the Tanzania 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) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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DRAFT TANZANIAN STANDARD  
1 Scope  
This draft Tanzania Standard specifies t he requirements and methods for sampling and test of natural 
vanilla extract products obtained from V. planifolia . A, V. tahitensis and V. pompona species of vanilla 
orchid for human consumption.  
2. Normative References  
The following referenced documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their 
content constitute requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For 
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any  amendments) applies.  
Rearrange in ascending order  
 
Codex 193, General standard for contaminants and toxins in food and feed  
 
TBS/AFDC 07(6216 )P3 / ISO 3493  - Vanilla -- Vocabulary  
 
TZS 1735 / ISO 5565 -1 (en), Vanilla [Vanilla fragrans (Salisbury) Ames – Part 1 - Specification  
 
TBS/AFD C07( 6731 )/ ISO 5565 -2, Vanilla [Vanilla fragrans (Salisbury) Ames] — Part 2: Test methods  
 
TZS 4, Rounding off numerical values.  
 
TZS 109, Food processing units – Code of hygiene  
 
TZS 116, Labelling of food additives when sold as such — General requirements  
 
TZS 118, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
microorganisms – Colony \-count technique at 30oC  
 
TZS 122, Microbiology of food and feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the detection of salmonella spp  
 
TZS 131, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuff \: General guidance for enumeration of yeasts and 
moulds \- Colony Count technique at 25oC  
 
TZS 268, General atomic absorption spectrophotometric method for determination of lead in food and 
food stuffs . 
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TZS 471, Alcoholic beverages — Methods of sampling and test . 
 
TZS 538, Labelling of pre \-packaged foods — General requirements . 
 
TZS 730, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the enumeration of beta -glucuronidase -
positive Escherichia coli — Part 1: Colony -count technique at 44 degrees C using membranes and 5 -
bromo -4-chloro -3-indolyl beta -D-glucuronide . 
 
TZS 799,  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 method . 
 
TZS 1490, Fruits, vegetables and derived products – Sampling and method of test  – Part 4 \: 
Determination of mineral impurities content . 
 
TZS 1495, Fruits, vegetables and derived products — Determination of copper  content — Method using 
flame atomic absorption spectrometry . 
 
TZS 1501, Fruits, vegetables and derived products — Determin ation of mercury  content — Flameless 
atomic absorption method . 
 
3 Terms and definitions  
 
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions shall apply.  
 
3.1 vanilla beans  
these refer to the cured, dried, and conditioned pods of fully mature fruit of the orchid genus Vanilla.  
 
3.2 vanilla extract  
vanilla extract is the solution in aqueous ethyl alcohol of the sapid and odorous principles extractable 
from vanilla beans.  
 
3.3 vanillin  
is a component from which vanilla derives its flavour character and flavouring strength.  
 
 
3.4. vanilla flavoring  
vanilla extract that contains not less than 35% ethyl alcohol by volume.     AFDC 5 ( 6092 ) P3 
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3.5 oleoresin  
solvent -free viscous concentrate composed of 50% aqueous ethanol soluble vanilla  
solids.  
 
3.6 food  grade material  
material made of substances which are safe and suitable for their intended use and which will not impart 
any toxic substance or undesirable odor or flavor  to the product.  
 
4.0 Product description  
4.1 Main ingredient  
Vanilla extract shall be  obtained from natural vanilla bean /pod complying to  extractives and ethyl alcohol 
content of not less than 35% by volume. The extraction grade beans may contain from 20 to 25% 
moisture for better extraction process.  
 
4.2 Optional Ingredients  
Vanilla extract may contain one or more of the following optional ingredients and shall comply to the 
relevant standard:  
(a) Glycerin.  
(b) Propylene glycol (usually no more than 2%).  
(c) Sugar (including invert sugar).  
(d) Dextrose.  
(e) Corn syrup (or corn syrup solids).  
 
4.3 Product  characteristics  
Vanilla extract shall have the following characteristics, such that;  
(a) ethyl alcohol content to be not less than 35% by volume, and the extractible matter of one or 
more units of vanilla constituent.   
(b) a unit of vanilla constituent to be 378. 5g of beans containing not more than 25% moisture per 
3.785 liters of finished extract.  
(c) Extractible matter amount of not less than 283.50g of beans on the moisture -free basis.  
(d) vanilla extracts shall be available as a single -fold strength such as  1 - to 10 -fold strengths for all 
household uses. or two -fold and higher strength extracts for industrial products such as  ice 
cream, chocolate, candy, bakery, beverage, and other food manufacturers.  
(e) pure single -fold vanilla extract shall be a pale to dark amber bro wn clear liquid or a reddish hue 
depending  on the quality of beans and extraction method used.    AFDC 5 ( 6092 ) P3 
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(f) Vanillin content of V. planifolia  can yield 2 to 2.5% and V. tahitensis  normally will produce no 
more than 1.2 to 1.5% when even under optimum conditions.  
 
5.0 Requirements  
5.1 General Requirements  
Vanilla extract shall;  
(a) have the physical, chemical characteristic, colour, aroma and flavor of vanilla  
(b) be pale to dark amber brown clear liquid for a pure single -fold vanilla extract.   
(c) not be mixed with any synthetic  material  
 
5.2  Specific requirements  
5.2.1  Physicochemical requirements  
Natural vanilla extract shall comply with the physicochemical requirements in Table 1 when tested in 
accordance with the test methods specified therein.  
 
Table 1 — Physicochemical req uirements for Natural Vanilla Extract  
 
S/N Characteristic  Requirement  Test method   
     
i Alcohol % (v/v), min  35  
 
TZS 471  
  
ii pH 4 -  6.5 TBS/AFDC07(6731)/ 
ISO 5565 -2 
 iii Specific gravity, min  0.83 
iv Vanillin content (mg/ml)  1.0-1.5  
 
6. Hygiene  
 
6.1 Natural Vanilla Extract shall be prepared and packaged in premises built and maintained under 
hygienic condition in accordance with TZS 109.  
 
6.2 The product shall comply with microbiological limits given in Table 2 when tested in accordance with 
the test methods specified therein.  
 
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Table 2 — Microbiological limits for Natural Vanilla Extract  
S/N Microorganism  Maximum limit  Test method  
    
i. Total viable count, Cfu/g,  1.0x 104 TZS 118  
    
ii. Yeast and moulds  cfu/g,  1.0x102 TZS 131  
 
    
iii. Salmonella spp in 25 g 
 Absent  TZS 122  
 
iv. E. Coli cfu/g  Absent   TZS 730  
 
 
7.0 Contaminants  
Natural Vanilla Extract  shall comply with the contaminant limits specified in the latest edition of CODEX 
STAN 193.  
7.1 Heavy Metals  
Natural Vanilla Extract  shall comply with the maximum levels for the heavy metals given in Table 3 
when tested in accordance with the test methods specified therein.  
 
Table 3  — Permitted maximum level of heavy metals in Natural vanilla extract  
 
S/N Heavy metal   Test method  
  Maximum limits ( mg/kg,)   
i. Lead (Pb),.  0.3  
 
TZS 268  
    
ii. Copper (Cu),  2 
  TZS 1495     
iii. Arsenic (As),  0.05 TZS 1502  
iv Cadmium (Cd),   
0.01 
 TZS 1490    AFDC 5 ( 6092 ) P3 
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v Mercury (Hg),  
 0.01 TZS 1501  
 
7.2  Pesticide residues  
Natural Vanilla Extract shall comply with pesticide residue limits established by the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission for this commodity.  
7.3 Mycotoxin  
Natural Vanilla Extract shall comply with mycotoxin limits of given in Table 4 when tested in accordance 
with the test methods specified therein.  
Table 4 — Mycotoxins limits for natural vanilla extract  
S/N Mycotoxin  
 Maximum Limit  
(µg/kg)  Test Method  
1 Aflatoxin B1  
 5 TZS 799  
2 Total aflatoxin  
 10 
 
8. Sampling  
Representative samples of the product shall be drawn in accordance with the procedure elaborated in 
TZS 471  
 
9. Packaging, marking and labeling  
9.1 The products shall be packaged in clean and airtight amber brown sealed food grade materials.  
9.2  Marking and Labelling  
9.2.1 In addition to the requirements of TZS 538 and TZS 116, the product packages shall be legibly 
and indelibly labelled with the following information:  
i) Name of the product as “Natural Vanilla Extract”  
ii) Name and physical address of the manuf acturer,  
iii) Batch or code number,  
iv) Net content,  
v) List of ingredients in descending order of proportion,  
vi) Date of manufacture,  
vii) Best before ,  
viii) Country of origin,  
ix) Storage conditions  
x) Instructions of use    AFDC 5 ( 6092 ) P3 
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9.2.2 The language on the label shall be ‘Kiswahili and/or English’. A second language may be used 
depending on the designated market.  
9.2.3        The packages may also be marked with the TBS certification mark.  
NOTE - The TBS Standards Mark of Quality may be used by the manufacturers only under 
license from TBS. Particulars of conditions under which the licenses are granted, may be 
obtained from TBS.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Bibliography    AFDC 5 ( 6092 ) P3 
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DRAFT TANZANIAN STANDARD  
Hand Book of Vanilla Science and Technology