DRAFT ZANZIBAR STANDARD  
 
 
Halwa  - Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ZANZIBAR BUREAU OF STANDARDS  
 
 
©ZBS 2023 - All rights reserved           First edition  
 
 
 
PCD  442: 202 3 
ICS 67.1 80.10    
PCD  4 42: 202 3 
 
©ZBS 202 3 - All rights reserved  
 ii 
 Foreword  
 
This draft Zanzibar  National  Standard has been developed Food  Standard Technical committee (TCFA 1). In 
accordance with ZBS general procedures, this draft standard is presented to the public in order to receive any 
technical and editorial comment concerns.  
 
The Zanzibar Bureau of Standard (ZBS) was established under Standard Act No. 1 of 2011.   
 
In the preparation of this Standard, the reference was derived from:  OS 1635 :2004 Omani Halwa  and IS 
2650:1975 Reaffirmed 2020 Bombay Halwa.  
 
 
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  4 42: 202 3 
 
iii                                                                                                             ©ZBS 202 3 - All rights reserved  
 Introduction  
 
Halwa is a favourite item of Zanzibar i sweetmeats. It is made from starch, ghee, sugar and nuts. Colouring 
matter and flavouring essences are also added. Its common uses in different occasion such as weeding and 
funerals. In order to preserve the H alwa for a long time without deterioration, spe cially when exported to foreign 
countries, it is packed in hermetically sealed containersPCD  4 42: 202 3 
 
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 Halwa  - Specification  
 
1 Scope  
This draft standard specifies requirements, method of sampling and test for halwa intended for 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 (inclu ding any amendments) applies.  
AOAC 896.02, Sucrose in sugars and syrups. Double dilution  
 
AOAC 952.13, Arsenic in food — Silver diethyldibocarbamate method  
 
AOAC 996.06 Fat (total,  Saturated,  and Unsaturated) in foods  
 
AOAC 999.1 Lead,  Cadmium,  Zinc,  Copper,  and iron in foods. Atomic absorption spectrophotometry after 
microwave digestion  
 
CODEX STAN 192 , General Standard for Food Additives  
 
CODEX STAN 193, Codex general standard for contaminants and toxins in food and feed  
 
ISO 4833 -1, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the enumeration of microorganisms — 
Part 1: Colony count at 30 °C by the pour plate technique  
 
ISO 4833 -2, Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the enumeration of microorganisms — 
Part 2: Colony count at 30 °C by the surface plating technique  
 
ISO 5985 , Animal feeding stuffs — Determination of ash insoluble in hydrochloric acid  
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 6888 -3, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
coagulase -positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and other species) — Part 3: Detection and MPN 
technique for low numbers  
 
ISO 7251 , Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection and 
enumeration of presumptive Escherichia coli — Most probable number technique  
 
ISO 21527 -2, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
yeasts and moulds — Part 2: Colony count technique in products with water activity less  than or equal to 0,95  
 
ZNS 61 , Packaging and labeling of food  
 
ZNS 94, Rounding off numerical values  
 
3 Terms and definitions  
For the purposes of this Standard, the following (terms and) definitions shall apply.  
3.1  
halwa  
thick jelly like sweetmeats  made from macerated starch, sugar, ghee or vegetable oil/fat and other suitable 
ingredients such as nut, spices /flavouring essence  and colouring matter  
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 3.2  
food grade packaging material  
material  which shall safeguard the hygienic, safety, nutritional, technological, and organoleptic qualities of the 
product  
4 Requirements  
4.1 Raw material  
 
4.1.1  Essential ingredients  
 
The following essential ingredients shall be used in the halwa making and shall comply with  
relevant Zanzibar  Standards;  
 
a) starch ; 
b) sugar;  
c) water and 
d) ghee or edible fat and oil . 
 
4.1.2  Optional ingredients  
 
In addition to the essential ingredients, the following optional ingredients complying with  
relevant Zanzibar standards may be used  
a) spices and saffron ; 
b) nuts and oilseed ; 
c) permitted sweeten ers; 
d) eggs ;  
e) milk and milk product ; 
f) date; 
g) syrup; 
h) colouring and flavouring agents and essences ; and 
i) any other suitable food ingredients  
 
4.2 General requirements  
 
Halwa  shall  
 
a) be sweet well set, soft and smooth in texture  
b) be homogenous gela tinous texture and colour ; 
c) be free from bitter or burn taste and foreign odour ; and  
d) not be hard and free from any sugar and starch lump . 
 
4.3 Specific requirements  
 
4.3.1  Halwa  shall comply with the specific requirements given in Table 1 when tested in accordance with 
the test methods specified therein.  
 
Table 1 : Specific requirements  for halwa  
S/No  Characteristics  Requirement  Test methods  
i.  Fat percent by mass,  6 - 28 AOAC 996.06  
ii.  Moisture content max  12 Annex A  
iii.  Acidity  of extracted fat (as  oleic acid), % 
bymass, max.  3 Annex B  
iv.  Sugars, expressed as sucrose, percent by  
mass max 55 AOAC 896.02  
v.  Acid insoluble ash, % m/m, max  0.2 ISO 5985  PCD  442: 202 3 
 
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 4.3.2  The quantity of nuts  when added in halwa , shall be not less than 2·0 percent  by mass when determined 
by the method given in A nnex  C. 
 
5 Additives  
Food additives when used shall comply with CODEX STAN 192 . 
6 Metal contaminant  
Halwa  shall comply with those maximum metal limits  given in Table 2 when tested in accordance with test 
methods specified therein.  
Table 2: Maximum limits for metal contaminants in halwa  
 
S/N  
Parameter Maximum 
limit  
mg/kg  
Test method 
i.  Arsenic  (As) 1 AOAC  952.13  
ii.  Lead (Pb)  0.5 AOAC 999.1  iii.  Copper  20 
 
7 Hygiene  
Halwa  shall be produced and handled under hygienic conditions in accordance with EAS 39  and shall comply 
with microbiological limits given in Table 3 when tested in accordance with the methods specified therein.  
 
Table 3:  Microbiological limits for halwa  
SN Microorganism  Limit  Test method  
i.  Total plate count, cfu/g, max.  105  ISO 4833 -1 & 2  
ii.  E. coli, MPN /g, absent  ISO 7251  
iii.  Yeasts and moulds, cfu/g, max.  102  ISO 21527 -2  
iv.  Salmonella spp , per 25 g  absent  ISO 6579 -1  
v.  Staphylococcus aureus  cfu/g  absent  ISO 6888 -3 
 
8 Weights and measures  
Halwa  shall be packed in accordance with the weights and measures regulations of Zanzibar . 
 
9 Packaging and Labelling  
 
9.1 Packaging  
 
Halwa  shall be packaged in food grade packaging material that secures the integrity and the safety of the 
product.  
 
 
 
 
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 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 ‘halwa ; 
b) declaration of type of nuts used if any;  
c) list of ingredients including additive used  
d) brand name/trade name  if any ;  
e) name and address of producer/packer/distributor;  
f) storage condition and transportation;  
g) date of manufacturing ; 
h) best before date;  
i) lot identification or batch or code number;  
j) country of origi n;  
k) net weight in metric unit; and  
l) instruction for disposal of used packaged material.  
9.2.2  The language on the label shall be ‘Kiswahili’ and/or English. Additional language may be used 
depending on the designated market.  
 
10 Sampling  
Sampling of halwa  shall be done according Annex C. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Annex  A 
(normative)  
 
Determination of moisture  
A.1 Apparatus  
 
A.1.1  Electric oven , maintained at 1050 C ± 1 0 C  
 
A.1.2  Moisture dish , made of porcelain, silica, glass or aluminium   
 
A.1.3  Desiccator  
 
A.2 Procedure  
 
Weigh accurately about 5 g of the prepared sample in the previously weighed dried moisture dish,  
Place the dish in the oven maintained at 105 oC ± 1oC for 4 h ours.  
Cool in the desiccator and weigh.  
Repeat the process of drying, cooling and weighing at 30 -min intervals until a constant mass, m, is obtained.  
A.3 Calculation  
Moisture, percent by  mass, =  
where  
M is the mass, in grams, of the dish with the sample before drying;  
m1 is the mass, in grams, of the dish with the sample after drying to constant mass; and  
m2  is the mass, in grams, of the empty dish.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
()
()21 100
mMmM
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 Annex B  
(normative ) 
Determination of acidity of extracted fat  
B.1 Apparatus  
Soxhlet Extraction Apparatus - with a 250-ml flat -bottom flask.  
B.2 Reagents  
 
B.2.1  Petroleum Ether - distilling below 60°C.  
 
B.2.2  Ethyl Alcohol - 95 percent by volume, or rectified spirit neutral to phenolphthalein indicator.  
 
B.2.3  Phenolphthalein Indicator Solution - one percent (m/v) solution in ethyl alcohol or rectified spirit.   
 
B.2.4  Standard Potassiu m Hydroxide Solution – 0.1 N   
 
 
B.3 Procedure  
 
B.3.1  Extraction of Fat  
 
Take approximately about 50 g of the sample and remove the pieces of nub contained in it. Dry in an air -oven 
at 105 ± 2°C for 4 hours. Mix thoroughly the halwa freed from nuts with about 20 g of dried sand and transfer 
to the thimble of the Soxhlet apparatus and extract with petroleum ether for 2 hours. Evaporate the ether slowly 
in a water -oven. Dry the flask at 100 ± 5oC, for five hours and cool.  
B.3.2  Determination  of Acidity  
 
Weigh by transference accurately 2 .5 to 3 .0 g of the extracted fat (see B.3.1) into a 200 -ml conical fla sk. Add 
approxi mately 25 ml of hot ethyl alcohol and about one millilitre of the phenolphthalein indicator solution, and 
titrate the mixtu re while hot with the standard potassium hydroxide solution. Take the first pink colouration, 
persisting for 30 seconds during shaking as the end point.  
B.4 Calculation  
Acidity of the extracted fat (as oleic acid), percent by mass =28.2 𝑉𝑁
𝑀 
where  
V = volume in ml of the standard pota ssium hydroxide solution used,  
N = normality of the standard pota ssium hydroxide solution, and  
M = mass in g of the extracted fat taken for the test (see B.3.2 ). 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 Annex C 
(normative)  
Determination of quantity of nuts  
 
 
Procedure   
Weigh the entire content of the container (approx 250 g) accurately.  
Pick out pieces of nut and wipe them with filter paper or clean cloth. Weigh the nuts so collected and calculate 
the per centage of nuts from the mass of the nuts, picked out  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 8 
 Annex D 
(normative)  
Sampling  Method  
 
D.1 General requirements of sampling  
 
D.1.1  In drawing, preparing, storing and handling samples, the following precautions and directions shall be 
observed.  
 
D.1.2  Samples shall be taken in a protected place not exposed to damp air, dust or soot.  
 
D.1.3  The sampling instrument shall be clean and dry when used .  
 
D.1.4  The samples, the material being sampled, the sampling instrument and the containers for collecting 
and storing the samples shall be protected from adventitious contamination.  
 
D.1.5  The samples shall be placed in clean and dry glass containers. The sample containers shall be of such 
a size that they are almost completely filled by the sample.  
 
D.1.6  Each container shall be scaled air -tight after filling and marked with full details of sampling, b atch or 
code number, name of the manufacturer and other important particulars of the consignment.  
 
D.1.7  Samples shall be stored in such a manner that the temperature of the material do es not vary unduly 
from the normal temperature and that they are protected fr om light.  
 
D.1.8  Sampling shall be done by a person agreed to between the purchaser and the vendor and in the 
presence of the purchaser (or his representative) and the vendor (or his representative).  
 
D.2 Scale of sampling  
 
D.2.1  Lot: All the containers in a single con signment of the material drawn from a single batch of manufacture 
shall constitute a lot. If the consignment consists of different batches of ma nufacture, the containers belonging 
to the same batch of manufacture shall he separated and shall constitute separate lots.  
 
D.2.2  For ascertaining the conformity of the lot to the requirements of the specification, tests shall be carried 
out for each lot separate ly. The number of containers to be selected for the purpose shall depend on the size 
of the lot (N) and sh all be in accordance with Table D.1.  
 
D.2.3  The containers to be selected for sampling shall be chosen at random f rom the lot and for this purpose 
random n umber tables shall be used. In case such tables are not available, the following procedure may be 
adopted.  
 
D.2.4  Starting from any container, count them as I, 2, 3, ...... up to r. Every rth container thus counted shall 
be withdrawn; r being the integral part of N/n where N  and n ar e the lot size and the sample size respectively.  
 
D.2.5  Samples for Dete rmination  of quantity  of 'Nuts - Three containers shall be selected from each lot apart 
from the containers chosen as per Table D.1. One of these containers is for  the purchaser, the other for the 
vendor and the third for the referee.  
 
 
 
 
 
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 Table D.1:  Number of containers to be s elected for sampling  
 
Lot Size (N)  Number of 
containers to be 
selected ( n) 
≤15 3 
16-40 4 
41-110 5 
111-300 6 
301-800 7 
800-1 300  8 
≥1 300  9 
 
D.3 Test samples and  referee samples  
 
D.3.1  Draw with an appropriate sampling instrument, about 300 g of the material from different parts of each 
container selected (see D.2.3).  
 
D.3.2  Preparation of Individual Sa mples - Thoroughly mince and mix all the portions of the material drawn 
from the same conta iner. Take out about 100 g of the material and divide it into three equal parts. Each part 
so obtained shall constitute an individual sample representing the container and shall be transferred to sample 
container which shall be sealed air -tight and labelle d with the particulars given in D.1.5 The individual samples 
so obtained shall be divided into three sets in such a way that each set has a sample representing each 
selected container. One of these sets shall be marked for the purchaser, another for the ve ndor and the third 
for the referee.  
 
D.3.3  Preparation of Composite Sample -From the mixed material from each selected container remaining 
after the individual samples have been taken, equal quantities of the material from each container shal l be 
taken and mixed  up together so as to form a composite sample weighing not less than 450 g. This composite 
sample shall be divided into three equal parts and transferred to clean dried containers made of glass or 
tinplate and labelled with the particulars given in D.1.5.  One of these composite samples shall be for the 
purchaser, another for the vendor and the third for the referee.  
 
D.3.4  Referee Samples  - Referee samples shall consist of a set of individual samples (see  D.3.2) and a 
composite sample (see D.3.3) marked for this purpose and shall bear the seals of the purchaser and the 
vendor. These shall be kept at a place agreed to between the two.  
 
D.4 Num ber of tests  
 
D.4.1  Tests for moisture, percent by mass, shall be conducted individually on each of the samples 
constituting a set of individual samples (see D.3.2).  
 
D.4.2  Tests for the remaining characteristics, namely, fat, acidity of extract fat and sugars, shall be 
conducted on the composite sample (see D.3.3).  
 
D.4.3  Test for Determination of Quantity of Nuts - shall be conducted in the container chosen as per D.2.4.  
 
D.5 Criteria for conformity  
 
D.5.1  For Individual Samples - The lot shall be declared to have satisfied the requirements of moisture if 
each of the test results (see D.4.1) satisfies the relevant specification requirements.  
 
D.5.2  For Composite Sample - The lot shall be declared to have satisfie d the requirements of the remaining 
characteristics (see D.4.2) if the test results of the composite sample satisfy the corresponding relevant 
specification requirements.  
 
D.5.3  For Quantity of Nuts - The lot shall be declared to have satisfied the requirements  for quantity of nuts 
if the test result of quantity of nuts (see D.4.3) satisfies the relevant requirements .