AFDC 15( 6539 ) P3                                                                 
(REV. TZS 1429:2012)  
                              DRAFT TANZANIA STANDARD                                                                          
 
 
 
 
Frozen  uncooked chapati – Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
                            TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDARDS   
  
0 Foreword  
Frozen Uncooked  Chapat i is frozen wheat flour products made fro m kneaded flour to make flattened 
dough without leavening agents. The kneaded dough is divided into rolls which are flattened into pliable 
discs ready for cooking. They are prepackaged, sealed, and frozen at a temperature below -18 ºC. 
This Tanzania Standa rd has been  formulated to ensure preparation, manufacture or processing of  frozen 
uncooked chapati  of good quality and safety intended for human consumption.  
In preparation of this  Tanzania Standard assistance was derived from:  
a) Local manufacturers  
b) TZ S 439:  2014  Wheat flour – Specification  
In reporting the result of test or analysis made in accordance with this 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). 
1 Scope  
This  Tanzania Standard specif ies requirements , sampling and methods of test for frozen  uncooked 
chapati   intended for  making ready to eat chapati  .The standard applies to kneaded flattened pliable flour 
discs, prepared from wheat flour milled from Triticum aestivum L  or club wheat, Triticum compactum  
(Host) or a mixture thereof.  
2 Normative r eferences  
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this standard. For dated 
references, only the edition cited applies. For un dated references, the latest edition of the referenced 
document (including any amendments) applies;  
TZS 4 : Rounding off numerical values  
TZS 100  Plantation (mill) white sugar -specification  
TZS 101  Refined white sugar - specification  
TZS 109 : Code of hygiene  for food processing units – General  
TZS 111  Code of hygiene for bakery and biscuits manufacturing units  
TZS 118 -1 /ISO 4833 -1 Microbiology of the food chain —Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
microorganisms —Part 1: Colony count at 30 °C by the po ur plate technique  
TZS 119 / ISO 4831  - Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for detection and 
enumeration of coliforms – Most probable number technique  
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 132/EAS 35  Fortified food grade salt — Specification  
TZS 331:  Cereals – Milled products – Method of test  
TZS 439 -1/ EAS: 1  Wheat flour – Specification  
TZS 439 -2/ EAS: 767  Fortified wheat flour – specification  
TZS 730 - 2)/(1st Ed) ISO 16649 -2: Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method 
for the enumeration of -b-glucuronidase -positive Escherichia coli – Part 2 – Colony -count techniq ue at 44 
0C using 5 -bromo -4-chloro -3-indolyl -b-D-glucuronide  
TZS 789:/EAS 12:  Potable water — Specification  
TZS 831  Brown sugar - specification  
TZS 2426 -1: 2019/ ISO 21527 -1Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for 
the enumeratio n of yeasts and moulds — Part 1: Colony count technique in products with water activity 
greater than 0 .95 
3. Term s and definition s  
For the purpose of this standard the following term and definition shall apply.  
3.1 uncooked chapati  
Is a flat wheat flour product, round or dis c in shape  made from kneaded flour without leavening agents . 
3.2 Leavening agents  
Substances causing expansion of doughs and batters by the release of gases within such mixtures, 
producing baked products with porous structure. Such ag ents include air, steam, yeast, baking powder, 
and baking soda.  
3.3 Lot 
Mean  the quantity of package d frozen uncooked chapati produced an d packed from the same batch of 
manufacture.  
4. REQUIREMENTS  
4.1 General requirements  
4.1.1 Appearance and colour  
The f rozen uncooked chapati shall have a uniform colour characteristic of the product and consistent in 
size and shape  
4.1.2 Texture  
The frozen uncooked chapati shall have a soft texture and be pliable  upon thawing . 
4.1.3 Foreign matter   
 All ingredients shall b e clean, sound, wholesome, and free from foreign material and free from evidence 
of infestation.  
4.2 Essential  ingredients  
The frozen uncooked chapati  shall consist of the following ingredients:  
a) Wheat flour conforming to TZS 439  
b) Salt (Edible) Conforming to  TZS 132  
c) Potable water conforming to TZS 789  
d) Cooking vegetable oil, butter or margarine conforming to relevant standards  
4.3 optional ingredients  
The frozen uncooked chapati  may consist of the following ingredients  conforming to relevant standards : 
a) Sugar c onforming to TZS 100,101 and, 831  
b) Flavorings  
c) Milk  
d) Coconut milk/creams   
e) Spices and condiment s  
4.4 Specific requirements  
Frozen  uncooked chapati shall comply with the following requirements  as per Table 1 . 
Table 1: Requirements for frozen uncooked chapati  
S/N Characteristic s 
 Requirement  Method of test  
1 Moisture content % m/m , max 45 TZS 331  
2 Acid Insoluble ash % m/m , 
max  2.0 TZS 331  
3 Fat content % m/m , max 10 TZS 331  
4 Size 
Thickness  (mm)  
Diameter  (cm)  
3 – 5 
15 - 25  
- 
5 Weight of 1 disc (g) 70 - 100 - 
 
5 Hygiene  
5.1 The frozen uncooked chapati  shall be prepared , manufactured  and packaged under hygienic 
conditions in accordance with TZS 109 and TZS 111  
5.2 Frozen uncooked chapati  shall be free from objectionable matter, pathogenic micro -organism s, 
substances originating from micro -organisms or any other deleterious substances in amounts which may 
constitute a health hazard. The frozen uncooked chapati  shall also comply with the microbiological limits  
as given in Table 2. 
 
  
 Table 2: Microbiologica l limits  
S/N Microorganisms  
 limits   Method of test  
1 Salmonella  spp per 25 g  absent  TZS 122  part 1  
2 Total Plate Count , cfu/g max  105  TZS 118  part 1  
3 Escherichia coli  cfu/g  ,<  10 TZS 730 (Part 2)  
4 Coliforms MPN /g max  102 TZS 119  
5 Yeast and moul ds cfu/g  103 TZS 2426 -1 
 
6 Sampling and methods of test 
6.1 Scale of sampling  
6.1.1 Samples shall be selected on each lot and tested separately for ascer taining their conformity to the 
requirements of this  Tanzania Standard.  
6.1.2 The number of  discs to be selected from the lot shall be in accordance with column 2 of Table 3.  
Table 3: Sampling Scale  
Number of dis cs in the lot  Number of dis cs to be sampled  
Up to 1200  9 
1201 to 3600  12 
3601 to 10800  15 
10801 and above  21 
 
6.2 Methods of t ests 
The tests shall be carried out as given in T ables 1 and 2.  
7 Pack ing, m arking  and labeling  
7.1 Packing  
The frozen uncooked chapati  shall be wrapped in two polyethylene sheets/wrappers capable of 
maintaining the quality of the product . The wrapped  discs shall be pac kaged in food grade polypropylene 
bag as outer bag and frozen below  - 18 °C. 
7.2 Marking and l abeling  
7.2.1  Labelling of frozen uncooked chapati  shall be done in accordance with the requirements of the TZS 
538/EAS 38 and the following particulars shall be clearly and indelibly marked on each container; printing 
ink if any shall be non -toxic and non -transferable:  
a) The name of the product   
b) The name and address of the manufacturer;  
c) Batch or code number;   
 d) Net weight ; 
e) A list of ingredients  
f) Date o f manufacture;  
g) Country of origin  
h) Nutrition  information  
i) The wording “store frozen below -18 °C”; 
j) Instructions for use/cooking instructions.  
k) Expiry date  
l) Instructions  for disposal of used packages . 
m) Allergens declaration/information.  
7.2.2 The language on the label shall be “Swahili” or Kiswahili and English. A second language may be 
used depending on the designated market.  
 
7.3 The pack of the frozen uncooked chapati  may also be marked with the TBS Quality  mark.  
 
NOTE - The TBS Standards M ark of Quality may be used by the manufacturers only under licence from 
TBS. Particulars of conditions under which the licences are granted, may be obtained from TBS.