AFDC 21 (385) CD 3 
ICS 67.080.20  
0 
  
 
 
DRAFT TANZANIA STANDARD  
 
 
Cassava maize composite flour — Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDARDS  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 AFDC 21 (385) CD 3 
ICS 67.080.20  
1 
 0. Foreword  
0.1 The demand for the cassava  maize composite flour is increasing thus, the need to ensure the safety 
and qualit y of the product produced  and/or marketed in Tanzania.  
 
0.2 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 draft Tanzania standard  prescribes requirements , the methods of sampling and test ing for cassava 
maize composite flour  for human consumption . 
 
 
2 Normative references  
 
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application 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.  
 
TZS 4, Rounding off numerical values  
EAS 82:2000, Milled cereal p roducts — Methods of test  
TZS 109, Food Processing units - Code of h ygiene  
TZS 122 -1:2018/ISO 6579 -1: 2017 - Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the 
detection, enumeration and serotyping of Salmonella - Part 1: Detection of Salmonella spp.  
TZS 125 -3:2018/ ISO 6888 -3:2003 - 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  
CODE X STAN 193, Codex general standards for contaminants and toxins in food and feed  
TZS 328 -1:2017/EAS 44 Milled maize (corn) products  
TZS 438: 2017/ EAS 2:2017 Maize grains – Specification  
TZS 465: 2010 (3rd Ed), Dried cassava chips — Specification  
TZS 466:  2010 (3rd Ed), Cassava flour — Specification  
TZS 472: 2010 (3rd Ed), Cassava and cassava products — Determination of total cyanogen’s — 
Enzymatic assay method  
TZS 538:2015 (EAS 38:2014) - Labelling of pre -packag ed foods — General requirements  AFDC 21 (385) CD 3 
ICS 67.080.20  
2 
 TZS 731: 201 8/ ISO 7251: 2006 - Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs -  Horizontal method for 
the detection and enumeration of presumptive Escherichia coli - Most probable number technique  
TZS 799: 2020 (3rd Ed)/ISO 16050  Foodstuffs -Determination of aflatoxin B 1,and the total content of 
aflatoxins B1,B2,G1 and G2 in cereals,  nuts and derived products -High performance  liquid 
chromatographic method  
TZS 961:2007/ ISO 1666, Starch - Determination of moisture content - Oven -drying method  
TZS 2044:2017/ISO 5985:2002 Ani mal feeding stuffs – Determination of ash insoluble in hydrochloric 
acid  
TZS 2426 -1: 2020/ ISO 21527 -1: 2008 - Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs - Horizontal 
method for the enumeration of yeasts and moulds - Part 1: Colony count technique in p roducts with water 
activity greater than 0.95  
ISO 24333, Cereals and cereal products - Sampling  
 ISO 5498, Agricultural food products — Determination of crude fibre content — General method  
 
3 Terms and definitions  
 
For the purpose of this standard, the fo llowing term and definition shall apply.  
 
 
3.1 
cassava maize composite flour  
 
flour obtained by blending flours from dried cassava and maize or flour obtained by milling blended  
cassava flour/ chips and/or grits and m aize flour/grits and/or grains   
 
 
3.2  
foreign matter  
inorganic matter such as sand, glass, metal, stones, clay and mud and organic matter such as chaff, 
straw, weed seeds and insects or insects’  fragments, rodent hairs   
 
3.3  
food grade material  
material that  will not transfer non -food chemic als into the food and contains no chemicals which would be 
hazardous to human health  
 
 
4 Requirements  
 
4.1 General requirements  
 AFDC 21 (385) CD 3 
ICS 67.080.20  
3 
 4.1.1 Cassava  maize composite flour  shall be produced from cassava flour,  grits and/or chips   complying 
with or TZS 46 6 and/or  465, respectively  and maize grain s or maize flour complying  with TZS 438 or TZS 
328-1, respectively.  
 
4.1.2   Cassava maize composite flour shall be  
 
(a) homogen eous in size and colour;  
 
(b) practically free of filth and foreign matter;  
 
(c) free from rancid, object ionable odours  or flavours  
 
4.2 Specific requirements  
 
4.2.1 Particle size  
 
Testing for particle size shall be done in accordance with ISO 3588. Not less than 100% shall pass 
through a 1.5 mm  sieve . 
 
4.2.2 Cassava  maize composite flour shall  conform to th e compositional quality requirements shown in 
Table 1.  
 
Table 1 — Compositional quality requirements  of cassava maize composite flour   
 
S/NO  Characteristics  Requirements  Methods of test  
1 Crude fibre content, % by mass on dry 
matter basis, max.  5 ISO 549 8 
2 Acid insoluble ash,  % by mass, max.  0.4 TZS 2044  
3 Moisture content, %, by mass, max.  13.5  TZS 961  
4 Potential cyanide , mg/kg, max 
 10 TZS 472  
 
 
 
5 Contaminants  
Cassava maize composite flour shall comply with the maximum levels of the Codex Genera l Standard for 
Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed (CODEX STAN 193).  
 
5.1 Pesticide residues  
 
Cassava maize composite flour shall conform to maximum residue limits for pesticide residues 
established by the Codex Alimentarius Commission for this commod ity. 
 
5.2 Mycotoxins  
 
S/NO  Characteristics  Requirements  Methods of test  
1 Aflatoxin, Total, ppb, max  
 10 
 TZS 799  
2 Aflatoxin ,B1,ppb,max  5 AFDC 21 (385) CD 3 
ICS 67.080.20  
4 
   
3 Fumonisins,ppm max  
 2 
  
  
6 Hygiene  
 
Cassava maize composite flour  shall be prepared and handled in a hy gienic manner in accordance  with 
TZS 109  and shall conform to microbiological limits specified in Table 2 .  
 
 
Table 2 — Microbiological limits for cassava maize composite flour   
 
S/N Micro -organism(s)  limits  Method of test  
1 Escherichia coli, cfu/g,  Absent TZS 731 
2 Salmonella , per 25g,  Absent  TZS 122 -1 
3 Yeasts and moulds,  cfu/g, max.  104 TZS 2426 -1 
4 Staphylococcus aureus cfu/g max  102 TZS 125 -3 
 
  
7 Sampling and test  
7.1 Sampling  
Sampling of cassava maize composite flour shall be done according t o ISO 24333.  
 
7.2 Test  
Testing of cassava maize composite flour shall be done according to test methods prescribed in Table 1 
and 2 of this standard.  
 
 
8   Weights and Measures  
 
Cassava maize composite flour  shall be packaged in accordance with Weights an d Measures 
requirements of the destination country.  
 
 
9 Packing , marking and labelling  
 
9.1 Packing  
Cassava maize composite flour shall be packed in suitable food grade materials  
9.2 Marking and labelling  
 
In addition to the requirements of TZS 538 ; the f ollowing labeling requirements shall apply and shall be 
legibly and indelibly marked  
 
a) the common name of the food to be declared on the label shall be ‘ Cassava maize composite 
flour'; 
 AFDC 21 (385) CD 3 
ICS 67.080.20  
5 
 b) the net weight  
 
c) the name and physical address of the manufacturer / di stributor;  
 
d) the country of origin;  
 
e) batch number ; 
 
f) date of manufacture and best before date  
 
g) the statement `Human Food' shall appear on the package  
 
h) storage conditions as ‘store in a cool dry place away from contaminants’  
 
i) instructions on disposal of used package  
 
j) The language on the label shall be Swahili  and/or English. Another language may be used 
depending on the designated market.  
 
9.3 The container may also be marked with TBS Quality Mark.  
 
NOTE: The TBS Standards Mark of Quality may be used by the ma nufacturers only under license  from 
TBS. Particulars of conditions under which the license  are granted may be obtained from TBS.