TBS/AFDC 29(3267 ) P3 
 
DRAFT TANZANIA STANDARD  
  
Chocolate  – Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDAR DS  
1 
 0. Foreword   
Cocoa  (Theobroma cacao Linnaeus ) is one of the crop grown in Tanzania for many years . However , 
neither dry cocoa beans nor its products  (e.g. chocolate)  have ever been regulated or standardized  
Therefore , establishment of this standard  is necessary to protect consumer, ensure safety and quality and 
promote fair trade of chocolate.  
Chocolates are cocoa products obtained from the manufacture of one or more of the following: cocoa nib, 
cocoa mass, cocoa press cake, cocoa powder, with or withou t addition of cocoa butter or permitted 
ingredients and additives.  
Various types of chocolates are available on the market depending on its use. Chocolate is used as a 
basic ingredient (raw material) or an additive for flavour in the food industry.  
In the preparation of this draft Tanzania standard assistance was derived the following documents:  
Codex Stan 87 1981 [2003 Revision 1] Codex Standard for chocolate.  
Codex Stan 142: 1983 Codex Standard for composite and filled chocolate.  
KS 998: 2008 Chocolat es – Specification published by Kenya bureau of standards (KEBS).  
The assistance derived from the above sources is hereby acknowledged with thanks.  
In reporting the results of a 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).  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
2 
 1.0 Scope  
This Tanzania standard specifies the requirements , method of sampling and test  for the various types of 
chocolates processe d for human consumption.  
2.0 Normative Reference  
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  
 Codex Stan 192 Codex General standard for food additives  
TZS 135 Animal and vegetable fats and oils -Determination of copper, iron and nickel content -graphite 
furnace atomic a bsorption  
TZS 268 General atomic absorption spectrophotometric method for determination of lead in food stuffs  
TZS 76 Methods for determination of arsenic content  
TZS 109 Food processing units – Code of hygiene – General  
TZS 538 Packaging and labelling of foods  
TZS 118 Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for enumeration of micro -
organisms – Colony count technique at 300C 
TZS 122 Microbiology food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the detection of salmonella 
spp 
TZS 125 Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for enumeration of 
coagulase – Positive staphylococcus aureus and other species  
TZS 2426(Part1) Microbiology of food and animal feeding -stuffs– Horizontal method for the     
enumer ation of yeast and moulds -  Colony count technique in products with water activity 
greater than 0.95.  
TZS 731  Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs - Horizontal method for the detection and 
enumeration of presumptive Escherichia coli – Most Probab le Number Technique  
TZS 101 Refined sugar – Specification  
TZS 100 Plantation white sugar – Specification  
TZS 729 Microbiology -General guidance for the enumeration of coliforms – Colony count technique    
TZS 831 Tanzania brown sugar – Specification  
Codex St an CAC/GL 50 - General guidelines on sampling   
   
3 
 3.0 Terms and definitions  
For the purposes of this draft Tanzania standard, the following terms and definitions shall apply: -  
3.1 cocoa beans  
Are the seeds of the cocoa tree (Theobroma cacao  L.). The term re fers to the whole seed , which has 
been fermented and dried.  
 
3.2 chocolate  
the homogeneous products defined hereunder and complying with the compositional requirements of 
4.3.1 , obtained by an adequate process of manufacture from a mixture of one or more of the following: 
cocoa nib, cocoa mass, cocoa press cake, cocoa powder including fat reduced cocoa powder, with or 
without the addition of cocoa butter, with or without permitted optional ingredients, and/or flavouring 
agents, and for - 
3.2.1 chocolate  
With the addition of sugars ( 1) 
3.2.2 unsweetened  chocolate  
Without the addition of sugars ( 2)  
3.2.3 couverture chocolate  
With the addition of sugar ( 3) and which is suitable for covering purposes  
3.2.4 sweet (plain) chocolate  
With the addition of sugar s (4)  
3.1.5 Milk chocolate  
With the addition  of sugars and milk solids ( 5)  
3.1.6 Milk couverture chocolate  
With the addition of sugars and milk solids (6) and which is suitable for covering purposes  
3.1.7 Milk chocolate with high milk content  
With th e addition of sugars and milk solids ( 7)  
3.1.8 skimmed milk chocolate  
With the addition of sugars and skimmed milk solids ( 8)  
3.1.9 skimmed milk couverture chocolate  
With the addition of sugars and skimmed milk solids ( 9) and which is suitable for cove ring purposes   
4 
 3.1.10 cream chocolate  
With the addition of sugars and cream and milk solids ( 10)  
3.1.11 chocolate vermicelli  
With addition of sugars ( 11) and which is in the form of grains  
3.1.12 chocolate flakes  
With the addition of sugars ( 12) and w hich is in the form of flakes  
3.1.13 milk chocolate vermicelli  
With the addition of sugars and milk solids ( 13) and which is in the form of grains  
3.1.14 milk chocolate flakes  
With the addition of sugars and milk solids ( 14) and which is in the form of  flakes  
3.3 flavoured chocolate   
Flavoured  chocolate is on e of the chocolates defined in 3.1.1  through 3.1.10  to which flavouring agents, 
as permitted in  4.2.2.1 ( V), have been added in amounts such as to impart to the final product the 
organoleptic Chara cteristics claimed in the name of the food .  
3.4 composite chocolate  
composite chocolate is on e of the chocolates defined in 3.1.1  to 3.1.10  and the corresponding flav oured 
chocolates as defined in 3.2 to which have been added edible substances, excluding  flour, starch and 
fats, unless contained in a permitted ingredient .  
3.4 filled chocolate  
Filled  chocolate is a product covered with one or mor e of the chocolates defined in 3.1, the centre of 
which is clearly distinct through its composition from the ex ternal coating. Filled chocolate does not 
include flour confectionery , pastry and biscuit products .  
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
5 
 4.0  Requirements  
4.1     General requirements  
Chocolate s shall be free from rancid flavor or color characteristics of t he types of chocolate made f ree 
from extraneous matters . 
4.1.1 Flavoured chocolate  
4.1.1.1 Coffee  chocolate  – Not less  than 1 percent m/m roasted ground coffee or the 
corresponding amount of soluble coffee.  
4.1.1.2 Other flavoured chocolate types  - sufficient  amount of flavouring age nts for imparting 
to the final product the organoleptic characteristics claimed in the name of the food.  
4.1.2  Composite chocolate  
4.1.2.1   Composite chocolate shall contain not less than 60 % m/m of chocolate as defined in 3.1.1  to 
3.1.10  and 3.4.  
4.1.2 .2  Composite chocolate shall contain one or more edible substances excluding those which are 
prohibited in 3.3.  
4.1.2.3   Added substances are subject to the following maximum limits: - 
Added in the form of visible and separate pieces 40 percent m/m.  
Added  in a form so as to be in practice indiscernible 30 percent m/m.  
Added both in the form of visible and separate pieces and in a form so as to be in practice indiscernible 
40 percent m/m.  
The balance of the product in each case being chocolate as defined in  3.1.1  to 3.1.10.  
 4.1.3  Filled chocolate  (Coating)  
 4.1.3.1  The coating shall be made of chocolate that meets the requirements of one or more of the 
chocolate types listed in 3.1.1  to 3.1.10.   
4.1.3.2  It may contain the ingredients stated under 4.1.1  and 4.1.2.2   
4.1.3 .3 The amount of chocolate component of the coating shall be not less than 40 % of the total weight 
of the finished product.  
4.1.4  Centre  
The products and/or ingredients used to make up the centre shall comply with the requirements of the  
Tanzania standards , International standards or other relevant standard concerning them.  
 
  
6 
  
4.2 Ingredients  
4.2.1 Main ingredients  
All ingredients applied in chocolate manufacture shall be of food grade quality and conform to the relevant 
Tanzania standar d specifications, where available and other materials shall be free from foreign matter, 
insect infestation and objectionable flavours and odours.  
The following  are the main ingredients  in the manufacturer of chocolate s:- 
Sugars and unsweetened cocoa powde r. 
For the purpose of this standard the following sugars shall be used: sucrose, lactose, fructose, dextrose, 
glucose and honey . 
4.2.2 Optional Ingredients  
In addition to the essential ingredients any or a combination of the fo llowing ingredients complying  with 
the relevant Tanzania standards may be added to the manufacturer of chocolates:  
 
4.2.2.1  Types of  ingredients (Put in tabular form)  
                                                                     Maximum                                             Food  
I   Spices                         )         in small quantities  (GMP)                       Products defined under  
                                                  )        to balance flavour                                  3.1 and 3.2  
                                                 ) 
II  Salt (Sodium chloride ))                                                                                                                                                                             
                                                                                                                      
III  Milk solids (one of the       Not more than 5%                     Chocolate and couverture  
               compounds to be found   calculated on t he dry                Chocolate, unsweetened  
               in dry whole milk                matter                                         Chocolate, sweet ( plain)  
                                                                                                                   Chocolate vermicelli and  
                                                                                                                   Chocolate flake  
IV  Emulsifiers   
a)     Mono - and – glycerides of            GMP                                       Products defined in 3.1 and 3.2                                   
        edible fatty acids     
 
b)   Lecithin                                            GMP                                     Products defined in 3.1.1  to 3.1.1 0                                      
                                10g/kg of the  acetone               Products defined  in 
3.1.11  to 3.1.14                           
                                                                       insoluble compon ent of  lecithin                                          
c)  Ammonium salts of phosphatidic acids    7 g/kg                              Products defined in 3.1.1  to 3.1.10  
d)  Sorbitan monostearate                              10 g/kg                           Products defined in 3.1.1 to 3.1.10   
7 
 e)  Sorbitan tristearate                                     10 g/kg                          Products defined in 3.1.1 to 3.1.10  
 f)  Polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan                     10 g/kg                        P roducts defined in 3.1.1to  3.1.10 
     Monostearate  
                                                                                                                                 
g)  Total emulsifier                                                 GMP                                   Products defined in  
                                                                                                                                  3.1.1  to 3.1.10  
  V  Flavouring  agents   
                                                                                Maximum level                              Food  
a) Natural flavours and their synthetic                      in small quantities to                 Products defined in  
equivalents, except those which would                    balance flavor  (GMP)                          3.1 and 3.4    
Imitate  natural chocolate or drink flavours.  
 
b) Vanillin                                                                                                                 P roducts defin ed in  
                                                                                  (1g/Kg)                                   3.1 and 3.4 
 
c) Ethyl vanillin                                                         in small quantities                    Products defined in  
                                                                                 to balance flavor  (GMP)                     3.1 and 3.4 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
   
8 
  
4.3 Specific requirements  
4.3.1  The various types of chocolates shall comply with the requirements in Table 1.  
Table 1 - Composition (% calculated on the dry matter in the 
product )  
 
  Cocoa  Fat-free  Total  Milk fat,  Fat-free  Total,  Sugars,  
~  butter ,  cocoa  cocoa  %, min.  milk  %, m in.  %, ma x.  
%, min.  solids ,  solids,   solids' %,    
   %, mi n.  %,min.   min.    
S/N             Prod uct         
1  Chocolate  18  14  35  GMP  GMP  GMP  GMP  
2  Unswee tened          
 chocolate  50-58*  GM P   GMP  GMP  GMP  GMP  GMP  
3  Couverture         
 chocolate  31  2.5  35  GMP  GMP  GMP  GMP  
4  Swee t (plain)         
 chocol ate  18  12  30  GMP  GMP  GMP  GMP  
5  Milk choco late  GMP  2.5 25 2.5-3.5*  12-14* 25 55 
6  Milk 
couverture         
choco late  GMP  2.5  25  3.5  10.5  31  55  
7  Milk choco late 
with high milk 
content  (famil y 
milk)  
 GMP  2.5  20  5  20  GMP   GMP   
8  Skimmed m ilk         
 chocolate  GMP  2.5  2.5  Max. 0.5  14  25  55  
9  Skimmed milk         
 couverture  31  2.5  35  Max. 0.5  12-14*  31  55  
 chocolate         
10  Cream         
 chocolate  GMP  2.5  2.5  7  3-14  25  55  
11  Chocolate         
 vermicel li  12  14  32  GMP  GMP  GMP  GMP  
12  Chocolate  12  14  30  GMP  GMP  GMP  GMP  
flakes  
13  Milk choco late         
 vermice lli  GMP  2.5  20  3  12  12  66  
14  Milk cho colate         
 flakes  GMP  2.5  20  3  12  12  66  
* In the ir natural proportions.        
       
 
  
9 
 4.4  Food additives  
Only the food additives permitted by the CODEX STAN 192 Codex general Standard for Food Additives 
in the manufacture of chocolates may be used without exceeding the limits.  
 
 
5.0    Hygiene   
5.1 Chocolates  shall be prepared and packed in premises built and maintained  under hygienic condition  
in accordance with TZS 109 (see clause 2) . 
5.2 Chocolates shall not contain any substances originating from the mi cro-organisms in amounts which 
may present a hazard to health.  
5.3 Chocolates shall be free from pathogenic  micro -organisms and shall comply with microbio logical limits 
given in Table 2  
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                    
                    Table 2  - Microbiological limits for chocolates  
 
    S/N 
     
 
 
   Types of Micro -organisms  Maximum 
limits            Test methods  
       1 Total plate count, cfu/g  ,max  5×104                TZS 118  
       2 Coliforms, cfu/g   <10                 TZS 729  
       3 E. Coli, MPN/g  Absent               TZS 731  
       4 Staphylococcus aureus, cfu/g   Absent                TZS 125  
       5 Salmonella spp. per 25g   Absent              TZS 122  
       6 Yeasts and moulds, cfu/g ,max  5×101              TZS 2426(Part1)  
 
 
 
6.0 Contaminants  
6.1The acceptable limits of heavy metal  in chocolates shall conform to the requirements specified in 
Table 3.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
10 
 Table 3 –Requirements for metallic contaminants in 
chocolates  
 
S/N 
No.   Maximum level  
(mg/kg)   Food  Test methods  
  0.5  Products defined in 3 .1 and 3 .2,   
    except unsweetened chocolate   
i)  Arsenic (As)  1  Unsweetened chocolat e, compos ite     TZS 76  
   and fil led chocolates   
  15  Products def ined in 3.1 and 3 .2,   
   except unsweetened chocolate   
 ii)  Copper (Cu)  30  Unsweetened choco lates, compos ite  TZS 1335  
   and fil led chocolates   
  1  Products def ined in 3 .1 and 3 .4,   
iii)  Lead (Pb)   except unsweeten ed chocolat e      TZS 268  
   3  Unsweetened chocolate   
     
 
6.2 Chocolates shall not contain total aflatoxins exceeding 10ppb and 5ppb for aflatoxins B1.  
6.3 Chocolates shall not contain ochratoxins exceeding  0.5 ppb  
6.4 Chocolates shall comply with codex alimentarius commission levels of pesticide  residues  
 
7.0 Sampling and method of test  
7.1 Sampling  
      Any containers or packages of  chocolates drawn from a lot or batch shall constitute a representative 
sample of that lot or batch  in compliance with codex Stan 50 .  
7.2 Test method  
      Test shall be carried out as prescribed in the appropriate appendices specified in table 1, 2 and 3.  
 
8.0  Packaging, marking and labelling  
8.1         Packaging   
 Chocolates shall  be packaged in food grade containers that  will secure the integrity,  safety  and 
quality of the product throughout the shelf life.   
8.2       Marking and labelling     
8.2.1  In addition to the labelling requirements of TZS 538(EAS 38) , the following specific declaration 
shall be legibly  and indelibly marked in the chocolates.   
i) Name, location and physical address of manufacturer/ importer;  
ii)  List of ingredients  
A complete  list of ingredients shall be declared in descending order of proportion as follows:  
 Declaration of minimum cocoa and milk solids contents  
 Declaration of cocoa butter content - Cocoa butter content shall be declared in all couverture 
chocolate types;  
iii) Date of manufacture;  
iv) Batch (lot) / code number;  
v) Storage instructions;  
vi) Expiry date;  
vii) Country of origin;   
11 
 viii) Instructions for disposal of used package.  
ix) Net weight  
 
 
Note : - The TBS Standards mark of quality may be used by the Manu facturer only under licence  
           from TBS.Particulars of conditions under which the licences are granted, may be obtained  
           from TBS.