AFDC 15 (258) CD 3 
                              DRAFT TANZANIA STANDARD                                                                          
 
 
 
               Bread  crumbs – Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                            TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDARDS  
 
  
 0 Foreword  
Bread  crumbs are sliced residue of dry bread, used for breading or crumbing foods, topping casseroles, 
stuffing poultry, thicke ning stews, adding inexpensive bulk to soups, meatloaves and similar foods, and 
making a crisp and crunchy covering for fried foods  
The Bread  crumbs can be used as an outer covering of foods such as poultry, fish, seafood, meats and 
vegetables. May have fu ll frying applications and oven.  
This Tanzania Standard is being prepared to ensure the safety and quality of breadcrumbs  produced and/ 
or traded in the country.  
In the preparation of this Tanzania Standard, assistance was drawn for local manufacturers.  
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). 
1 Scope  
This Tanzania Standard specifie s requirements , methods of sa mpling and test for bread  crumbs  intended 
for human consumption.  
2 Normative r eferences  
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this standard. For dated 
references, only the edition cited a pplies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced 
document (including any amendments) applies;   
TZS 4 , Rounding off numerical v alues  
TZS 109, Food processing units - Code of hygiene - General  
TZS 111: Bakery units – Code of hygiene  
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.  
CODEX STAN 192, Codex General Standard for foods additives.  
CODEX STAN 193, Codex Genera l Standard for Contaminants and Toxins  in foods  
TZS 538/EAS 38, Labelling of pre -packaged foods — General requirements  
TZS 730 -1/ ISO 16649 – 1, Microbiology of the food chain - Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
beta-glucuronidase -positive Escherich ia coli - Part 1: Colony -count technique at 44 degrees C using 
membranes and 5 -bromo -4-chloro -3-indolyl beta -D-glucuronide  
TZS 2426 -2/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  
TZS 2752: Bakery products - methods of analysis   
 TZS 2753: Bakery products - methods of sampling  
3 Term s and definitions   
For the purpose of this Tanzania Standard th e following term s and definitions shall apply ;  
3.1 bread crumbs  
 
a product obtained from dry bread  milled into a proper grain size of which not more than 2 per cent shall 
remain on 3.15 mm aperture screen and not more than 1 per cent shall pass through 0 .18 mm aperture 
screen.  
 
3.2 food grade packaging material  
packaging material, made of substances which are safe and suitable for their intended use and which will 
not impart any toxic substance or undesirable odour or flavour to the product  
4 Requirement s  
4.1 General requirements  
The bread crumbs shall:  
 comply  with the  relevant  Tanzania standard specifications  of all ingredients used . 
 be springy, with small pores uniformly distributed throughout and with thin cell walls.  
 be dry and free flowing  
 be free from non -porous mass, lumps of flour or salt, or any other evidence of incomplete mixing.  
 have  creamy white with a few dark pieces  colour and of characteristic of the ingredients used.  
 present a uniform shade without streaks or dark patches.  
 be free from extraneous substances  such as  insects, eggs of insects  and any impurities.  
 not have off flavor or rancid odor.  
4.2 Ingredients  
4.2.1 Essential ingredients   
The following essential ingredients shall be used in the preparation of bread  crumbs : 
a) Wheat f lour  
b) Baker’s  yeast;  
c) Edible  common salt;  
d) Sugar   
e) Edible  oils and fats; and  
f) Potable  water  
4.2.2 Optional ingredients  
In addition to the essential ingredients in 4. 2.1, the following optional ingredients may be used in the 
preparation of bread  crum bs:  
 a) milk or milk products;  
b) Gluten ; 
c) Oilseeds  and oilseed products;  
d) Fruits  and fruit products; and  
e) Any food products fit for human consumption.  
4.3 specific requirements  
Bread  crumbs  shall comply with the specific requirements stipulated in Ta ble 1  
 
    Table 1 — Specific requirements for bread  crumbs  
S/N Characteristics  
 Requirements  
 Test method  
1 Moisture content, %, max.  10 TZS 2752  
  2 pH of aqueous extract  5.3 - 6.0 
3 Total ash, %, m/m on dry basis, max.  2 
4 Acid insoluble ash, %,  mass by mass, on dry 
basis, max.  0.2 
5 Crude fibre, %, m/m on dry basis, max.  2.0  
 
5 Food additives  
When f ood additives used in the preparation of bread  crumbs  shall be in accordance with Codex  Stan 
192. 
6 Hygiene  
6.1 Bread crumbs  shall be prepared  under Good Hygie nic Practices as stipulated in TZS 109 and TZS 
111 (see clause 2).  
6.2 When tested by appropriate methods of sampling and test, breadcrumbs  shall be free from 
pathogenic microorganisms and shall comply with the microbiological limits gi ven in T able 2. 
Table 2 – Microbial limits  for breadcrumbs  
Characteristic  Maximum limit  Methods of test (see clause 2)  
 Yeast and mould cfu/g   102   TZS 2426 -2 
 Salmonella  spp per 25 g   absent   TZS 122 -1   
 E. coli cfu/g   absent   TZS 730-1 
  
 
  
 7 Contaminants  
7.1 Bread crumbs shall conform to those maximum residue limits for pesticid e residues established by 
Codex Alimentarius Commission for this commodity.  
7.2 Bread  crumbs shall  conform to those maximum levels of the Codex Genera l Standard for 
Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed (CODEX STAN 193).  
8 Sampling and methods of test  
8.1 Sampling  
Bread  crumbs  shall be sample d in accordance with Tanzania Standard  TZS 2753 . 
8.2 Method of tests  
Breadcrumbs  shall be tested in accordance with methods de scribed in this Tanzania Standard.  
9 Packing, marking and labelling  
9.1 Packing  
Bread  crumbs  shall be packaged in food grade packaging materials that will safeguard the hygienic, 
nutritional an d organoleptic qualities of the product.  
9.2 Marking and labe lling  
9.2.1 Labelling of bread  crumbs  shall be done in accordance with the requirements of the TZS 538/EAS 
38 and the following particular shall be clearly and indelibly marked on each container; printing ink if any 
shall be non -toxic and non -transferable  
a) Name of the product shall be bread  crumbs  
b) Name, physical and postal address of the manufacturer;  
c) Batch or code number;  
d) Date of manufacture and expire date;  
e) Net weight;  
f) Country of origin;  
g) List of ingredients;  
h) Storage  condition s and instructions;  
l) instructions on disposal of used package ; and  
i) Trade name or brand, if any.  
9.2.2 The containers shall be marked with the TBS Standards Mark of Quality.   
 NOTE - The TBS Standards Mark of Quality shall be used by the manufacturer s only under licence from 
TBS. Particulars of conditions under which the licences are granted, may be obtained from TBS.