AFDC 15 (772) DTZS  
DRAFT  TANZANIA STANDARD  
 
 
 
             Tambi snacks  – Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                            TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDARDS  
 
 
 
 0 Foreword  
Tambi  snacks are deep fried snacks made from gram chickpea flour dough with or without spices and 
other ingredients consumed and traded in the country.  
This Tanzania Standard is being p repared to ensure the safety and quality of Tambi  snacks produced  
and/ or traded in the country.  
In the preparation of this Tanzania standard, assistance was drawn from;  
 local manufacturers  
 Indian  standards IS 15271 (2003) Namkeen  – specification, published by Indian Bureau of 
Standards (BIS).  
 
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 specifies requirements, sampling  and methods of test for Tambi snacks 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 applies. 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 un its - Code of hygiene - General   
TZS 111, Bakery units – Code of hygiene  
TZS 118 -1: 2018/ISO 4833 -1: 2013, Microbiology of the food chain - Horizontal method for the 
enumeration of microorganisms - Part 1: Colony count at 30 °C by the pour plate technique   
CODEX STAN 192, Codex General Standard for foods additives.  
CODEX STAN 193, Codex General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in foods  
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 125 -1/ ISO 6888 -1, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs - Horizontal method for the 
enumeration of coagulase -positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and other species) - Part 1: 
Techni que using Baird -Parker agar medium  
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 Escherichia coli - Part 1: Colony -count technique at 44 0C 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 the following term s and definitions  shall apply  
3.1 Tambi  snacks    
A crunchy and spicy deep fried strands made from gram chickpea flour dough.  
3.2 Gram chickpea flour  
Flour obtained from milling of either raw, roasted or extruded yellow dried gram seeds.  
3.3 F ood grade packaging material  
Packaging material made of substances, which are safe and suitable for their intended use, and 
safeguards the hygienic, nutritional, technological and organoleptic quality of the product.  
4 Requirements  
4.1 General requirements  
4.1.1  Tambi  snacks shall  
 have a characteristic fresh taste and pleasant flavo ur and odo ur. 
 be crispy and homogeneous  
 be free of foreign matters  and impurities  
 be free from insect or fungus and  mould infestation  
 be free from off flavo ur or rancid odo ur 
 not bear any sign of significant burning or charring  
 be strands in shape  
 be yellow to golden brown colour  
4.1.2 Essential ingredients  
The following essential ingredients shall be used in the preparation of Tambi  snacks  and shall comply 
with the relevant Tanzania standards.  
 gram chickpea  flour  
 baking powder  
 portable Water  
 edible fats / oil  
  salt  
4.1.3 Optional ingredients  
In addition to the essential ingredients in 4.2, the following but not limited to optional ingredients may be 
used in the preparation of Tambi  snacks  and shall conform to the relevant Tanzania standard : 
 gluten  
 edible nuts  
 spices  
4.2 specific requirements  
Tambi snacks  shall comply with the specific requirements stipulated in Table 1  
 
    Table 1 — Specific requirements for Tambi  snacks   
S/N Characteristics  Requirements  Test method  
1 Moisture content, %, max.  5 TZS 2752  
2 Acidity  of extracted Fat/oil, Max  1.0 
3 Peroxide value  of extracted fat/oil , meq oxygen/kg fat, Max 10 
4 Acid insoluble ash  %, m/m max 0.2 
 
5 Food  additives  
Food additives used in the preparation of Tambi  snacks  shall be in accordance with Codex  Stan 192.  
6 Hygiene  
6.1 Tambi  snacks   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, Tambi  snacks shall comply with the 
microbiological limits gi ven in T able 2. 
Table 2 - Microbial limits  for Tambi snacks   
 S/N Characteristic  Maximum limit  Methods of test  
 1   Total plate count cfu/g   
  103   TZS 118 -1 
 2   Yeast and mould cfu/g   102   TZS 2426 -2 
 3   Salmonella  spp cfu/25 g   absent   TZS 122 -1 
 4   E. coli cfu/g   absent   TZS 730-1 
 5   S. aureus cfu/g   absent   TZS 125 -1  
 
  
 7 Contaminants  
Heavy metal  
Heavy  metal shall conform to the limits set in appropriate sections of CODEX STAN 193 (see clause 2).   
8 Sampling and methods of test  
8.1 Sampling  
Tambi  snacks shall be sample d in accordance with Tanzania Standard  TZS 2753 . 
8.2 Method of tests  
Tambi  snacks shall be tested in accordance with methods described in this Tanzania Standard.  
9 Packing, marking and labelling  
9.1 Packing  
Tambi  snacks shall be packed in food grade packaging material  that do not affect the qual ity and safety of 
the product.  
9.2 Marking and labelling  
9.2.1 Labelling of Tambi  snacks   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 Tambi snacks   
b) Name, physical and postal address of the manufacturer;  
c) Batch or code number;  
d) Date of manufacture and expire date;  
e) Net weight  in SI Uni ts;  
f) Country of origin;  
g) List of ingredients;  
h) Storage  conditions ; 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 manufacturers only under licence from 
TBS. Particulars of conditions under which the licences are granted, may be obtained from TBS.