TBS/AFDC 19(1093 ) DTZS  
                               
 
DRAFT TANZANIA STANDARD  
 
                         Pumpkin Seeds  Flour  – Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDARDS  
 
 
 
 
  
                                                                                                        TBS/AFDC 19(1093 ) DTZS  
  
Pumpkin Seeds  Flour  – Specification  
 
0 Foreword  
 
Pumpkin seed  flour is a product derived from finely gr ound  raw/roasted  pumpkin seeds . Pumpkin 
seeds  flour is nutritionally dense containing a host of vitamins, minerals and other health essentials 
such as protein and fiber. I t is mainly used  in food in dustry especi ally  in bakery industries  and  can be 
mixed with different food products such as vegetable sauces, porridge,  smoothies and shakes for 
added nutritional va lue and delicious nutty flavor .  
 
This Tanzania standard lays down specifications aiming at ensuring the safety and quality of pumpkin 
seeds  flour produced or traded in and outside the country for human consumption.  
 
In preparation of this Tanzania standard considerable help was derived from  pumpkin seeds flour 
processors within the country.  
 
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 . 
1 Scope  
 
This Tanzania Standard specifies the requirements, sampl ing and test method s for pumpkin seeds  
flour intended for human consumption or for other use in the food industry . 
 
2 Normative  references   
 
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 values  
TZS 109, Food  processing units – Code of hygiene – General  
TZS 118 -1, Microbiolo gy of the food chain - Horizontal method for the enumeration of microorganisms 
- Part 2 Colony count at 30 °C by pour plate  technique  
TZS 122 -1 Microbiology of the food chain — Horizontal method for the detection, enumeration and 
serotyping of Salmonella - Part 1: Detection of Salmonella spp.  
 
TZS 330 , Cereals — Sampling of milled products  
 
TZS 538, Packaging and labeling of foods  
 
TZS 730 - 2, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the enumeration of 
-b-glucuronidase -positive Escherichia coli – Part 2 – Colony -count technique at 44 0C using 5 -bromo -
4-chloro -3-indolyl -b-D-glucuronide  
TZS 799 Foodstuffs – Determination of aflatoxin B1, and the total content of aflatoxins  B1, B2, G1 and 
G2 in cereals, nuts and derived products – High-performance liquid chromatographic method  
TZS 1314  – 2, Oilseeds  – Determination of moisture and volatile matter content  
TZS 1314  – 4, Oilseeds  – Determ ination of acidity of oils   
                                                                                                        TBS/AFDC 19(1093 ) DTZS  
 TZS 2426 -2 Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs - Horizontal me thod 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 2499 , Pumpkin seeds – Specification  
TZS 2624,  Oilseeds Residues - Determination of total ash  
TZS 3242,  General s tandard for contaminants and food additives  
AFDC 19(1317)  CD2 - Oilseed Residues — Determination o f Ash Insoluble i n Hydrochloric Acid  
3 Terms and definitions  
 
For the purposes of this Tanzania Standard, the following terms and definitions shall apply:  
  
3.1 pumpkin seed  
edible  seed  of a pumpkin  (Cucurbita  pepo)  
 
3.2 pumpkin seed  flour  
product obtained from course milling whole ra w/roasted pumpkin seeds . 
 
3.3 roasted pumpkin seeds  
pumpkin seeds which have been subjected to heat  until cooked  
 
3.4 foreign matter  
all organic  or inorganic matter other than pumpkin seeds flour.  
 
4.0 Requirements  
 
4.1 General requirements  
 
4.1.1    Pumpk in seeds  from which the flour is obtained shall complying with TZS 2499 . 
 
4.1.2     Pumpkin seeds flour shall be safe, of good quality and free from signs of spoilage  
4.1.3     Pumpkin seeds flour shall be free from foreign matter;  
4.1.4     Pumpkin seeds flo ur shall be free from dead or living insects, insect fragments and mites  
4.1.5     Pumpkin seeds flour shall be free from foreign odours and undesirable flavour and/or taste ;  
4.2 Specific requirements  
Pumpkin seeds flour shall comply with specific requirem ents given in Table 1 when tested in 
accordance with the methods specified therein;  
Table 1- Specific requirements for pumpkin seeds flour  
 
S/N 
 Characteristic  Requirement  Test method s 
 
i) Moisture content,  % (m/m) max.  6.5  
 TZS 1314 – 2 
ii) Acidity of extracted fat , mg KOH/g, max.  
 4.0 
 TZS 1314 – 4 
iii) Total ash% , max.  8.0 
 TZS 2624  
iv) Acid -insoluble ash (on dry basis) % m/m, 
max.  1.0 AFDC 19 (1317) CD 2   
                                                                                                        TBS/AFDC 19(1093 ) DTZS  
  
5 Food Additive s  
The use of f ood additives in pumpkin seeds flour shall comply with the lat est Codex Stan 192. 
 
6 Hygiene  
6.1 Pumpkin seeds  flour shall be processed, handled and stored in accordance with TZS 109.  
 
6.2 Pumpkin seeds  flour shall comply with microbiological limits given in Table 2 when tested in 
accordance with the methods speci fied therein;  
 
 
        Table 2 - Microbiological limits for pumpkin seeds  flour  
 
S/N Microorganism  Limit  Test method  
i Total Plate Count (TPC), 
cfu/g  max.  104   TZS 118-1 
ii Salmonella spp per 25 g  absent  
TZS 122 -1 
iii Escherichia coli cfu/g  absent  TZS 73 0-2 
iv Yeast and moulds, cfu/g, 
max. 103  TZS 2426 -2 
7 Contaminants  
 
7.1 Heavy Metal contaminants  
 
Pumpkin seeds flour shall comply with those maximum heavy metal contaminants limits  stipulated in 
TZS 3242 . 
 
7.2 Pesticide residues  
 
Pumpkin seeds flour shall comply with those maximum re sidue limits as established by Codex 
Alimentarius Commission online database for pesticide residues  for this commodity .  
 
7.3  Mycotoxin  
Pumpkin seeds flour shall conform to those maximum mycotoxin limits established b y the Codex 
alimentarius Commission.  
 
7.3.1 Aflatoxin  
 
In particular aflatoxin level in pumpkin seeds flour shall not exceed maximum limits as given  in Table 3 
when tested in accordance with test method specified therein:  
  
               Table3:  Maximu m limits for aflatoxins  in pumpkin seeds  flour  
S/N Aflatoxin  Maximum Limit     
(μg/kg)  
   Test method  
i Total Aflatoxin  
(B1,B2,G1,G2)  10   
TZS 799  
 ii Aflatoxin B1   5  
   
                                                                                                        TBS/AFDC 19(1093 ) DTZS  
 8 Sampling and test methods  
8.1 Sampling  
 
Sampling of pumpkin seeds  flour shall be d one in accordance with TZS 330.  
 
 
8.2 Test Methods  
 
Pumpkin seeds  flour shall be tested in accordance with the test methods given in this Tanzania 
standard.  
 
9 Packing , Marking and Labeling  
 
9.1 PackingPumpkin seeds  flour shall be packaged in containers  made from food grade 
packaging material and sealed in a manner that will safeguard the hygienic,  safety,  nutritional and 
organoleptic properties of the product . 
 
9.2 Marking and labeling  
 
9.2.1 In addition to the labelling requirements given in TZS 538, p ackages /containers  of pumpkin 
seeds  flour shall be labelled legibly and indelibly with the following information :  
 
a) Name of the product as ‘ Pumpkin seeds flour’;  
b) Trade name or brand, if any;  
c) Name, physical address of the manufacturer and/or packer;  
d) Batch or lot number;  
e) Date of manufacturer;  
f) Expiry date;  
g) Net weight  in Metric unit ; 
h) Country of origin;  
i) Storage conditions ; 
j) List of ingredients in descending order, including  the specific name of additives;  
k) Instruction s on disposal of used packages  
 
8.2.2  Lang uage on the label shall be in Kiswahili or Kiswahili and English. A second language may 
be used depe nding on the designated market . 
 
8.2.3  The containers may  also 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 .