AFDC12 (6142) P2/ TZS 246 : 2013  
                                                                                            ICS: 67.16 0.20 
 
                                                                                                      
                                                                                                  
 
 DRAFT TANZANIA STAND ARD  
 
 
FRUIT -SQUASHES – SPECIFICATION  
 
 
  
 
 
  
 
         
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                     TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDARDS  
 
 
                                                                                    AFDC12 (6142)P2/ TZS 246 : 2013  
                                                                                          ICS: 67.16 0.20 
 
 
2                                                                                                                                                                                                          
  
 Fruit squashes  – Specification  
 
 
0. FOREWORD  
 
Fruit squashes which are sometime referred as cordial are among the fruit based soft drink 
beverages manufactured in the country and some being imported;  normally sold in concentrated 
form and consumed after dilution with potable water. In order to ensure that the product conforms 
to safety  and quality requirement it was necessary to prepare this Tanzania S tandard so as to 
safeguard the consumer.  
 
In repor ting the results of test or analyses 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 Tanzania S tandard specifies  the requirem ents, methods of sampling and test for 
fruit squashes  intended for human consumption .  
 
 
2  Normative References  
 
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this standard. For 
dated references , only the edition cited applie s. For undated references, the latest edition of the 
referenced document (including any amendments) applies  
 
TZS 4:  2009 , Rounding off numerical values  
 
TZS 163:  2012 , Fruits and v egetables – Sampli ng 
 
TZS 1491:2015 / ISO 1842 -1991 Fruits and Vegetables – Determination of pH  
TZS 1492:2016 / ISO 2447 -1998 Fruit and vegetable products —Determination of tin content  
TZS 1493:2016/ ISO 5517 -1978 Fruits and Vegetables – Determination of Iron content -1, 10-
Phenanthroline Photometric Method  
TZS 1495:2016/ ISO 795 2-1994 Fruits, vegetables and derived products sampling  and methods 
of test – Part 9: Determination of copper content – Method using flame atomic absorption 
spectrometry  
TZS 1496:2016/ ISO 2173 -2003 Fruits, vegetables and derived products – Sampling and 
methods of test – Part 10: Determination of soluble solids   
                                                                                                    3 
 TZS 1497:2015/ ISO 5523 -1981 Fruits, vegetables and derived products – Sampling and 
methods of test – Part 11: Liquid fruit and vegetable products – 
 
 
TZS 1498:2015/ I ISO 6557/2 Fruits, vegetables a nd derived products – Sampling and methods 
of test – Part 12: Determination of ascorbic acid content - routine method  
 
TZS 1499:2015/ ISO 6632 -1981 Fruits, vegetables and derived products – Sampling and 
methods of test – Part 13: Determination of volatile acidity  
 
TZS 1500:2016/ ISO 6636/2 -1981Fruits, vegetables and derived products – Sampling and 
methods of test – Part 15: Determination of zinc content - Atonic absorption spectrometric method  
 
TZS 1488:  2016, Fruit and vegetable products — Determination of  titratable acidity  
 
TZS 1502: 2016 Fruits, vegetables and derived products – Sampling and methods of test Part 14 \: 
Determination of arsenic content \- Silver diethyldithocarbamate spectrophotometric method  
 
TZS 113: 2015 Code of hygienic practice for proce ssed fruit and vegetable products  
 
 Codex stan 192 Permitted food additives   
 
TZS 131: 2010  ISO 21527 -2 Microbiology  – General guidance for enumeration of yeast and mould  
–    Colony count technique at 25  0C 
 
TZS 118:2018(1st Ed) ISO 4833 -1:2003 - Microbiol ogy of food and animal feeding stuffs – 
Horizontal method for the enumeration of microorganisms - Part 2: Colony count at 30 degrees C 
by the pour plate technique  
 
TZS 268:2017(2nd Ed) General atomic absorption spectrophotometric method for determination of  
lead in food and food stuffs  
 
TZS 538: 2015 -EAS 38:2014 Labelling of pre \-packaged foods — General requirements  
 
731:2018(3rd Ed) TZS, Microbiology  of food and feeding \-stuffs – Horizontal method for the 
detection and enumeration of presumptive Escherichia  Coli – Most Probable Number Technique  
 
TZS 789:2016/EAS 12:2014(2nd Ed) Potable water –Specification  
 
 
AOAC 971.21:2000(17th Ed) Mercury in food flameless Atomic absorption method  
 
 
 
 
3 Terms and definitions   
 
For the purpose of this Tanzania Standard, th e following definitions shall apply: -  
 
3.1 Defects  
 
Particles  of membrane, core, skin, seed or any other foreign material.  
  
4                                                                                                                                                                                                      3.2 Fruit squash  
 
It is a homogenous sweetened beverage prepared from fruit juice(s), either of single   strength and 
/ or concentra ted, and preserved or other wise, mixed with sugar, potable water and various other 
ingredients in such proportions that will meet the requirements given in this standard.  
 
3.3 Potable water  
is water that is safe to drink or to use for food preparation, wi thout risk of health problems. 
(treated potable water and natural potable water).  
 
3.4 Define soft drink beverage  
any of a class of nonalcoholic beverages, usually but not necessarily carbonated, 
normally containing a natural or artificial sweetening agent , edible acids, natural or 
artificial flavours, and sometimes juice.  
 
 
 
 
4 Requirements   
 
 
 
4.1 General requirements  
 
4.1.1 Basic  raw material  
 
4.1.1.1 The fruit squash shall be prepared from either a mixture or a specific fruit concentrate of 
fresh, soun d pulp(s) or juice(s) obtained fr om ripe fruits harvested  at proper stage of maturity. The 
fruits used shall be free from any signs or fermentation  or bacterial or as a result of fungal growth.   
4.1.1.2 The fruit juice and /or pulp content in the squashes  shall not be less than 25 % by mass, 
with exception of lime and lemon squashes which shall have a fruit content of not less than 20 %.  
 
4.1.1.3 The fruit squash shall possess a good body, uniform colour. Shall be free from defects 
and shall possess the ch aracteristic flavor.   
 
 
 
 
4.1.2 Other raw materials  
 
Other substances that may be added to the pulp(s) or juice(s) are sucrose, glucose  and / or other 
carbohydrate sweeteners and potable water.   
 
NOTE: No artificial sweetening agents shall be used in prepa ration of fruit squashes . 
 
 
4.3Additives  
 
4.3.1  Use of food additiv es shall be as per codex Stan 192 (see clause 2) . 
 
  
4.3.2 Fruit squashes shall also conform to the  chemical requirements prescribed in Table1. 
 
 
  
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 Table 1 – Chemical requirement  for fruit squashes  
 
 
Characteristics   
Requirements   
Method of test  Refer 
(see clause 2)  
 
 
Soluble solids in D egree Brix at 200C, percent 
mass by mass , min. 
 
Acidity as anhydrous  citric acid  per cent by 
mass , min. 
 
Ascorbic acid , per cent by mass  ,min 
 
pH, min . 
  
40 
 
 
 
1.0 
 
35 
 
2.9  
      TZS 1496:2016  
 
 
TZS 1488:  2016 
 
 
TZS 149 8:2015  
 
TZS 1491:  2015  
Contaminants  
 
 Pesticides  
 
5.2 Squashes shall comply with pesticides maximum residue limits (MRL) established by Codex 
stand  
 
 
 
 
 
4.4 Fruit squashes shall not contain any metallic contaminant in excess of the  quanti ties specified 
in Table 2 . 
 
Table 2 – Limits for metallic contaminants in fruit squashes   
 
 
Characteristics   
Maximum (mg/kg)  Method  of test  refer (see clause 2)  
 
 
    Arsenic  
 
    Tin 
 
    Copp er  
 
    Zinc   
 
    Iron  
 
    Lead  
 
    Mercury  
  
0.2 
 
250 
 
5.0 
 
5.0 
 
15 
 
0.3 
 
0.1  
TZS 1502:  2016 
 
TZS 1492:  2016 
 
TZS1495:  2016 
 
TZS 1500:  2016 
 
TZS 1493:  2016 
 
                        TZS 268:  201 
 
                        AOAC 971.21:200 0(17th Ed)  
   
  
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5 Hygiene  
 
5.1 Fruit squashes shall be prepared under hygienic conditions in accordance with TZS 113  (see 
clause 2).  
 
 
 
5.2 Microbiological limits  
 
Fruit squashes shall be free from pathogenic organisms and shall comply with the micr obiological 
limits provided in Table 3, when determined by the methods shown alongside the Table.  
 
Table 3 — Microbiological limits for  fruit squashes  
 
S/N Type of micro -organism  Limits (number of 
count) maximum  Method of test  
i Total viable counts , cfu/ml  
  102 TZS 118 : 2017 
ii 
 
iii 
 
 
iv 
 
v Yeasts and moulds , cfu / ml 
 
Coliforms, cfu/g  
 
 
Staphylococcus aureus  
 
Salmonella spp  
 
              10  
 
Shall be absent  
 
        
102 
 
Not detected  TZS131:  2010 
 
TZS 731:  2018  
 
 
TZS 125/ISO 688 -1 
 
TZS 122/ISO 6579 -
1 
 
 
6 Sampling a nd tests  
 
6.1 The method of drawing representative samples shall be done in accordance with TZS 163 
(see clause 2).  
 
6.2 Tests  
 
The samples of fruit squashes  shall also be tested for ascertaining conformity of the product to 
the requirements of each specif ication by the methods described in the respective standar ds 
provided under the relevant t ables 1, 2 and 3 of this Tanzania Standard.   
 
 
7 Packaging, marking and labe lling 
 
7.1 Packing  
 
Squashes shall be packed in suitable food grade containers which are,   hermetically sealed , 
moisture  and pilfer proof . Where packaging is done in cans they shall be lacquered. The can shall 
have a plastic lid after the hermetic seal to ensure good hygienic conditions after opening the can 
during usage.  
 
  
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7.2 Marking and  labelling   
  
7.2.1 In addition to the provisions covered under TZS 538 (se e clause 2) processed fruit 
squashes shall be legibly and indelibly marked on the label with the following information.  Each 
container shall be labeled with the following particul ars: 
 
a) Name of product  shall be “Fruit squash”, with a designation of the type of the fruit(s) as a 
major ingredient.   
b) Name, physical and postal address of manufacturer and  /or ……..  
c) Country of origin  
d)  Date of manufacture and expiry date  
e) List of ingredients  
f) Net content  in millilitres or litres  
g) Storage condition  
h) Batch number in code or in clear.  
i) Trade mark  or brand  ,if any  
j) Instruction for use  
 
7.2.2 The containers may also be marked with TBS certification mark  of quality .  
 
NOTE  – The use of the TBS certifica tion mark of quality is governed by the 
provisions of the  Standards Act, 2009.  Details of conditions under which a 
license for the  use of TBS certification mark of quality may be granted to 
manufacturers may be  obtained from TBS.