Gulf Standard                                                                                                             GSO …/2013  
 
هيئة التقييس لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية  
STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION FOR G.C.C (GSO)  
 
 
Final  draft  
GSO/ FDS…./2013  
  
 
 Pulses and cereal and their products -  
 Quick frozen whole kernel corn  
 
  
 
 
 
Prepared by:  
 Gulf technical committee for sector standards of  
Food and agriculture products  
This document is a draft Gulf standard circulated for comments, it is therefore, 
subject to alteration and modification, and may not be referred as a Gulf standard, 
until approved by the Board of Directors                                                                                                                                       
 
ICS: 67: 060 
 Gulf Standard                                                                                                             GSO …/2013  
 
Foreword  
 
GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) is a regional Organization which consists of 
the National Standards Bodies of GCC member States. One of GSO main functions is 
to issue Gulf Standards/ Technical regulations through specialized technical 
committees (TCs).  
GSO through the technical program of committee TC No.(5) “Gulf technical 
committee for sector Standards of Foods and Agricultural products” has  prepared 
the Gulf Standard  for "  Pulses and cereal and their products -  Quick frozen whole 
kernel corn  " . The draft Standard has been prepared by State of Qatar.   
This Standard has been approved as a Gulf Technical Regulation by GSO Board of 
Directors in its meeting No. (    ), held on     /    /     H,      /      /     G.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Gulf Standard                                                                                                             GSO …/2013  
 
Pulses and cereal and their products -  
Quick frozen whole kernel corn  
1-Scop e and field of application:  
This Gulf Standard is concerned with the requirements which should be met in  quick 
frozen whole  kernel sweet corn of the species zea mays L. convar.saccharata Koern  
and fit for direct consumption without further processing, except repacking, if 
required.  
This Standard does not apply to the product when indicated as intended for further 
processing or for other industrial purposes.  
 
2-Complementary references :  
2.1 GSO 9" Labe lling of prepackaged food stuffs".  
2.2 GSO 20" Methods for the determination of contaminating metallic 
elements in food stuffs". 
2.3 GSO 21" Hygienic regulations for food plants and their personnel" . 
2.4 GSO 150" Expiration periods of food products" .  
2.5 GSO 168" Conditions of storage facilities for dry and packed food stuffs". 
2.6 GSO 193" Methods of test for enriched and enriched treated wheat flour 
2.7 GSO 332" Fruits and vegetables and derived products - Determination of 
alcohol - insolub le solids content - Method for fresh and frozen peas".  
 2.8 GSO  382, 383" Maximum limits for pesticide residues in agricultural and 
food products - Parts 1, 2" .  
2.9 GSO 839" Food packages - Part 1: General requirements".  
2.10 GSO 841" Maximum limits of fung i toxins permitted in food and animal 
feeds - Aflatoxin".  
2.11 GSO 988" Limits of radioactivity levels permitted in food stuffs - Part 1".  
2.12 GSO 998" Methods for the detection of permissible radionuclide in food - 
Part 1 : Gamma  spectrometry analysis: A, Cs  134, Cs 137".  
2.13 GSO ISO 1000" Cereals - Sampling (as cereals)  .  
2.14 GSO 1004" Fruits and vegetable products - Determination of soluble 
solids content - Refractometric method"  .  
2.15 GSO 1016"Microbiological criteria for food stuffs - Part 1".  
2.16 GSO 1863" Food packages - Part 2: Plastic packages - General 
requirements". 
2.17 GSO/CAC 193: General Standard for contaminants and toxins in food 
and feed". 
2.18 Gulf Standards which Organization shall be approved concerned with:  
1 Gulf Standard                                                                                                             GSO …/2013  
 
2.18.1 "General Standard  for food additives" .  
 
2.18.2  Methods for the determination of fungi toxins in food and animal 
feeds" . 
2.18.3  Methods for the determination of pesticide residues" .  
 
3-Definitions: 
3.1 Quick frozen whole kernel corn:  
A product prepared from fresh, clean whole sound, succulent kernels of sweet corn 
species  zea mays L. convar.saccharata Koern  of either the white or yellow varieties by 
removing husk and silk, by sorting, rtimming and washing, and by sufficiently 
blanching befor or after removal from the cob to ensure adequate stability of color and 
flavor during normal marketing cycles, then qu ick freezing process until the product 
temperature has reached ( -18) ° C at the thermal centre after thermal stabilization.  
3.2 Damage or blemish kernels:  
Any kernels affected by insect injury or damaged by discoloration,pathological injury, 
mechanical inj ury or by any other means to the extent that the appearance or eating 
quality is affected. This defect classified depending upon the extent to which the 
appearance is affected to:  
3.2.1 Minor defect:  Damage or blemish that affects the kernels to only as a  slight 
degree.  
3.2.2 Majior defect: Damage or blemish that is quite noticeable and materially affects 
the kernels.  
3.2.3 Serious defect:  Damage or blemish that is very noticeable  affects the kernels.  
3.3 Corn  cob: 
   Very firm hard cellulose - like material to which the kernels of corn are attached and 
from which the kernels are removed during processing.  
3.4 Husk:  
  The membrane outer covering and one of the constituent parts of an ear of corn that 
is removed during  processing.  
3.5 Silks:  
The coarse thread -like filaments that are one of the constituent parts of corn, such silk 
is found beneath the husk and in immediate contact with the corn kernels.  
2 Gulf Standard                                                                                                             GSO …/2013  
 
3.6 Harmless extraneous vegetable materials  (H EVM) : 
Vegetable matter other than cob, husk or silk  which is harmless, and may include, but 
is not limited to, grass, weeds, leaves and portions of stalk, its classified as defect to:  
3.6.1 Minor: Only slightly noticeable and affects the product to only slight degree.  
3.6.3 Major: Readily  noticeable and affects the product to a material degree.  
3.6.3 Serious: Very noticeable and objectionable and would customarily be discard 
under normal culinary preparation.  
3.7 Pulled kernels:  
Kernels of corn that have been so cut or removed from the ear of corn that portions of 
cob or hard tissue remains , its classified as defect to:  
3.7.1 Minor: Slight amount of cob material or hard tissue remains arround the base of 
the kernel.  
3.7.2 Mahor: Moderate to noticeable amount of adhering cob material.  
    ( If there is excessive amount of cob material adhering, apply tolerance in the   
table).  
 
4-Requirements:  
The following  requirements  shall be met in the product:  
4.1 The production shall be carried out according to the requirements mentioned in 
Gulf Standard stated in Item (2.3).  
4.2 The product shall be free from objectianable materials.  
4.3 Toleraces of visual defects in standard sample 250 gm, shall not exceed the limits 
mentioned in Table    No. (1).  
4.4 The maximum limits of defe cts in the product shall not exceed to what mentioned 
aganit each (in 250 gm sample):  
Pieces of cob                                   :   0.6 cubic centimeters  
Husk                                                :   4.4 square centimeters  
Silk                                                   :  160 centimeters  
Ragged, crushed or broken kernels   : 60 pieces  
3 Gulf Standard                                                                                                             GSO …/2013  
 
4.5 Tte product shall be free from foreign flavor and odor befor and after cooking,  
taking into consideration any added optional ingredients.  
4.6 Tte product shall be free from sand, grit and other foreign materials.  
4.7 The kernels shall be succulent and have similar characteristics.  
4.8 The product shall be free from loose skins.  
4.9 The following optional ingredients may be used:  
      - Spices and condiments.  
      - Edible salt.  
      - Garnishes such as pieces of green or red peppers, or mixed of both, which may 
be sweet or hot and may be dried , other vegetables may be used, provided shall not 
exceed 5% of the finished product.  
4.10 The soluble solids content of the juice pressed from the kernels by refractometer 
at 20° C, shall not less than 20 .  
4.11 The alcohol insoluble solids content of the whole kernels shall not exceed 30% 
m/m.  
4.12 The  additives to the product shall be a llowed according to Gulf Standard stated 
in Item (2.1 8.1). 
4.13 Pesticide residues in the product shall not exceed the allowable limits according 
to Gulf Standard stated in Item (2. 8). 
4.14  The maximum limits for contaminating metals according to  Gulf Standard stated 
in Item (2.1 7). 
4.15 The maximum limits for Aflatoxins limits according to  Gulf Standard stated in 
Item (2. 10). 
4.16  The product shall be free from live and dead insects, their residues and parts 
and from rodent residues.  
4.17  Microbiologic al criteria of the product shall comply with Gulf Standard stated in 
Item (2.1 5). 
4.18 The radioactivity contaminant limits for the product  shall comply with Gulf 
Standard stated in Item (2.1 1). 
 
4 Gulf Standard                                                                                                             GSO …/2013  
 
 
Table  No. (1)  
Permitted visual defects (in sample 250 gm)  
 
Defects  Unit of 
evaluation  Defect categories  
Minor  Major  Serious  Total  
Damage or 
blemish:  
minor 
major 
serious   
 
Each kernel   
1  
 
2  
 
 
4  
Harmless 
EVM:  
minor  
major  
serious   
 
Each piece   
1  
 
2  
 
 
4  
Pulled 
kernels:  
minor  
major  
  
 
Each kernel   
 
1  
 
 
2   
Total 
allowable 
points   
   
60  
40  
20  
60 
 
 
5- Sampling: 
Samples shall be taken according to  Gulf Standard stated in Item (2.1 3).  
 
6- Methods of examination and test: 
6.1 Determination of alcohol - insoluble solids content shall be carried out 
according to Gulf Standard stated in Item ( 2.7).  
 6.2 Determination of soluble  solids content shall be carried out 
according to Gulf Standard stated in Item ( 2.14).  
6.3 Determination o f aflatoxins shall be carried out according to Gulf 
Standard stated in Item (2. 18.2 ).  
6.4 Determination of pesticides residues shall be carried out according to Gulf 
Standard stated in Item (2. 18.3 ).  
6.5 Determination of contaminated metallic elements shall be carried out 
according to Gulf Standard stated in Item (2.2). 
6.6 Detection of radioactivity limits shall be carried out according to Gulf 
Standard stated in Item (2.1 2).  
5 Gulf Standard                                                                                                             GSO …/2013  
 
7- Packaging, transportati on and storage:  
 
7.1 Packaging:  
7.1.1 Without prejudice to what mentioned in Gulf Standards stated in Items 
(2.9, 2.1 6), the product shall be packaged in suitable containers to keep the it 
and protect it from any contamination lead to change its propertie s or its 
fitting for human consumption. 
7.1.2 The containers shall be kept the physical properties for the product, and 
not leak or transfer to it any odors, taste, color or any foreign characteristics 
during processing or distribute the product until the time of final using.  
 
7.2 Transportation: 
Product transportation shall be carried out by means of sound and clean 
means, do not previously used in transportation of any poisoning or harmful 
materials, and the transportation shall be carried out with a way do not lead 
to spoilage of the product. 
 
7.3 Storage:  
Without prejudice to what mentioned in Gulf Standards stated in Items (2.5), 
the stores shall be good ventilation and far from heat and contamination 
sources. 
 
 
8- Labe lling:  
Without prejudice to what mentioned in Gulf Standards stated in Items (2.1, 
2.4), the following shall be declared on the label  in Arabic language, and may 
write in another language beside the Arabic language: 
8.1 The name of the product (quick frozen whole corn kernels) . 
8.2 Produ ct color (yellow or white).  
8.3 Conditions of keeping, storage and handling .  
8.4 Additives other than salt. 
8.5 Cooking directions.  
8.6 In the case of quick frozen whole kernel corn in bulk, the information 
required above shall either be placed on the cont ainer or be given in 
accompanying documents, except that the name of the food accompanied by 
the words quick frozen or frozen. The name and address of the manufacturer 
or packer shall appear on the container. 
7 
  
 Gulf Standard                                                                                                             GSO …/2013