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                                                             TBS/AFDC 22 (5266) P 3 
 
 
 
 
 
DRAFT  TANZANIA STANDARD  
 
Pork carcasses and cuts  – Specification  
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
 
TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDARDS  
 
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 This Tanzania Standard was published under the authority of the Board of Directors of Tanzania 
Bureau of Standards on …………...  
 
The Tanzania Bureau of Standards (TBS) is the statutory National Standards Body for Tanz ania, 
established under the Standards Act No. 3 of 1975 and replaced by the Standards Act No.2 of 
2009.  
 
The Agriculture and Food Divisional Standards Committee, under whose supervision  this 
Tanzania Standard was prepared, consists of representatives from  the following organizations:  
 
Sokoine University (SUA) *  
  Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security (MAFSC)  
Tanzania Food and Drug Authority (TFDA) *  
Tanzania Food and Nutrition Center (TFNC)  
Small Industries Development Organizations (SIDO)  
Tanzania R evenue Authority (TRA)  
Biashara Consumers Services Ltd (BCSL)  
Government Chemist Laboratory Agency (GCLA)  
Tanzania Honey Council (THC)  
Tanzania Commission for Science and Technology (COSTECH)  
Tanzania Industrial Research and Development Organization (TIRD O) 
 
  
The organizations marked with an asterisk (*) in the above list, together with the following were 
directly represented on the Technical Committee entrusted with the preparation of this Tanzania 
Standard:  
 
Chalinze Meat Products (CMP) Ltd  
Arusha Meat  Company Ltd  
Kongwa Beef Company Ltd  
Interchick Co. Ltd  
  Ministry of Livestock and Fisheries Development (MLFD)  
Tanzania Bureau of Standards, TBS – Food Laboratory  
 
 
 
Tanzania Bureau of Standards  
P O Box 9524  
Dar es Salaam  
Tel: 022 2450206/2450298/245094 9 
Fax: 022 2450959  
E-mail: info@tbstz.org  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
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 Pork carcasses and cuts  – Specification   
 
0 FOREWORD  
 
Pork is mostl y the muscle tissue of a pig  (swine) that is eaten as food  and is highly 
valued because of its rich ness  in nutrients such as protei n. Pork carcass es and cuts are 
products of c ommercial importance  and have a high export potential .  
 
Pork carcass es and cuts are locally p roduced in Tanzania , some are exported and some  
are imported. It is, therefore, found necessary to formulate this Tanz ania standard in 
order to ensure the safety and quality of pork and pork  cuts traded  in the country . 
 
In the preparation of this Tanzania  Standard substantial assistance was drawn from:  
 
Indian Standard IS : 1723  — 1960 Specification  for pork , published by Indian Bureau 
of standards  
 
      Malaysian standard MS 547:1978:  Specification for fresh, chilled and frozen , 
published  by the Standards and Industrial Research Institute of Malaysia . 
 
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).  
 
1.0 SCOPE  
 
This Tanzania  Standard prescribes the requirements, methods of sampling  and test for  
Pork carcass es and cuts . 
 
2.0 REFERENCES  
 
The following referenced standards are indispensable for the application of this draft 
standard. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, 
the latest edition of the referenced standard  (including any amendments) applies.  
  
TZS 4, Rounding off numerical values  
TZS 109 , Food processing units  - Code of hygiene  
TZS 131 /ISO 7954 , Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuff – General guidance 
for enumeration of yeasts and moulds – Colony count techniq ue at 25oC 
TZS 118 /ISO 4833 , Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method 
for the enumeration of microorganisms – Colony -count technique at 30  oC. 
TZS 121, Microbiological examination for clostridium botulinum and clostridium 
botulin um toxins  – Test method  
TZS 122, Microbiology of food and feeding staffs  – Horizontal method for detection of 
Salmonella spp . 
TZS 125 -1 /ISO 6888 -1, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal 
method for the enumeration of coagulase -positiv e staphylococci ( Staphylococcus aureus  
and other species) – Part 1: Technique using Baird -Parker agar medium – Amendment 
1: Inclusion of precision data . 
TZS 125 -2 /ISO 6888 -2, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal 
method for the enume ration of coagulase -positive staphylococci ( Staphylococcus aureus  
and other species) – Part 2: Technique using Rabbi t Plasma Fibrinogen agar medium.  
TZS 538 , Labelling of pre -packaged foods — General requirements .  
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 TZS 731  /ISO 7251 , Microbiology of food an d feeding -stuffs – Horizontal method for the 
detection and enumeration of presumptive Escherichia  coli – Most Probable Number 
Technique.  
TZS 949 -1/ISO 21528 -1, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal 
methods for the detection and enumer ation of Enterobacteriaceae – Part 1 – Detection 
and enumeration by MP N technique with pre -enrichment.  
TZS 949-2 /ISO 21528 -2, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs -- Horizontal 
methods for the detection and enumeration of Enterobacteriaceae – Part 2 – Colony 
count method .  
TZS 183 , Fresh meat in retail – Code of hygiene . 
TZS 110 , Ante mortem and post mortem inspection of slaughter animals, fresh meat and 
processed meat products – Code of hygiene . 
 
 
3.0 TERMS AND DEFINITIONS  
For the purpose of this dr aft Tanzania standard, the following terms and definitions shall 
apply:  
 
3.1 abattoir/slaughter house  
premises approved and registered by the controlling authority used for the 
slaughter ing pigs  intended for human consumption . 
 
3.2 pork carcass  
the trunk of a slaughtered pig (swine ) de-haired and the head,  hocks, guts and gut fill 
removed.   
 
3.3 external fat  
the subcutaneous fats also known as back fat  and clear  plate; the  amount of external fat 
should be within the specifications  for the individual grades.  
 
3.4 firmness  
the characteristic  of the fat which can be very soft and oily  to very firm; t he lean portion 
can also be very soft to very firm.  
 
3.5 fresh pork carcass  
pork carcass from slaughtered pig (swine ), which has not undergone any processing.  
 
3.6 chilled pork carcass  
pork carcass that has been cooled to a temperature range of 1 —4°C at the deepest 
portion within 24 h.  
 
3.7 frozen pork carcass  
pork carcass that has been previously chilled and  exposed to an air temperature of  1- 4 
°C   and then  brought t o an internal temperature of  -18°C at the deepest  portion of 
muscle.  
 
3.8 wholesale cut  
any pork cut handled in bulk.  
 
3.9 per cent fat yield  
the trimmed bellies, jowls, clear plates and back  fat as a percentage of carcass weight.  
 
3.10 per cent lean yield 
flesh devoid of subcutaneous fat  expressed as a percentage of carcass weight .   
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3.11 conformation  
 animal formation with general reference to the pigs’ body proportions and its ratio of 
edible tissue to bone . 
 
3.12 primal cuts  
major pork cuts such as loins, leg, and  shoulders . . 
 
3.13 competent authority  
the official institution charged  by the government with the control of pork qu ality, safety 
and certification.  
 
3.14  dressing  
removal of bristles , viscera, genital , urinary bladder and feet up to the carpal and tarsal 
joints and udder of lactating sows and where necessary splitting of the carcass 
lengthwise . 
 
3.15 edible offal  
non-carcass  part passed  fit for human consumption . 
 
3.16  marbling  
the amount, size and distribution of intramuscular fat deposits in the muscles  of a pork 
carcass .  
 
3.17  pork   
edible part of any pig (swine ) slaughtered for human consumption . 
 
3.18  cuts 
pieces of meat  derived from primal cuts.  
  
3.19 split 
dividing the carcass lengthwise into two  halves . 
 
 
4.0 REQUIREMENTS  
 
4.1 General requirements  
4.1.1 Pork shall be derived from a  healthy pig (swine) and slaughtered in a hygienically 
managed abattoir/slaughter house. The slaughtering shall be supervised by a competent 
authority. Pig and pork carcasses thereof shall be subjected to ante -and post -mortem  
inspection as prescribe d in TZS 110, and carcasses, sides and cuts thereof shall be 
certified as being wholesome, sound and free from contagious and infectious diseases 
and fit for human consumption.  
 
4.1.2  Certified carcasses, sides and cuts shall bear suitable marks of such i nspection 
giving the symbol or number or name of the establishment where they were slaughtered 
and the legend ‘PASSED’ denoting wholesomeness but not denoting the grade or 
quality. The marking fluid used shall be of food grade material.  
 
4.1.3  Pork carcasses and  cuts shall  be; 
a) properly dressed, washed, butchered, trimmed, weighed, packaged and labelled 
as well as free from bruises or blemishes of any kind.  
b) intact, taking into account the presentation.  
c) free from visible blood clots, or bone dust.   
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 d) free from any vis ible foreign matter (e.g. dirt, wood, plastic, metal particles)  
e) free from offensive odours.  
f) free from obstructive blood stains.  
g) free from unspecified protruding or broken bones.  
h) free from contusion denoting material impact on the product.  
i) free from freezer -burns and hair.  
 
4.2 Specific requirements   
4.2.1 Types of Pork  carcasses and/or cuts  
a) Type A — fresh pork carcass . They shall not be hung for more than 12h  prior 
to delivery and shall not be frozen at any time prior to delivery.  
b) Type B — fresh, chilled p ork carcass.  They shall be maintained at a  
temperature between 1 -4°C and shall not be hung for  more than 7 days prior to 
delivery or processing . The chilled  pork carcass shall not show any sign of 
deterioration (slimy, mouldy  surface, discolouration, foul odour, etc.)  
c) Type C fresh, frozen pork carcass.  They shall be maintained in a hard-frozen  
condition, or stored at -18°C or lower.  
 
Note:  Each type and class of pork carcass shall conform to the grade 
specification  given in Table 1 . 
 
d) Fresh pork cuts . These shall be prepared from carcasses, which  conform to the 
requirements given in 4.2.2. The pork cuts may be as  
follows:  
 
i. Leg. This is   a well-trimmed,  commercial cut.  Fat shall not exceed 4 cm 
in thickness  at the butt end and shall have a minimum weight of 5.0 kg. 
ii. Shoulder.  This shall be well-trimmed commercial cut,  and shall have a  
minimum weight of 2.5 kg . 
iii. Loin . This is  a well -trimmed commercial cut  from the middle part of the 
carcass excluding the belly and may include tender  loin 
iv. Tenderloin.  This shall include the whole fillet, free from fat . 
v. Spare -ribs.  These are usually derived from the belly  butts ??Butts.  Thes e 
shall be commercial -cut, well -trimme d butts; shall  weigh from 1.5 kg to 
3.0 kg.  
 
e) Fresh chilled pork cuts . These shall be the same as fresh (see  6.3) except that 
they shall be prepared from carcasses which conform  to the requirements given 
in 6.1 .2.  
 
f) Fresh, frozen pork cuts . These shall be the same as chilled  except that the 
pork shall be frozen solid when delivered and shall  show no evidence of 
refreezing or deterioration. Frozen pork cuts shall  be in refrigeration for not more 
than three months from the time they  were placed in the freezer to the time they 
are offered for delivery at  final destination.  
 
4.2.2 Storage and Temperature treatment  
Pork carcasses and cuts  shall be subjected to the following temperature treatment:  
 
a) Chilling – fresh pork carcasses sides or cuts shall be brought to a temperature of 
between 1 OC and 4 OC and should be consumed within a period of 7 days .  
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b) Freezing – The pork  carcass sides or cuts shall be pre -chilled before freezing. 
Freezing shall be at -18 OC at the highest, within three days. The frozen product 
shall be consumed within 12 months.  
 
4.3 Classes and Grades  requirements  
4.3.1 Pork and pork cuts c lasses shall b e as in Table 1.  
 
Table 1: The Tanzania Pig carcass grades  
Grade  Carcass weight  (kgs)  Fat thickness (mm)  
 
 1 Up 20  1 – 17 
 2 Between 20 and 55  18 – 27 
 3 Between 55 and 100  28 – 32 
 4 Above 100  33 and above  
 
5.0 CONTAMINANTS  
 
5.1 Heavy metal contaminants  
The products  covered by this Standard shall comply with the requirements for heavy 
metals prescribed in Table 2 . 
 
Table 2 : Heavy metal requirements  
S/N Characteristic  Requirements  Method of test  
(see clause 2)  
1.  Arsenic, mg/kg, max.  0.1 TZS 76  
2.  Lead , mg/kg , max.  0.1 TZS 268  
3.  Cadmium , mg/kg, max.  0.05 ICP/AAS  
4.  Mercury , mg/kg, max.  0.03 ICP/AAS  
5.2 Veterinary drug residues  
Fresh, chilled and frozen pork meat shall comply with veterinary drug residue limits as 
prescribed in the CAC/MRL 2.   
 
6.0 HYGIENE  
6.1 Pork shall be  produced and  prepared under strict hygienic conditions 
according to TZS 109 and TZS 112 (See clause 2).  
 
6.2 Pork shall not contain microbiological count s exceeding requirements 
prescribed  in Table 3 . 
 
  
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 Table 3: Microbiological limits for Pork carcasses and meat cuts  
S/N Characteristics  Requirements  Method of test  
(see clause 2)  
1.  Total plate count, cfu/g , max.  104  TZS 118  
2.  Enterobacteriaceae , max.  102 TZS 949 (Part 1 or 2)  
3.  Salmonella  spp, /25 g  Absent  TZS 122  
4.  Esherichia coli , MPN/g  Absent TZS 731  
5.  Listeria monocytogenes  Absent  TZS 852 (Part 1 & 2)  
6.  Clostridium botulium  Absent  TZS 121  
7.  Staphylococcus aureus  Absent  TZS 125 (Part 1 or 2)  
8.  Yeast/moulds, cfu/ml , max.  102 TZS 131  
 
 
7.0 SAMPLING AND TESTS  
7.1 Sampling  
Sampling of pork ca rcasses and meat cuts shall be done according to TZS 34 -1 and test 
samples shall be prepared in accordance with TZS 821 (see clause 2).  
 
7.2 Tests  
Testing of pork shall be done according to test methods prescribed in Table s 1 and 2.  
8.0 PACKAGING, MARKING AND LAB ELING  
 
8.1 Packing and transport  
In addition to the packaging and labeling requirements prescribed in TZS 538 (see 
clause 2) , pork carcasses  and cuts shall also be pa cked and transported as follows:   
 
8.1.1 Fresh and chilled meat and meat cuts shall be wr apped in suitable food grade 
paper, polyethylene or any other food grade material permitted by health authorities for 
use in wrapping foods. The products if wrapped may be packed in wax cartons or other 
approved containers.  
 
8.1.2 Vacuum packed cuts shall be delivered intact.   
 
8.1.3 All fresh, chilled and frozen pork and cuts shall be moved to refrigerated transport 
and the packages shall be handled with due care of preserving the quality and hygienic 
conditions of the products.  
 
8.1.4 The packages shall not be exposed to direct sun or rain.  
 
8.2 Marking  and labeling  
Pork carcasses  and cuts  shall be marked and labeled in accordan ce with TZS 538 (see 
clause 2).  In addition,  each c ontainer  of Pork carcasses and cuts shall be legibly and 
indelibly marked with  the following information:  
 
a) Name and grade of the product ; 
b) Name and address of the manufacturer;  
c) Batch or code number;  
d) Number of pieces;  
e) Net weight ; 
f) Date of packing / freezing ; 
g) Expiry date ; 
h) Country of origin ;  
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 i) Storage  and cooking instructions ; 
j) The language on the label shall be “Kiswahili” or Kiswahili and English. A dditional  
language may be used depending on the designated market.  
 
8.3 The container may also be marked with TBS Certification Mark.  
 
NOTE  – The TBS Standards Mark of Quality may be used by the manufacturers 
only under license  from TBS. Particulars of conditions under which the 
licenses  are granted may be obtained from TBS.