هيئة التقييس لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية  
G.C.C STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION (GSO)  
 
 
Final Draft  
 
GSO 05/ FDS ---- / 2013  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Prepared By  
Prepared By  
GSO Technical Committee for standards of food and agriculture products  
 
 
This document is a draft GSO Standard circulated for comments. It is, therefore, 
subject to alteration and modification and may not be referred to as a GSO Standard 
until approved by GSO Board Of Directors  
 
ICS:67. 180  المياه العطرية – المعدة للإستهلاك الآدمي 
المتطلبات العامة 
EDIBLE ESSENTIAL WATER 
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS 
 
 
 
 
 
 GSO STANDARD                                                                      GSO ---- /2013            
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 Date of Board of Directors’    
approval  :  
  Issuing Status  :  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
EDIBLE ESSENTIAL WATER 
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS 
 
  
 
 GSO STANDARD                                                                      GSO ---- /2013            
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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 standards of food and agriculture products"  has been renew Gulf 
standard No. 1017/1998  The Draft Standard has been prepared by Sultanate of Oman.  
This standard has been approved as a Gulf (Standard / Technical Regul ation)  by GSO 
Board of Directors  in its meeting No.(       ),held on      /    /            H ,     /     /              
G. The approved standard will replace and supersede the GSO standard No. ( 1017       
/ 1998      ).    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 GSO STANDARD                                                                      GSO ---- /2013            
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 EDIBLE ESSENTIAL WATER  
GENERAL REQUIREMENTS 
 
1- SCOPE  
 
This standard is concerned with the general requirements of the edible essential water  
Intended for human consumption.  
 
2- COMPLEMENTARY REFERENCES  
 
2.1    GSO 9 “Labelling of Prepackaged Foods”.  
2.2    GSO 21 “Hygienic Regulations for Food Plants and their Personnel”.  
2.3    GSO 20 “Methods for the Determination of Contaminating Metallic  
         Elements    in Foods”.  
2.4    GSO 116 “Methods of Test for Drinking and Mineral Water - Part 3:  
         Determinatio n of Dissolved Solids,   pH Value”.  
2.5    GSO 261 “Microbiological Methods of Food Examination - Part 1:  
         Preparation   of Samples”.  
2.6    GSO 652    “Microbiology - General Guidance for Preparation of Dilutions for  
         Microbiological     Exam ination”.  
2.7    GSO ISO 7251 “Microbiology - General Guidance for Preparation of  
         Presumptive  Escherichia   Coli - Most Probable Number Technique”.  
2.8    GSO ISO 4831 “Microbiology - General Guidance for Enumeration of  
         Coliforms – Most   Probable Number Technique”.  
2.9    GSO ISO 4833  “Microbiology - General Guidance for Enumeration of  
         Micro -Organisms - Colony Count Technique at 30oC”.  
2.10   GSO 1000  “Methods of Sampling for Prepackaged Food Products ”.  
2.11   GSO 1022  “Metho ds of Test for Essential Water”.  
2.12   GSO 150  “Expiration Periods of Food Products”.  
2.13     GSO 149   “Un bottled Drinking Water”.  
2.14     GSO 839    “Food Packages - Part 1: General Requirements”.  
2.15     GSO 1863  “Food Packages - Part II: Plastic Packages, General Regulations”.  
2.16     GSO 356  “Preservatives Permitted for Use in Food Products”.  
  
3- DEFINITIONS  
 
3.1     Natural Rose Water:  
Rose water is a by -product of the rose oil processing. “Rosa Damascena”, petals  
are steam distilled under pressure. After the first and second distillation, rose oil  
is removed. The remaining oily solution is mixed with the inlet vessel water  
equally.  
 GSO STANDARD                                                                      GSO ---- /2013            
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3.2     Natural Flower Water:  
         Flower water is a by -product of the orange flower oil processing. “Citrus  
        aurantium” petals are steam distilled under pressure. After the first and second  
        distillation, orange flower oil is removed. The remaining oily solution is mixed  
        with the inlet vessel water equa lly. This mixture is flower water.  
3.3    Blended Rose Water:  
        It is prepared by blending concentrated natural rose water extract or natural rose  
       oil with distilled water without prejudice of the requirements of this standard.  
3.4    Blended Orange Blossom Water:  
         It is prepared by blending concentrated natural flowers water extract or natural  
         blossom oil with distilled water without prejudice of the requirements of this  
         standard.  
3.5    Mint  Water : 
        It is water resulting from the distillation of parts vegetative ripe for mint plant       
         species by direct steam.  
3.6     Anise water:  
         It is the water resulting from the distillation anise fruits by direct  steam . 
3.7    Cinnamon water:  
       It is water resulting from the distillation of the cinnamon   tree bark  (bark)  by  
       direct steam  
 
4- REQUIREMENTS  
 
The natural essential water shall be meeting  the following requirements:  
4.1     It shall be processed in accordance to  the hygienic regulations stated in GSO     
standard  Mentioned  in  (2.2).  
4.2     The water used in distillation shall be comply with the GSO standard  
Mentioned  in  the item  (2.13). 
4.3    It shall be clear, colorless or yellowish.  
4.4    It shall be free from precipitate and turbidity.  
4.5    It shall have the natural odour and test of essential plant.  
4.6    It shall be free from foreign odour and taste . 
4.7    It shall be completely free from added organic solvents.  
4.8    It shall be free from etha nol and methanol.  
4.9    The chemical requirements shall be as indicated in the following table  (1): 
 
Table (1)  
Characteristics  
 Requirements  
 
% Of non -volatile material by weight, 
max 0.012  GSO STANDARD                                                                      GSO ---- /2013            
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No. hydrogen ion concentration  5.5- 7 
Acidity value: mg Potassium 
Hydroxide / ml, max  
 0.4 
 
 
4.10  The ratio of the essential oil extracted with solvents, according to reported in  
Table ( 2):   
Table ( 2) 
 
Edible Essential Water  Minimum essential oil extracted with 
solvents  
Flower Water  0.035% (weight / volume)  
Rose Water  0.02% (weight / volume)  
Mint Water  0.09% (weight / volume)  
Anise water  0.1% (weight / volume)  
Cinnamon water  0.1% (weight / volume)  
 
 
4.11   It shall be free from any food additives except the following preservatives:  
         - Slupher dioxide or one of its salts not exceed than 70 mg/L.  
         - Penzoic acid or one of its slats not more than 150 mg/L.  
4.12   The contaminating metallic elements content shall not exceed the following:  
                                      Iron               0.5     ppm 
                                      copper           0.2     ppm 
                                       lead              0.01   ppm 
                                      cadmium       0.08   ppm 
4.13    The total count of bacter ia shall not be more than 100 cel/1 ml.  
4.14    The coliform shall not be more than 10 cel/100 ml.  
4.15    It shall be free from Escherichia coli, Pseudommonas aeruginosa, Candida.  
           Bacillus cereus, and all other pathogenic micro -organisms.  
4.16    The yeasts shall not be more than 20 cel/ml.  
 
5- SAMPLING  
 
Sampling shall be carried out according to GS O mentioned in item (2.01). 
 
6- METHODS OF TEST  
 
6.1      Tests shall be carried out according to GS O mentioned in item s (2.3 to 2.11 ). 
6.2      Tests shall be carried out on the representative sample drawn according to item             
(5) to determine its compliance with all the items of this standard  
 
 GSO STANDARD                                                                      GSO ---- /2013            
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7- PACKAGING, TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE  
 
7.1     Packing:  
 
         The product shall be packed in suitable hygienic, clean, dry, well sealed not  
          previously used containers and do not affect on the properties of product the  
          properties  and complying with the GSO standards mentioned in Items (2.1 4)   
          and (2.1 5). 
7.2     Transportation:  
 
         Transportation shall be carried out in such a way as to protect the containers   
from  damage, contamination and far a way sunlight.  
 
7.3    Storage  
 
7.3.1      Containers shall be stored in well ventila ted stores far direct sunlight and    
sources  of heat and contamination . 
7.3.2     The product shall be stored at not more than 25oC. 
 
8- LABELLING  
 
Without prejudice to provisions of GSO Standard mentioned in item (2.1) and  Item  
(2.12) and shall be declared on the label of the product:  
8.1      Percentage of essential oil.  
8.2      Food preservatives or its code numbers.  
8.3       The term “blended shall be appear on the label in the case of essential water  
            prepared by blending”.  
8.4       The term “Natural or by distillation” may be appear on the label in the case of  
            essential water obtained by distillation only.