هيئة التقييس لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية  
GCC STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION (GSO)  
 
 
 
 
 
Final  Draft  
 
 
 
GSO 05  /FDS 18 / 201 2  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
المشروبات الغازية غير الكحولية 
NON - ALCOHOLIC CARBONATED  
BEVERAGES  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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: 67.160.20   
 
 
 
 
 
NON - ALCOHOLIC CARBONATED  
BEVERAGES 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Date of Board of Directors’     :  
approval   Issuing Status  :  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 GSO 18/ 2013  GSO STANDARD 
 
 Foreword 
 
GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) is a regional Organization which consists of the 
National Standa rds 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) "Technical committee for 
standards of food  and agriculture products" has updated the GSO Standard No. :                
GSO 18/2006. " Non-Alcoholic Carbonated Beverages " The Draft Standard has been revised  
by Sultanate Of Oman  . 
This standard has been approved as a Gulf Technical regulation by GSO Board of Directors in 
its meeting No. (), held on ……. , The approved standard will replace and supersede the GSO 
standard No. (18/2006) . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 GSO 18/ 2013  GSO STANDARD 
 
  
NON - ALCOHOLIC CARBONATED  
BEVERAGES 
 
1. SCOPE AND FIELD OF APPLICATION  
This standard is concerne d with non-alcoholic carbonated beverages . 
 
2. COMPLEMENTARY REFERENCES  
“Labelling of Prepackaged Foods”.  GSO 9  2.1 
“Non-Alcoholic Carbonated Beverages  – Preliminary Examination and 
Determination of Total Acidity and Sodium Carbonate Contents".  GSO 11  2.2 
“Non -alcoholic carbonated beverages - Determination of carbon 
dioxide content.”  GSO 12  2.3 
“Non-Alcoholic Carbonated Beverages  –Determination of Sulphur 
Dioxide Content".  GSO 13  2.4 
“Non-Alcoholic Carbonated Beverages  –Determination of Phosphoric 
Acid Content".  GSO 14  2.5 
“Determination of heavy Metals in Food stuff"”.  GSO 20    2.6 
“Hygienic Regulations for Food Plants and Their Personnel”.  GSO 21  2.7 
“Un bottled Drinking Water”.  GSO 149  2.8 
“Expiration periods at food products”.  GSO 150  2.9 
“Requi rements  of Storage Faciliti es for Dry and Canned Foodstuff ". GSO 168  2.10 
2.11   CODEX  192 “General standard for Food Additives Which will be adopted by GSO.   
“Flavorings Permitted for Use in Foodstuff”.  GSO 707  2.12 
“General Regulations for Food Contai ners”.  GSO 839  2.13 
“Determination of Sweeteners Permitted in Use for Food Products – 
Part 1”  GSO 840  2.14 
“Microbiological Criteria for Foodstuffs – Part 1".  GSO 1016  2.15 
“Non -Returnable Glass Bottles for Carbonated Beverages".   GSO 1024  2.16 
“Non -Alcoholic Carbonated Beverages  – Sampling".  GSO 1409  2.17 
“Non -Alcoholic Carbonated Beverages  – Determination of Arsenic and 
Lead Contents".  GSO 1410  2.18 
“Non -Alcoholic Carbonated Beverages  – Determination of Sugar and 
Saccharine Contents".  GSO 1411  2.19 
"Non -alcoholic carbonated beverages - detection of saponine dolsine and 
mineral acids.  GSO 1412  2.20 
"Non-Alcoholic Carbonated Beverages  –Methods of Bacteriological 
Examination”.  GSO 1413  2.21 
"The two pieces aluminum round cans used for canning food 
(Beverages & stuff ). GSO 1793  2.22 GSO 18/ 2013  GSO STANDARD 
 
 “Edible Salt”.  GSO 1843    2.23 
“COFFEE - DETERMINATION OF CAFFEINE CONTENT 
(REFERENCE METHOD”  GSO ISO 
4052:1997  2.24 
“Fruit and vegetable products - Determination of benzoic acid and 
sorbic acid concentration - high-perfor mance liquid chromatography 
method”  GSO ISO 
22855:201  2.25 
"Carbon Dioxide used for food -stuff".  GSO …  2.26 
 
3 . DEFINETIONS  
3.1  Carbonated Beverage:  Non-alcoholic beverage prepared from syrup added to one or 
more of natural or artificial flavorings, na tural or artificial colors and saturated with 
carbon dioxide  
 3.2  Carbonated Water (Soda Water): water saturated with carbon dioxide and packaged 
in containers to prevent contamination  
 3.3 Gas Volume: the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by water or bev erage under 
normal atmospheric pressure at 15.5 °C.  
  
4. REQUIREMENTS  
The following requirements shall be met in Non -Alcoholic Carbonated Beverages and 
carbonated water:  
4.1     Produced and prepared according to GSO standard requirements mentioned in Item 
(2.7) 
4.2 The water used in the preparation of non -alcoholic carbonated beverages and 
carbonated water shall be potable and complying with the Gulf standard mentioned in 
(2.8). 
4.3 The Carbon dioxide used the preparation of non -alcoholic carbonated bever ages and 
carbonated water shall comply  with the Gulf standard mentioned in (2.26). 
4.4 Shall be free of exotic sediment, smells of mold  and fermentation, insects and their 
parts and their secretions, cork and glass pieces, and any other impurities.  
4.5 The product  which contain s artificial coloring and flavoring shall  be free  of separation  
and residues.  
4.6 The carbonated water and non -alcoholic carbonated beverage shall be prepared from 
water complying with GSO standard mentioned in Item (4.2 ) and carbon dioxide 
complying with GSO standard mentioned in Item (4.3).  GSO 18/ 2013  GSO STANDARD 
 
 4.7 Shall not add any substance to the carbonated water other than carbonate or 
bicarbonate sodium by no more than one gram per liter (1 g/ L) and Stannous Chloride 
(in the case of canned soda wa ter only) at a rate not exceeding 20 parts per million (20 
ppm), calculated as “Tin”.  
4.8 The food additives used shall comply with the following:  
4.8.1  The Natural and artificial coloring materials, Organic acids,  Preservatives, Anti -
oxidizers, Stabilize r matter - Buffering agent - Thickening agent (viscosity -producing 
agent) - Foaming agent - Emulsifier matter - Turbidity agent: Permitted in Use for 
Food shall be comply with the standard mentioned in Item ( 2.11)  according to the 
food category No. 14.1. 4 
4.8.2 Allowed nutritive sweeteners include sucrose, transformed sugars, glucose, fructose, 
and honey.  
4.8.3 Flavors and flavor enhancers (natural or artificial) shall comply with GSO standard 
mentioned in  Item (2.12):  
4.8.3.1 Fruit juice (natural, concen trated, dehydrated)  
4.8.3.2 Extracts of natural flavor of any fruit,  vegetable,  floral buds,  bark,  roots or leaves of 
plant.  
4.8.4  Edible salt (Sodium Chloride) shall comply with GSO standard mentioned in Item 
(2.23). 
4.8.5 Allowable levels of Caffeine as  set out in Table (1).   
4.8.6 Allowable levels of Quinine as set out in Table (1).  
4.8.7 Enzymatic Preparation Glucose -oxidase -catalase preparation.  
4.9  The concentrations of heavy metals in non -alcoholic carbonated beverages shall not 
exceed the limits m entioned below:  
                                                   Arsenic *                         0.1 ppm  
                                                    Lead                            0.02 ppm  
                                                    Cademium                   0.01 ppm  
                                                     Mercury                      0.01  ppm  
                                                     Inorganic Arsenic      0.1 ppm  
* If the total arsenic (organic and inorganic) exceeds the value set above, the maximum 
concentration of inorganic arsenic shall be determined.  
 
4.10 The allowable limits of specific constituents in carbonated water  and carbonated GSO 18/ 2013  GSO STANDARD 
 
 beverages are set out in Table (1).  
4.11 The Microbiological Criteria s hall be in accordance to GSO standard mentioned in 
Item  (2.15). 
 
Table (1)  : Constituent s of the product   
 
Constituent  
  
Maximum Permissible Levels  (ppm)  
Soluble gas inside the can  According to good manufacturing process  
Concentration of soluble materia ls According to good manufacturing process  
Organic acids as Anhydrous Citric acid  According to good manufacturing process  
Phosphoric Acid (in beverages which 
contain cola and ginger)  1000 mg / kg  
EDTA (Ethylene Diamine Tetra 
Acetates):   200 mg /Kg  
Glycerol Ester of Wood Re sin:  150 mg /Kg  
Caffeine  200  
Quinine  85  
Saponine  80  
 
Constituent   
Minimum Permissible Levels (ppm)  
 
Quinine (In the case  to suggest  that the 
presence of  quinine)  60  
 
5- SAMPLING:  
Samples shall be taken according to GSO stan dard mentioned in Item (2.17). 
 
6- METHOD OF TESTS:  
Test shall be carried out on the representative sample taken according to Item (5) to determine 
its compliance with the following testing methods:  
6.1 Visual inspection, flavor, color and odor in accordan ce to GSO standard mentioned in  
              Item (2.2).  
6.2 Determination of organic acids as anhydrous citric acid according GSO standard  
             mentioned in  Item (2.2).  
6.3 Determination of soluble gas volume accordance to GSO standard mention ed in Item  
           (2.3).  
6.4 Determination of Phosphoric Acid (in beverages which contain cola and ginger) 
accordance to GSO standard mentioned in Item (2.5).  
6.5 Determination of Caffeine concentration accordance to GSO standard mentioned in   GSO 18/ 2013  GSO STANDARD 
 
              Item (2.24). 
6.6 Determination of Quinine concentration where a product is deemed to contain quinine  
6.7 Determination of Saponine concentration accordance to GSO standard mentioned in  
            Item (2.20). 
6.8 Detection of heavy metals accordanc e to GSO standard mentioned in Item (2.18). 
6.9 Determination of Sorbic  Acid or one of its salts  accordance to GSO standard 
mentioned in  Item (2.25). 
6.10 Determination of Benzoic Acid accordance to GSO standard mentioned in Item (2.25). 
6.11 Determination  of Sulphur Dioxide Content or any of Sulfuric acid salts (determined as 
Sulphur Dioxide gas) accordance to GSO standard mentioned in Item (2.4).  
6.12 Determination of concentration of Sweeteners Permitted in Use for Food Products 
accordance to GSO standar d mentioned in Item (2.14).  
6.13 Determination of concentration of soluable solid materials by using Brix degree 
estimation instrument . 
 
7- PACKAGING, TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE:  
 
The packaging, transportation and storage shall be as the following:  
7.1 Packaging:   
     Without prejudice to provisions of GSO Standard mentioned in Items (2.13, 2.16 and 
2.22):  
7.1.1 The product shall be packaged in containers which will safeguard the hygienic quality  
             and integrity of the beverage.  
7.1.2  The edges  of the glass container nozzle shall have a continuous smooth surface. The 
crowns shall be new, free from rust, and lined with cork or plastic discs to prevent gas 
leakage and disintegration . 
7.1.3 Containers made of material other than glass shall comply with GSO standard 
mentioned in Item (2.22). 
7.2 Transportation:   
 The packaged containers shall be transported in boxes made of plastic, wood, or any 
other material specifically to protect against breakage or damage during transportation 
and trading. The  boxes shall not contaminated by any toxic, caustic or harmful 
materials . 
7.3 Storage : 
 The filled containers shall be stored away from any toxic, potentially explosive or 
flammable material. The filled containers shall also be stored in an environment tha t 
minimizes high moisture and temperature and according to GSO standard mentioned 
in Item (2.10) . 
  
8- LABELING:  
Without prejudice to provisions of GSO Standard mentioned in Item (2.1) and  
Item (2.9) and shall be declared on the label of the product.  
8.1  Packer  or Producer name or its trade mark shall be clearly shown on the outer  
surface  of the  glass  containers  with  the mention  of (Made in  (Country 
Name) ) In the case of local  production . 
8.2  The name of the non -alcoholic beverage or its  trade mark  or bot h shall be clearly 
shown on the glass container in a way it cannot be removed during trading . GSO 18/ 2013  GSO STANDARD 
 
 8.3 If the non -alcoholic beverage contains caffeine:  
8.3.1  It shall be mentioned as contents.  
 8.3.2  The concentration  of caffeine shall be written in the  table o f  nutritional 
Information.  
8.3.3  If the concentration of caffeine  exceeds  150 mg / l  it shall be clearly stated 
under the name of  the product the warning: ( High caffeine ) and (not 
suitable  for patients with heart disease , high pressure,  pregnant women  
children, and athletes during exercises ). 
 
8.4 Production date and shelf life or expiry date.  
8.5 Nutritional Information for each  100 ml , including  calories  and grams  of 
protein , fat and carbohydrates  (or sugar ) and the number  of mg of sodium . 
8.6 Concent ration of artificial sweeteners if used  with its cautions and notifications .