PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD PNS/BAFPS 144:20____ Muscovado Sugar    
Foreword  
 
 
The Philippine National Standard for Muscovado Sugar  intends to provide guidance 
on the composition and quality of Muscovado  Sugar intended for human use without 
further processing. It includes sections on the essential composition and quality 
parameters, additives, contaminants, hygiene, packaging, labeling, and methods of 
analysis and sampling.  
 
A Technical Working Group (TWG ) for the crafting of the standard for muscovado 
sugar was organized and represented by several agencies of the Department of 
Agriculture  - Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards  (BAFS)  and Sugar 
Regulatory Administration  (SRA) ,  University of the P hilippines Diliman – College of 
Home Economics (UPD -CHE), Organic Certification Center of the Philippines (OCCP), 
Altertrade Corporation, Upland Marketing Foundation Inc. (UMFI), Center for 
Agrarian Reform and Rural Development (CARRD), Panay Fair Trade, Global Organic 
and Wellness Corporation ,  Partnership for Development Assistance in the 
Philippines Inc  (formerly known as Philippine Development Assistance Programme, 
Inc.) and other sectors.  
 
The Bureau in collaboration with the members of the TWG conducted a series of 
technical reviews and public consultations in Region III, VI and XII  for the crafting of 
the Standard. Comments from the stakeholders on the draft were carefully assessed 
and del iberated prior to its finalization and approval.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD PNS/BAFPS 144:20____ Muscovado Sugar    
Introduction  
 
 
Muscovado sugar is a result  of boiling sugar cane  syrup  and letting it air dry to 
produce dark and mois t sugar.  It contains most naturally occurring vitamins and 
minerals of any table sugar. Compared to crystal white sugar, muscovado sugar is 
not subjected to the syrup clarification process.  
 
With the aim of reducing  poverty among sugar farmers and increase market 
competitiveness , production and marketing of muscovado sugar are made as an 
entry point for both domestic and export markets.  Moreover, it will target the 
demand for products that is being availed by health food consumers.  According to 
Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA), a total of 1,829.31 metric tons muscovado 
sugar was  exported that brought in some $3.1 million to the local economy  in 2013 . 
Major export markets for Philippine muscovado sugar are USA, Japan, Italy, 
Germany, Switzerland, Russia, South Korea, Guam, Northern Ireland, Saudi Arabia, 
Australia, Canada, Taiwan, France, Saudi Peninsula, United Kingdom, Malaysia, and 
Dubai.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD PNS/BAFPS 144:20____ Muscovado Sugar    
1  Scope and Description  
 
This Standard applies to muscovado  sugar intended for human consumption 
without further processing. It includes muscovado sugar sold directly to the 
final consumer and used as ingredients in foodstuffs.  
  
Muscovado is  a non -centrifugal sugar which is obtained from evaporating 
fresh cane juice of Saccharum officinarum L. until the desired consistency has 
been attained.  It includes  amorphous1, lump or molded forms2 and thick 
concentrated syrup3. 
 
2 References  
 
The publications referred to in this standard are listed on the inside back 
cover.  
 
3 Definition  
 For the purpose of this Code, the following terms should apply:  
 
3.1  contaminants  
Any substance not intentionally added to food, which is present in such food 
as a result of the production (including operations carried out in crop 
husbandry, animal husbandry and veterinary medicine), manufacture, 
processing, preparation, treatment, pack ing, packaging, transport or holding 
of such food or as a result of environmental contamination. The term does 
not include insect fragments, rodent hairs and other extraneous matter.     
 
3.2 food additives  
any substance not normally consumed as a food by itself and not normally 
used as a typical ingredient of the food, whether or not it has nutritive value, 
the intentional addition of which to food for a technological (including 
organoleptic) purpose in the manufacture, processing, preparation, 
treatment, packing, packaging, transport or holding of such food results, or 
may be reasonably expected to result, (directly or indirectly) in it or its by -
products becoming a component of or otherwise affecting the characteristics 
of such foods. The term does not in clude “contaminants ” or substances added 
to food for maintaining or improving nutritional qualities.  
 
3.3  foreign matter  
any matter which has not been derived from muscovado sugar (excluding 
packaging material), which poses a threat to human health and is  readily 
recognized without magnification or is present at a level determined by any 
                                                
1 or “barisangsang ” 
2 locally known as panocha , sangkaka , binagol or sinaklob  
3 locally known as inuyat  or pulot /tagapulot  
PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD PNS/BAFPS 144:20____ Muscovado Sugar    
method including magnification (e.g. dead insects, twigs and metals) that 
indicates non -compliance with good manufacturing and sanitation practices.  
 
3.4  Codex maximum  limit for pesticide  residue   
is the maximum concentration of a pesticide residue (expressed as mg/kg),
 recommended by the Codex Alimentarius Commission to be legally
 permitted in or on food commodities and  animal feeds. MRLs are based on
 GAP data and foods derived from commodities that comply with the
 respective MRLs are intended to be toxicologically acceptable.  
 
3.5 pesticide residues  
means any specified substance in food, agricultural commodities, or animal
 feed resulting from the use of a pesticide. The term includes any derivatives
 of a pesticide, such as conversion products, metabolites, reaction products,
 and impurities considered to be of toxicological significance.  
 
4 Essential Composition and Quality Factors  
 
The muscovado sugar is essentially compo sed of sucrose and molasses . It 
should have the characteristic aroma and flavour  of the sugarc ane from 
where it is made and color ranging from golden yellow to dark brown . It 
should also be free from objectionable sensory characteristics .  
 
The muscovado  sugar sho uld not be obtained from the reconstitution of its 
primary components.  
 
Additional compositio n and quality factors are set in  Annex  A.  
 
5  Additives  
 
All food additives should meet t he latest  Codex General Standard for Food 
Additives (GSFA) (CODEX STAN 192 -1995 ) and Food and Drug 
Administration (FDA) /BFAD  “Updated List o f Food Additives ”.  
 
6 Contaminants  
 
6.1  Heavy Metals  
 
The product covered by this Standard should  comply with the 
maximum levels of the Codex General Standard for Contaminants and 
Toxins in Food and Feed ( Codex Stan 193 -1995).  
 
 
 
 
PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD PNS/BAFPS 144:20____ Muscovado Sugar    
6.2  Pesticide Residues  
 
The products covered by this standard should  comply with Codex 
maximum limit for pesticide residue s. 
 
7  Foreign Matter  
 
The  products should be free from foreign matters but may not be limited to 
dead insects, twigs and  metals . 
 
8  Hygiene  
 
It is recommended that the products covered by the provisions of this 
standard be prepared and handled in accordance with the  Recommended 
Code of Practice for Processing and Handling of Muscovado Sugar . 
 
Appropriate sections of the Recommended International Code of Practice – 
General Principles of Food Hygiene recommended by the Codex 
Alimentarius Commision (C AC/RCP 1 -1969 Rev. 4 -2003), other relevant 
Codes of Hygienic Practice and Codes of Practice and FDA (BFAD) 
Administrative Order No. 153 s. 2004 Revised Guidelines on Current Good 
Manufacturing, Packing, Repacking, or Holding Food including Inspection 
Check list for Sugar Millers/Refiners  that should apply,  should also be 
considered.  
 
The products should comply with any microbiological criteria established in 
accordance with the Principles for the Establishment and Application of 
Microbiological Criteria for Foods (CAC/GL 21 -1997) and FDA ( BFAD ) 
Bureau Circular 01 -A s. 2004 Guidelines f or the Assessment of 
Microbiological Quality of Processed Foods  or the latest issuance . 
 
9 Packaging and Labeling  
  
In addition to the provisions of the General Standard for the Labeling  of Pre -
packaged Foods ( Codex Stan 1-1985, Rev. 7-2010 ), Provisions of the 
Consumer Act of the Philippines (RA  7394), Rules and Regulation Governing 
the Labeling of Prepackaged of Food Products Distributed in the Philippines 
(FDA/ BFAD AO 88 -B s.1984) and o ther existing FDA  rules, regulations and 
resolutions, the following spe cific provisions should apply:  
 
9.1 Name of the Food  
 
All products covered by this Standard should  conform to the 
description given for that product in Section 1  of the Standard.  
 
PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD PNS/BAFPS 144:20____ Muscovado Sugar    
 
10 Methods of Analysis and Sampling  
 
The methods of analysis and s ampling should conform to  Volume 13 of the 
Codex Alimentarius  and other relevant International Commission for 
Uniform Methods of Sugar Analysis (ICUMSA) methods . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD PNS/BAFPS 144:20____ Muscovado Sugar    
References:  
 
 BFAD A dministrative Order  88-B s.  1984.  Rules and Regulation Governing the 
Labelling of Prepackaged of Food Products Distributed in the Philippines  
 
BFAD Bureau Circular 01 -A s. 2004. G uidelines for the Assessment of  
Microbiological Quality of Processed Foods.  
 
Codex Stan 1 -1985, Rev. 7-2010 . Codex General Standard for the Labeli ng of  
Prepackaged Foods  
 
Codex Stan 234 -1999. Codex Standard for General Methods of Analysis and 
Sampling  
 
CAC/GL 21 -1997. Codex Principles for E stablishment and Application of  
Microbiological Criteria for Foods  
 
Codex Stan 212 -1999; Amd. 1 -2001. Codex Standard for Sugars.  
 
 Codex S tan 1-1985, Rev.1 -1991. General Standard fo r the Labelling of Pre -packaged 
Foods  
 
Republic Act of  7394 . “The Consumer Act of the Philippines ” 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD PNS/BAFPS 144:20____ Muscovado Sugar    
ANN EX A 
 
ESSENTIAL COMPOSITION AND  
QUALITY FACTORS INCLUDING METHODS  OF ANALYSIS  
 
 
Characteristics  
  
Specification as Produced  
  
Methods of Analysis  
Powder 
Class A  Powder 
Class B  Lump  
 
Polarization 0Z, 
minimum  86.00  77.00  57.00  ICUMSA GS1/2/3/9 -
1(2007)  
Polarimetry  
 
Reducing 
Sugar,%, 
maximum  7.50  12.00  28.00  GS1/3/7 -3 (2005)  
Lane and Eynon 
Constant Volume  
 
Loss on 
drying, % 
maximum  3.5 4.2 
 2.0 
 ICUMSA GS2/1/3/9 -
15(2007)  
Gravimetry  
 
Conductivity 
Ash, %, 
maximum  2.90  3.00  3.00  ICUMSA 
GS1/3/4/7/8 -13 
(1994)  
Conductimetry  
 
Insoluble 
Matter, mg/kg, 
maximum  GMP  GMP  GMP   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 
 
PHILIPPINE NATIONAL STANDARD PNS/BAFPS 144:20____ Muscovado Sugar    
Department of Agriculture  
Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards  
 
Technical Working Group for the  
Philippine National Standard (PNS) for Muscovado Sugar  
 
Chairperson  
 
1   Dir. Gilberto Layese  
Department of Agriculture -Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards  
 
Vice Chairperson  
 
2  Ms. Rosalina Tan  
Department of Agriculture - Sugar Regulatory Administration  
 
 
Members  
 
3   Prof. Teresita Avecedo  
College of Home Economics  
University of the Philippines 
Diliman  7 Mr. Arnel Ligahon  
Altertrade Corporation  
 11 Mr. Restie Male  
Partnership for 
Development 
Assistance in the 
Philippines Inc   
4  Ms. Jean Nanette Sumagaysay  
Sugar Regulatory Administration  
Department of Agriculture  8 Mr. Edwin Nerva  
Center for Agrarian Reform and 
Rural Development (CARRD)   
4 Mr. Marcelino Guevarra  
Sugar Regulatory Administration  
Department of Agriculture  9       Mr. Mel Filomena  
Upland Marketing Foundation Inc.  
  
5 Ms. Leilani  Limpin  
Organic Certification Center of the 
Philippines  
 10 Mr. Bernie Bernardo  
Global Organic and Wellness 
Corporation    
 
 
Secretariat  
Bureau of Agriculture and Fisheries Standards  
 
12 Mr. Israel  Dela Cruz  
13 Mr. Mark Matubang