هيئة التقييس لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية 
GCC STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION (GSO) 
  
 
 
 
 
Final Draft  
 
 
 
 
GSO 05/  FDS/....:2014  
 
 
 
 
 
الرمان  
POMEGRANAT E 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
إعداد 
اللجنة الفنية الخليجية لقطاع المواصفات الغذائية والزراعية 
 
هذه الوثيقة مشروع لمواصفة قياسية خليجية تم توزيعها لإبداء الرأي والملحوظات بشأنها، لذلك فإنها  
عرضة للتغيير والتبديل، ولا يجوز الرجوع إليها كمواصفة قياسية خليجية إلا بعد اعتمادها من مجلس 
إدارة الهيئة. 
ICS:  1...0..6. 
  
 تقــديـم 
 
هيئــ ة التقيــيس لــدو  مجلــس التعــاول لــدو  الخلــي  العربيــة هيئــة إقليميــة تزــ م فــ  عزــويتها ا جهــ زة 
الوطنية للمواصفات والمقاييس ف  دو  الخلي  العربي ة ، ومـن مهـاا الهيئـ ة إعـداد المواصـفات القياسيـ ة 
الخليجية بواسطة لجال فنية متخصص ة .  
 
وق د قامت هيئة التقييس لـدو  مجلـ س التعـ اول لـدو  الخلـي  العربيـ ة ضـمن برنـام  عمـل اللجنـة الفنيـة 
رق م ( 5 ) " اللجنة الفني ة الخليجية لمواصفات قط اع المنتجات الغذائية والزراعية " بتح ديث المواصفة
القياســية الخليجيــة رقــ م 32232 GSO/ISO   "ثمــار الرمــال- المواصــفات وطــرخ الاختبــار " وقامــت 
الامارات العربية المتحدة بإعداد مشروع هذه المواصفة .  
 
وق د اعتم دت هـذه المواصـفة كحئحـ ة فنيـة خليجيـة فـ  اجتمـاع مجلـس إدارة الهيئـة رقـ م ( ) الـذي ع قـ د 
بتاريخ     /     /     ه  ، الموافق     /     /       ا .  
 
على أل تلغ  المواصفة رقم (200932232 GSO/ISO ) وتحل محلها 
 
Foreword  
 
Standardization Organization for GCC (GSO) is a regional Organization which 
consists of the National Standard Bodies of GCC member States.  
 
One of GSO main functions is to issue Gulf Standard/ Technical regulation 
throug h specialized technical committees (TCs).  
 
GSO through the technical program of committee TC No: (5) "Technical Gulf 
committee for food and agriculture product standards" has updated the GSO 
standard No. GSO/ISO 23393 " Pomegranate fruit – Specification and test 
methods   "The draft standard has been prepared by (United Arab Emirates).  
 
This standard has been approved as Gulf Technical regulation by GSO Board 
of Directors in its meeting No…./….held on    /      /    H,      /       /       
 
The approved s tandard will replace and supersede the standard No .  
.( :200932232 GSO/ISO ) 
  
 
 
 
 
 
    GSO STANDARD                                                                              GSO 05/ FDS/....:20 14 
 
3 
 POMEGRANAT E 
  
1. Scope  
 
This Gulf Standard app lies to fruits of commercial varieties of pomegranates grown 
from Puni ca gran atum L., of  the Puni caceae family, to be supp lied fresh to the 
consumer after preparation and packaging. Pomegranates for industrial processing are 
excluded.  
 
2. Complementary Standards   
 
2. 1 GSO 9: Labeling of prepackaged foodstuffs.  
2. 2 GSO/CAC 193:  General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed.  
2. 3 GSO  382,383: Maximum allowable limits of pesticides residue in agricultural and 
food products.  
2. 4 GSO 1016: Microbiological Criteria of Food Product - Part 1.  
2. 5 GSO 6131 : General principles of food hygiene.  
2. 6 GSO ISO 7558:  Guide to the P repacking of Fruits and vegetables.  
 
3. Definitions  
      For the purposes of this gulf standard , the following definitions apply : 
3.1 Pomegranate  
      Fruit  of the tree Punica granatum  (L.). 
 
3.2 Pest-infested pomegranate  
      Pomegranate  damaged by insect and/or mite infestation . 
 
3.3 Spoiled pomegranate  
      Pomegranate damaged by bruises, or darkened in colour, frozen, sun -burnt or showing 
the presence of visible decomposition caused by bacteria, fungi, visible mould hyphae 
or any othe r indications of disease . 
 
3.4 Immature pomegranate  
      Pomegranate obtained from an unripe pomegranate  having poor flavour, hard tissues 
and undesirable  appearance . 
 
3.5 Fermented pomegranate  
      Pomegranate damaged by fermentation to the extent that the characteristic appearance 
and/or flavour is substantially affected . 
 
3.6 Extraneous matter  
      Dirt, pieces of skin, calyx, leaf, peduncle, twigs, bits of wood or any other foreign 
matter among or on the pomegranate .  
 
4. Requirements  
4.1 In all classes, subject to the special provisions for each class and the tolerances 
allowed, the po megranates must be: 
- Whole; 
- Sound; produce affected by rotting or deterioration such as to make it unfit for 
consumption is exc luded; 
- Clean, free of any visible foreign matter; 
- Free of pests and da mage cau sed by  them affecting the general appearance of the 
produce; 
- Free of abnormal external moisture, excluding cond ensation following removal from    GSO STANDARD                                                                              GSO 05/ FDS/....:20 14 
 
4 
 cold storage; 
- Free of any foreign smell and/or taste; 
- Free of damage cau sed by  frost; 
- Free of damage cau sed by  low and/or high temperatures; 
- Free of sunb urns affecting the arils of the fruit. 
- The  pomegranates  must  have  reached  an  appropriate  degree  of  development  
and  ripeness  in acc ordance with criteria proper to the varieties and to the area in 
which they are grown. 
- The development and co ndition of the pomegranates must be such as to enable them to 
withstand transport and hand ling; and to arrive in satisfactory condition at the place of 
destination. 
- The produce covered by this Standard shall comply with the maximum levels for 
Contaminants and Toxins established by the GSO standard referenced in item 2.2.  
- The produce covered by this Standard shall comply with the maximum residue limits 
for pesticides established by the GSO standard referenced in item 2.3.  
- The produc t covered by the provisions of this Standard  shall  be prepared and handled 
in accordance with the appropriate sections of the GSO standard referenced in item 
2.5. 
- The produc t should comply w ith any microbiological criteria established in 
accordance with the appropriate sections of the GSO standard referenced in item 2.4.  
 
4.2 CLASSIFICATION  
Pomegranates are classified in three classes as defined below: 
4.2.1 Extra Class 
Pomegranates in this class must be of superior quality. They must be characteristic of 
the variety. They must be free of  defects, with the exception of  very slight superficial 
defects, provided these do not  affect the general appearance of the produce, the 
quality, the keeping quality and presentation in the package. 
4.2.2 Class I 
Pomegranates in this class must be of good quality. They must be characteristic of 
the variety. The following slight defects, however, may be allowed, provided these 
do not affect the arils of the fruit and the general appearance of the produce, 
the quality, the keeping quality and presentation in the package: 
- Slight  defects in shape; 
- Slight  defects in coloring; 
- Slight  skin defects including cracking. 
4.2.3 Class II 
This class includes pomegranates which do not qualify for inclusion in the higher 
classes, but satisfy the minimum requirements specified in Section 4.1 above. The 
following slight defects, however, may be allowed, provided these do not affect the 
arils of the fruit and  retain their essential characteristics as regards the quality, the 
keeping quality and p resentation: 
• Defects  in shape; 
• Defects  in coloring; 
• Skin defects including cracking. 
 
5.  PROVISIONS CONCERN ING  SIZING  
Pomegranate may be sized by coun t, diameter or weight in accordance with 
existing commercial trading practices. When su ch is the case, the package must be 
labelled accordingly. 
A. When  sized by  count, size is determined by  the number of individual fruit per 
package.    GSO STANDARD                                                                              GSO 05/ FDS/....:20 14 
 
5 
 B. Pomegranate may be sized by  diameter (the maximum diameter of the equatorial 
section of  each fruit). 
The following table is a guide and may be used on  an optional basis. 
  
Table A - Diameter    
Size Co de  
Diameter (mm)  
1  
A  
≥81 
 
2  
B  
71 – 80 
 
3  
C  
61 -70 
 
4  
D  
51 – 60 
 
5  
E  
40 – 50 
   
C. Pomegranate may be sized by  weight (the individual weight of each fruit).  
The following table is a guide and may be used on an optional basis.   
Table B - Weight    
Size Co de  
Weight  (g)  
1  
A  
≥ 501  
2  
B  
401 - 500  
3  
C  
301 - 400  
4  
D  
201 - 300  
5  
E  
125 - 200  
 
6. TOLERANC ES 
6.1 Quality tolerances  
6.1.1  Extra Cla ss 
Five percent by number or weight of pomegranates not satisfying the requirements of 
the class, but meeting those of Class I or, exceptionally, coming within the tolerances 
of that class.  
6.1.2 Class I 
Ten percent by number or weight of pomegranates not satisfying the requirements of 
the class, but meeting those of Class II or, exceptionally, coming within the tolerances 
of that class.  
6.1.3 Class II 
Ten percent by number or weight of pomegranates  satisfying neither the requirements 
of the class nor the minimum requirements, with the exception of produce affected by 
rotting or any other deterioration rendering it unfit for consumption.  
 
6.2 Size tolerances  
For all classes, 10% by number or weight of pomegranates corresponding to the 
size immediately above and/or below that indicated on the package.  
 
7. PRESENTAT ION REQUIREMENTS   
7.1 Uniformity  
The  contents  of  each  package  must  be  uniform  and  contain  only  pomegranates  
of  the  same origin,  variety, quality and size (if sized). the visible part of the contents 
of the pac kage must be representative of the entire contents. sales packages may contain    GSO STANDARD                                                                              GSO 05/ FDS/....:20 14 
 
6 
 mixtures of varieties of different colors and sizes provided they are uniform in quality 
and for each variety concerned, its origin.  
7.2 Packing  
Pomegranates must be packed in such a way as to protect the produce properly. The 
materials used inside the package must be new, clean, and of a quality such as to avoid 
causing any external or internal damage to the produce. the use of materials, 
particularly of paper or stamps bearing trade specifications is allowed, provided the 
printi ng or labelling has been done with non -toxic ink or glue.  
Pomegranates  shall  be  packed  in  each  container  in  compliance  with  the gulf 
standard referenced in item 2. 6.  
    The containers shall meet the quality, hygiene, ventilation and resistance 
characteristics to ensure suitable handling, shipping and preserving of the 
pomegranates. Packages must be free of all foreign matter and smell.  
 
8. SAMPLING  
 
The laboratory must receive a sample which is truly representative and has not been 
damaged or changed during transport or storage.  
 
9. TEST METHODS  
Samples of pomegranates shall be tested for conformity of the product to the 
requirements by the test method specified in Annex A.  
The phenolic compounds content shall be tested in accordance with Annex B . 
 
10. LABELLING  
  
Without prejudice to the provisions of the Gulf standards referenced in item 2.1, the 
container and case shall be marked or labelled with the following particulars:  
6..6   The name of the product or variety, and the trademark or brand name, if any;  
6..3   The name and address of the producer or packer, trade mark;  
6..2   The class of product;  
6..1   The expiry date;  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    GSO STANDARD                                                                              GSO 05/ FDS/....:20 14 
 
7 
 Annex A 
(normati ve)   
Dete rmination of the conten t of pest-infeste d and spoiled pomeg ranate, immat ure fruits, 
extraneous  matter and deviations from the main colour 
 
A.1 Princip le 
A test portion of pomegranate fruits is visually inspected by physical separation of the 
damaged  pieces, immature fruits and extraneous matter from the  sound,  healthy and ripe 
pieces of the sample.  
A.2 Procedure  
Weigh to  the nearest 0,02 g, a test portion of about 500 g. Separate carefully, by hand or 
using tweezers, the pe st-infested and spoiled pomegranate s, immature fruits, extraneous 
matter and the pomegranates  which show deviations from the  main colour. 
 
Weigh to the nearest 0,02 g, each of the  categories separately.   
A.3 Calculation  
 
The proportion, p, expressed as a percentage by mass, of ea ch category separately is equal to 
 
  =   
   × 100 % 
 
where 
m0   is the mass, in grams, of the test portion; 
 
m1   is the mass, in grams, of the relevant category (see A.2). 
 
 
A.4 Test report  
 
The test report shall specify: 
 
a) all information necessary for the complete identification of the sample; 
 
b) the sampling method used, if known; 
 
c) the test method used, with reference to this International Standard; 
 
d) all operating details not specified in this International Standard, or regarded as 
optional, together with det ails of any incidents which may have influenced the test result(s); 
 
e) the test result(s) obtained, or, if the repeatability has been checked, the final quoted 
result obtained. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    GSO STANDARD                                                                              GSO 05/ FDS/....:20 14 
 
8 
  
 
Annex B 
(normati ve) 
 
Folin-Ciocalteu metho d for measurement of total pheno lics 
 
B.1 Princip le 
This procedure is based on the  quantitative analysis of ph enolic compounds  by phenol reagent. 
 
B.2 Reagent  
Use only reagents of recognized analytical grade and distilled or demineralized water or water of equivalent 
purity. 
B.2.1    Folin -Ciocalteu  phenol  reagent, commercially available, ready prepared. 
Before analysis, Folin-Ciocalteu phenol reagent should be diluted to  1:10 by using distilled water. Discard any 
unused diluted reagent. 
Store according to manufacturer's recommendati ons, and ensure that the reagent is protected from light.  
B.2.2    Sodium  carbonate,  75 g Na2CO3 diluted to 1 l by using distilled water. 
B.2.3    Standa rd phenolic  compound  solutions.  
For preparing the calibration curve, gallic acid or ferulic acid could be used as  a standard phenolic compound. 
Prepare a 500 mg/l gallic acid or ferulic acid stock-solution and dilute it to obtain the following series of 
working solution: 0,25 mg/l, 50 mg/l, 100 mg/l, 125 mg/l and 250 mg/l. 
 
B.3 Appara tus 
Usual laboratory apparatus and, in pa rticular, the following. 
B.3.1  UV/VIS spectrophotome ter (725 nm).  
 B.3.2 Waring blender. 
B.4 Procedure  
B.4.1 Extraction 
Blend 100 g pomegranate  fruit by using the blender (B.3.2). 
Weigh 10 g and make to volume with distilled water  into 100 ml and mix. Filter through filter paper. 
B.4.2 Absorbance  determination 
Add 0,2 ml pomegranate extract and 1,15 ml distilled water  and then 0,15 ml Folin-Ciocalteu phenol reagent. 
Mix well and let the mixture sit at room temperature for 5 min. Add 1,5 ml sodium carbonate  solution (B.2.2) 
and mix well. Let the mixture sit at room temperature for 90 min and read the absorbance at 725 nm by using 
UV/VIS spectrophotometer (B.3.1). 
B.4.3 Calculation 
 
Calculate the amount of phenolic compound s, mt,p 
s ae
m VVfAmtp100
10044.0) 9.20(
 
 
where 
mt, p is the mass, in milligrams, of the total 
phenolic per 100 g gallic  acid or ferulic acid;  
 A is the absorbance (abs. at 725 nm); 
f is the dilution factor, in millilitres; 
Ve is the extract volume, in millilitres; 
Va is the assay volume, in millilitres; 
ms is the mass of the sample in grams. by using the following formula: 
 
 
  
9 
 Annex C 
(inform ative) 
Some  charact eristic composi tional data of pomeg ranate 
 
 
 Variation  limits  
min. max.  mean  
Relative density (20/20 °C) 1,054 1,074 1,068 
Soluble solid (mass fraction, %) 12,6 18,70 15,80 
Titratable  acidity (g/l) 1,9 58,40 10,34 
pH Value 2,4 4,41 3,18 
Protein (N × 6,25)  (mass fraction, %) 0,106 0,422 0,184 
Total phenolic compounds  (mg/l) 575 1972  1303  
Prolin (mg/l) 1 23 7,6 
Ash (g/l) 1,88 6,11 3,64 
ORGANIC ACIDS    
Citric acid (g/l) 0,28 32,8 6,88 
L-Malic acid (g/l) 0,0 2,83 0,72 
D-Isocitric acid (g/l) 13,9 186 54,92 
SUGARS    
Redu cing sugars (g/l) 110,4 194,2 143,6 
Sucrose (g/l) 0 0 0 
Glucose (g/l) 47,1 82,7 61,03 
Fructose (g/l) 41,8 97,8 63,56 
VITAMINS    
Thiamin (mg/kg) 39,4 86,9 57,85 
Ribo flavin (mg/kg) 1,21 8,47 3,71 
Ascorbic acid (mg/kg) 40 246 117 
MINERALS    
Potassium (K) (mg/kg) 809 2251  1439  
Calcium (Ca) (mg/kg) 61 207 78,5 
Sodium (Na) (mg/kg) 4,41 45,8 18,9 
Magnesium (Mg) (mg/kg) 18,37 81,5 38,65 
Phosphorus (P) (mg/kg) 17 88,1 42,8 
Iron (Fe) (mg/kg) 3,75 17,1 6,62 
Copper (Cu) (mg/kg) 0,72 3,97 1,81 
Zinc (Zn) (mg/kg) 1,4 5,7 2,35 
Manganese (Mn) (mg/kg) 0,1 0,79 0,33 
 
 
References:   
- Codex Alimentarius Commission , Pomegranate , CODEX STAN 310 -2013 . 
- International Organization for Standardization (ISO) , Pomegranate fruit – Specification 
and test methods , ISO 23393 :2006.