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 التقييس لدول مجمس التعاون لدول الخميج العربية  ىيئة  
GCC STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION (GSO)  
 
 
مشروع نيائي  
Final Draft of Standards FDS  
 
 
 
 
اعداد المجنة الفنية الخميجية رقم  /  TC 05 
 
 
Prepared by GSO Technical Committee No.TC 05 
 
 
GSO 05/FDS/….:2016 
 
 
 
الكاسافا المرة 
Bitter Cassava 
 
 
 
 
 
 
ICS :  67.180  
 
ىذه الوثيقة مشروع لائحة فنية خميجية تم توزيعيا  
لإبداء الرأي والممحوظات بشأنيا، لذلك فإنيا عرضة 
لمتغيير والتبديل، ولا يجوز الرجوع إلييا كلائحة فنية 
خميجية إلا بعد اعتمادىا من الييئة. 
 This document is  a draft Gul f Technical 
regulation  circulated for comments. It is, 
therefore, subject to alteration and 
modification and may not be referred to 
as a Gulf Technical Regulation  until 
approved by GSO . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
    
 
 
 
تقـديـم
 
ىيئة التقييس لدول مجمس التعاون لدول الخميج العربية ىيئة إقميمية تضم في عضويتيا الأجيزة لموطنية 
لممواصفات والمقاييس في دول الخميج العربية، ومن ميام الييئة إعداد المواصفات القياسية بواسطة لجان 
فنية متخصصة. 
قرر مجمس ادارة ىيئة التقييس لدول مجمس التعاون لدول الخميج العربية في اجتماعو رقم .... الذي عقد 
بتاريخ .../.../... ه، الموافق ... / ... / ... م اعتماد اللائحة الفنية الخميجية رقم ... / ... (الكاسافا  
المرة ) التي تم دراستيا واعدادىا  ضمن برنامج عمل المجنة الفنية رقـم ( 5) "  قطاع مواصفات المنتجات
الغذائية والزراعية " ، المدرجة في خطة سمطنة عمان.  
 
 
 
 
 
 GSO STANDARD  GSO ….. / 2016 
 
1 BITTER  CASSAVA  1 
 
1. SCOPE AND FIELD OF APPLICATION  
 This GSO  standard applies to commercial bitter2 varieties of cassava roots grown from 
Manihot esculenta Crantz, of the Euphorbiaceae  family, to be supplied fresh to the consumer, 
after preparation and packa ging. Cassava for industrial processing is excluded.  
 
2. COMPLIMENTARY REFERENCES  
2.1 GSO 9 “Labelling of Prepackaged Foods”.  
2.2 GSO 20 “Methods for the Determination of Contaminating Metallic  Elements in 
Foodstuffs”.  
2.3 GSO 21 “Hygienic Regulations for  Food Plants and Their Personnel”.  
2.4 GSO 123 “ General requirements for fresh fruits and vegetables ”.  
2.5       GSO 124 “ General requirements for fresh fruits and vegetables boxes”  
2.6      GSO 125  “Methods of sam pling fresh fruits and veg etables ”. 
2.7    GSO 150 “Expiration Periods of Food Products - Part 1  :Mandatory Expiration Date ”. 
2.8    GSO 299  “Methods of test for vegetables, fruits and their products - second part : 
determination of moisture,  alcohol - insoluble solids, total ash,  calcium,  mine ral oil  
and ascorbic acid ”. 
2.9    GSO 842  “Microbiology - general guidance for enumeration of yeast and molds - colony  
count technique at 25oc”. 
2.10    GSO 1016 “Microbiological Criteria for Foodstuffs – Part 1”.  
 
2.11   GSO ISO 762:2007  “Fruit and vege table products – Determination of mineral 
impurities content ”. 
2.12   GSO ISO 2448:2008  “Fruit and vegetable products – Determination of ethanol       
content ”. 
 2.13    GSO ISO 4832:2010  “Microbiology  of food and animal feeding stuffs  – horizontal 
method for the enumeration of coliforms – colony count technique ”.    
2.14   GSO ISO 6579:2007  “Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal 
method for the detection of Salmonella spp ”. 
 
1Commonly known in certain regions by: manioc, mandioca, tap ioca, aipim, yucca, etc.  
2Bitter varieties of cassava are those that contain less than 50 mg/kg hydrogen cyanide (fresh weight basis).  
 
 GSO STANDARD  GSO ….. / 2016 
 
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2.15   GSO 244  “Methods of test for vegetables, fruits and their products, Part 1: Organoleptic 
examination, determin ation of net weight and drained weight, determination of 
apparent viscosity ”. 
2.16   GSO 1306  “Metho ds microbiological testing of plant bab y foods. ” 
 
3.     DEFINITIONS  
       Bitter  Cassava: Cassava roots grown from Manihot esculenta Crantz , of the 
Eupho rbiaceae family . 
 
4       REQUIREMENTS  
4.1 General Requirements  
 4.1.1    Production shall be carried out according to health requirements and shall be in    
            accordance with the GSO standard mentioned in  ( 2.3  ). 
4.1.2   Sound, produce affecte d by rotting, mould or deterioration such as to make it unfit for     
           Consumption is excluded;   
4.1.3    Clean, practically free of any visible foreign matter, except permitted substances used    
            to prolong its shelf life;  
4.1.4    P ractically free of pests affecting the general appearance of the produce;  
4.1.5    Free from pork products and its derivatives.    
4.1.6    Free from ethanol.  
4.1.7   Free of any foreign smell and/or taste.  
4.1.8   Practically free of mechanical damage and bruising;  
4.1.9     Free of loss of color in the flesh.  
4.1.10  The cut at the distal (narrow) end of the cassava should not exceed 2 cm in diameter.  
4.1.11  The stalk end of the root should have a clean cut between 1 cm and 2.5 cm in length.  
4.1.12  The cassava must have reached an appropriate degree of physiological development    
             account being taken of the characteristics of the variety and the area in which they  are    
             grown.  
4.1.13   The development and condition of the cass ava must be such as to enable it  to    
             withstand transport and handling; and to arrive in satisfactory condition at the place    
              of destination.  
4.1.14     Firm  
 
4.2       Contaminant metallic elements content shall not exceed t he ratios mentioned  
             against each (ppm):  
                 Cadmium          0.1 ppm  
                 Lead                  0.1 ppm  
 
4.3      Microbiological Characteristics  
          The microbiological characteristics for bitter  cassava shall b e according GSO standard    
          Which mention in item (2.10) . GSO STANDARD  GSO ….. / 2016 
 
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4.4 Requirement concerning sizing  
            Size is determined by the diameter at thickest cross -section of the produce, in                   
            accordance with  the followin g table:  
 
                           
Size Code  Diameter  
(in centimeters)  
A 3.5 – 7.5 
B 7.6 – 10.0 
C > 10.0 
 
            In all cases, cassava must not be less than 300 g in weight nor less than 20 cm in length  and   
            10% by number or weight of cassava corresponding to the size immediately above and/or   
             below that indicated on the package.  
 
 
  5. CLASSIFICATION :  
Cassava is classified in three classes defined below:  
5.1 “Extra” Class  
             Cassava in this class must be of superior quality. It must be characteristic of the variety 
and/or commercial type. It 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 keepi ng quality and presentation in the package.  
 
 
5. 2 Class I  
Cassava in this class must be of good quality. It must be characteristic of the variety and/or 
commercial type. The following slight defects, however, may be allowed, provided these do 
not affect t he general appearance of the produce, the quality, the keeping quality and 
presentation in the package:  
5.2.1       slight defects in shape;  
5.2.2       scarring or healed damage, not exceeding 5% of the surface area;  
5.2.3       scraped areas, not exceeding 10% of the surface area.  
The defects must not, in any case, affect the flesh of the produce.  
 
 
5.3  Class II  
 This class includes cassava which does not qualify for inclusion in the higher classes, but 
satisfy the minimum requirements specified in Section 2.1 above. The following defects, 
however, may be allowed, provided the cassava retains its essential characteristics as 
regards the quality, the keeping quality and presentation:  
5.3.1     defects in shape ; 
5.3.2     scarring or healed damage, not exceeding  10% of the surface area;  
5.3.3     scraped areas, not exceeding 20% of the surface area.  
            The defects must not, in any case, affect the flesh of the produce . 
 GSO STANDARD  GSO ….. / 2016 
 
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6. SAMPLING  
 Samples shall be taken according to the GSO  Standard mentioned in I tem (2.6). 
 
7. METHODS OF EXAMINATION AND TEST  
 7.1    Examination : 
       7.1.1  Sensory Test : 
                Sensory test shall be taken according to the GSO Standard mentioned in item (2. 15). 
7.1.2 Detection of foreign materials:  
            Foreign mater ials shall be detect according to the GSO standard mentioned in item 
(2.16). 
7.1.3     Determination of Moisture  
            Moisture shall be determine according to the GSO standard mentioned in item (2. 8). 
7.1.4    Determination of contaminated metallic elements  
            Contaminated metallic elements shall be determine according to the GSO standard 
mentioned in item (2.2).  
7.1.5 Detect ion of rancidity  
          Rancidity shall be detected according  to GSO mentioned in item (2.2).  
7.1.7 Detection of E thanol  
           Ethanol shall be detected according to GSO standard mentioned in item (2.1 2). 
 7.1.8   Detection of salmonella  
                   Salmonella shall be detected according to GSO standard mentioned in item (2. 14). 
        7.1.9   Yeast and m olds 
                   Yeast and molds shall be detected according to GSO standard mentioned in item (2. 9). 
7.1.10  Determination of total count bacteria  
           Total count bacteria shall be determined according to GSO standard mentioned in item 
( 2 .13 ). 
7.1.11  Detect ion of coliform bacteria  
            Coliform bacteria shall be detected according to GSO standard mention in item (2. 13). 
7.1.12     Detect ion of mineral impurities content.  GSO STANDARD  GSO ….. / 2016 
 
5               Mineral impurities content  shall be detected acc ording to GSO standard mention in    
              item (2. 11). 
7.2  Tests shall be carried out on the representative sample taken according to item ( 5 )to  
             determine its compliance with all the items of this standard.  
 
8. PACKAGING, STORAGE A ND TRANSPORTATION  
8.1 Packaging : Cassava 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 in ternal damage to the produce. The use of materials,   
            particularly of paper or stamps  bearing trade specifications is allowed, provided the     
             printing or labelling has been done with non -toxic ink or glue.  
           The product shall be packed in clean, suitable, sound, moisture proof, and well sealed   
           containers that have no effect on product properties.  The contents of each package must 
be uniform in shape and contain only cassava of the same origin, variety and/or commercial 
type, quality and size. The visible part of the contents of the package must be representative 
of the entire contents.  The containers shall meet the quality, hygiene, ventilation and 
resistance characteristics to ensure suitable handling, shippi ng and preserving of the cassava. 
Packages must be free of all foreign matter and smell.  
 
8.2 Storage : The product shall be stored under suitable conditions in ventilated stores.  
 
8.3 Transportation:  shall be carried out in such a way as to protect the p roduct from  
            mechanical damage and contamination.  
9. LABELING  
9.1     CONSUMER PACKAGES  
 
 Without prejudice to what is stated in the GSO  standard mentioned I tems (2.1) and (2. 6) 
 must indicate the following on the cover of the product:  
9.1.1 Name of the produce and type ( Bitter ) 
9.1.2  The name of the variety (optional)  
 
9.2     NON -RETAIL CONTAINERS  
 
            Each package must bear the following particulars, in letters grouped on the same side, 
legibly and indelibly marked, and visible fro m the outside, or in the documents 
accompanying the shipment.  
 
9.2.1    Name and address of exporter, packer and/or dispatcher. Identification code (optional ( 
9.2.2  Nature of Produce: Name of the produce and type (bitter) if the contents are not  
visible f rom   
         the outside. Name of the variety (optional).  GSO STANDARD  GSO ….. / 2016 
 
6 9.2.3  Origin of Produce: Country of origin and, optionally, district where grown or national, 
regional  or local place name.  
 
9.2.4  Commercial Identification  
- Class;  
- Size (size code or minimum and maximum diameter in centimetres);  
- Net weight;  
- Preparation instructions .  
 
9.2.5  Official Inspection Mark (optional) . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 GSO STANDARD  GSO ….. / 2016 
 
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References:  
 
Codex Stan 300 ” Bitter Cassava ”