AFDC 07(6575) P3 /TZS 1 736: 2016  
                                                                                             ICS: 67.220. 10 
 
© TBS 20 20                                                                                           First Edition 20 20  
DRAFT TANZANIA STANDARD  
 
 
Coriander seeds — Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                     TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDARDS   
ii  ©TBS 20 20– All rights reserved   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
                                                                                                                            
©TBS 20 20 – All rights reserved                1  
Coriander seeds — Specification  
 
 
0 Foreword  
 
Coriander  is a spice derived from the  dried mature frui t of Coriandrum sativum  L.  
 
This Tanzania standard was prepared due to increasing utilization of coriander in culinary to ensure the 
safety and quality of coriander  produc ed for local and export market.  
 
This Tanzania Standard was prepared to ensure the s afety and quality of coriander produced for local 
and export market .  
 
In the preparation of this  Tanzania  Standard assistance was derived from   
 
ISO 2255: 2018 - Coriander ( Coriandrum sativum  L.), whole or ground (powdered) – Specification 
published by the  International Organization for Standardization.  
 
In reporting the results of a test or analysis made in accordance with this Tanzania Standard, if the final 
value observed or calculated is to be rounded off, it shall be done in accordance with TZS 4 (see  clause 
2). 
 
 
1 Scope  
 
This Tanzania Standard specifies the requirements , methods  of sampling and  test for coriander  seed  
(Coriandrum sativum  L.), in the whole and ground (powdered) forms  intended for human consumption.  
 
 
2 Normative r eferences  
 
The follow ing referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated 
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced 
document (including any amendments) applies.  
 
 
TZS 109, Code s of hygiene for food processing units — General  
TZS 118, Foodstuffs — General guidance for the enumeration of microorganisms — Colony Count 
Technique at 30 ºC 
TZS 122, Foodstuffs — Microbial examination for salmonella  
TZS 125 (Part 1), Microbiology of f ood and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the 
enumeration of coagulase -positive staphylococci (Staphylococcus aureus and other species) — Part 1: 
Technique using Baird -Parker agar medium  
TZS 131, Microbiology — General guidance for enumeration of yeast and mould — Colony count 
technique at 25 ºC  
TZS 268, General atomic absorption spectrophotometric method for determination of lead in food stuffs  
TZS 33, Spices and condiments — Sampling  
TZS 4, Rounding off numerical value 
2  ©TBS 20 20 – All rights reserved  TZS 538 , Packaging and l abeling of foods  
 
TZS 1315 , Spices and condiments  — Determination of extraneous matter and foreign matter content  
TZS 1316 , Spices and condiments  — Determination of total ash  
 
TZS 1317 , Spices and condiments  — Determination of acid insoluble ash  
 
TZS 131 8, Spices and condiments — Determination of moisture content Entrainment method  
 
TZS 1320 , Spices and condiments — Determination of volatile oil content (hydrodistillation method)  
 
TZS 1492, Fruits and vegetables — Determination of tin content  
 
TZS 1493, F ruits and vegetables — Determination of iron content  
 
TZS 1495, Fruits and vegetables — Determination of copper content  
 
TZS 1500, Fruits and vegetables — Determination of zinc content  
 
TZS 1502, Fruits and vegetables — Determination of Arsenic content  
 
 
3 Terms and definition  
 
3.1 coriander  seed  
 
a spice obtained from dried mature fruit of Coriandrum sativum  (L).  
3.2 extraneous matter  
 
all materials  of coriander  plant other than coriander seeds /fruits 
3.3 split fruits  
 
Fruits  that have been divided longit udinally into two parts  
 
3.4 immature or shriveled seed  
 
seeds harvested before attaining maturity  
 
3.5 damaged  seeds  
 
 are those  injured /spoiled/ mechanically , by mould or weevils or those showing internal discolouration of 
seeds m aterially affecting the q uality  
 
 
4 General requirements  
 
4.1 Grades  
 
On the basis of the presence of extraneous matter, split fruits, and damaged, discoloured, immature, 
shrivelled and weevilled fruits, whole coriander shall be graded in three grades ( grades 1, 2 and 3)  as 
specif ied in Table 1 . 
    
©TBS 20 20 – All rights reserved                3 4.2 Classification of whole coriander  
 
Whole coriander fruits shall be classified into two groups, A and B, according to the volatile oil content  as 
specified in Table 2  
 
 
4.3 Odour and flavour  
 
Coriander, either whole or ground (powdered) , shall have a typical aroma and flavour characteristic of the 
spice. It shall be free from musty odour.  
 
4.4 Free  from foreign matter  
 
Coriander, whole or ground (powdered), sha ll be free from living insects, dead insects, insect fragments  
moulds , and ro dent contamination visible to the naked eye . 
 
 
4.5 Extraneous matter  
 
The total percentage of extraneous matter in whole coriander shall not exceed the values specified in 
table 1 when determined by the method specified in TZS 1315 (see clause 2) . 
 
4.6 Spl it fruits  
 
The percentage of s plit fruits in whole coriander  shall not exceed the values specified in table 1.  
 
4.7 Damaged, discoloured, immature, shriveled and weevilled fruits  
 
This includes whole or split fruits that are damaged, discoloured or shrivel led and also includes those 
showing signs of partial or whole bores as a result of their having been eaten by weevils or others insects. 
The percentage of such defective fruits in whole coriander shall not exceed the values specified in T able 
1. 
 
4.8 Finen ess of ground coriander   
 
Ground (powdered) coriander shall pass completely through a sieve of nominal aperture size 500 µm  
insert the test method . 
 
4.9 Specific  requirements  
 
Coriander, whole and ground (powdered), shall comply with the requirements speci fied in Table 1  and 2  
when tested in accordance with the specified methods.  
  
4  ©TBS 20 20 – All rights reserved   
Table 1 — Physical requirements for coriander  
 
S/No  Characteristics  limits (Max)   
Test method  
(see clause 2)  Whole  Ground  
Grade 1  Grade 2  Grade 3  
i  Extraneous matter, %  
(m/m),.  1.5 2 4 absent  TZS 1315  
ii  Split fruits, % (m/m),  5 10 10 absent  TZS 1315  
iii  Damaged, discoloured 
fruits % (m/m),.  2 3 7 absent  TZS 1315  
 
Table 2 — Chemical requirements for coriander  
 
S/N Characteristic  limits  Test method  (see 
clause 2)  
i  Volati le oils, % (ml/l00 g), on dry basis  
group A, more than  
group B,   
>0.5 
0.1-0.5  
TZS 1320  
ii  Moisture content, % (m/m), max.  9 TZS 1318  
iii  Total ash, % (m/m), on dry basis, max.  7 TZS 1316  
iv  Acid-insoluble ash, % (m/m), on dry basis, 
max.  1.5 TZS 1317  
 
4.10 Ground  (powdered) coriander shall not contain added colouring matter, bleach or preservatives.  
 
 
5 Contaminants  
 
 
5.1 Heavy metals  and metallic contaminants  
 
 
In addition to  CODEX STAN 193, Coriander  shall not contain any heavy metal and metallic 
contaminan ts in excess of levels specified  by in Table 3. 
 
Table 3 — Limit for metal contaminants for c oriander  
 
S/No  Characteristics  Limit ( Max) mg/kg  test  method  
(see clause 2)  
i  Arsenic (as As )  0.2 TZS 1502  
ii  Tin (as Sn)  250 TZS 1492  
iii  Lead (as Pb)  0.3                TZS 268  
iv  Cadmium(as Cd) 0.1    TZS 1581 -1 
 
 
 
5.2 Pesticides residues  
 
Coriander shall comply with those maximum pesticide residue limi ts as  per Codex stan 193  
 
 
 
    
©TBS 20 20 – All rights reserved                5 6 Hygiene  
 
Coriander shall be prepared under Good Hygienic Practices (GHP) as stipu lated in TZS 109  Codes of 
hygiene for food processing units  — General and shall comply with microbial requirements in Table 4.  
 
Table 4  — Microbiological limits  
 
S/No  Microorganism  limit (max)  Test method  
(see clause 2)  
i  Total plate count,cfu/ g  105 TZS 1 18 
ii  Coliform, cfu/ g  absent  TZS 729  
iii  Staphylococcus aureus , cfu /g  10 TZS 125  
iv  Yeast s and moulds, cfu/ g  103 TZS 131  
 
 
7 Sampling and test methods  
 
Sampling shall be carried out as specified in TZS 33  and s amples of coriander shall be analyzed  to 
ensur e conformity with the requirements of this Tanzania Standard by foll owing the methods of physical 
and quality  analysis specified in clause 4  as well as in Table 1 , 2, 3, and 4 . 
 
 
8 Pack ing, marking and labelling  
 
8.1 Pack ing 
 
Whole or ground (powdered) cor iander shall be packed in clean and sound food grade containers made 
of a material which does not affect the product but protects it from the entrance or loss of moisture and 
volatile matter.  
 
8.2 Marking and labelling  
 
In addition to TZS 538 t he following  particulars shall legibly and indelibly be marked or labeled on each 
container:  
  
a) name of the product  
b)  brand  name, if any;  
 
b) nam e and address of the p roducer or packer,  
 
c) code or batch number;  
 
d) net weight ; 
 
e) producing  country;  
 
f) year of harve st; 
 
g) Date of packing ; 
 
h) grade of the material ; and  
 
i) Storage condition  
 
l) best before .  
6  ©TBS 20 20 – All rights reserved   
 
8.3 The containers may also be marked with TBS Certification Mark of Quality .  
 
NOTE  — The use of the TBS Certification Mark of Quality is governed by the p rovisions 
of the standards Act, 2009.  Details of conditions under which a license for the use of 
TBS certification mark may be granted to manufacturers may be obtained from TBS . 
 TZS 1 736: 2016  
©TBS 2016 – All rights reserved