STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION FOR GCC 
(GSO)  
 
 
 
 
 
مشروع: نهائى  
 
GSO /FDS 1292 ./2013  
 
 
 
 الفاكهة والخضر ومنتجاتهما- مخلوط الخضر المعلبة 
Fruits and vegetables and their products -  
Canned mixed vegetable 
 
 
Prepared by: 
 Gulf technical committee for sector standards of  
Food and agriculture products 
This document is a draft Gulf standard circulated for comments, it is therefore, 
subject to alteration and modification, and may not be referred as a Gulf 
standard, until approved by the Board of Directors.                                                  
                                                                                    
 
 
 
ICS: 67. 80.20  
 
  
 
 
Foreword
 
GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) is a regional Organization which consists 
of the National Standards Bodies of GCC member States. One of GSO main functions 
is to issue Gulf Standards/ Technical regulations through specialized technical 
committees (TC s).  
GSO through the technical program of committee TC No.(5) “Gulf technical 
committee for sector Standards of Foods and Agricultural products"  has revised the 
Gulf Standard  for "   "  Fruits and vegetables and their products -Canned mixed 
vegetable" . 
 
  The draft Standard has been prepared by State of Qatar. 
This Standard has been approved  as a Gulf Technical Regulation  by GSO Board of 
Directors in its meeting No. (    ), held on     /    /     H,      /      /     G.  The approved 
standard will replac e and supersede the GSO standard No. ( GSO 1292:2002 )
.    
 
 
 
 
                                           
  Gulf Standard                                                                                                             GSO  1292 /2013  
Fruits and vegetables and their products -  
Canned mixed vegetable 
1-Scope and field of application: 
  
This Gulf Standard is concerned with canned mixed vegetables and offered    
    for human consumption , it is not apply to canned vegetables intended for further 
processing, fermented vegetables, pickled or preserved in vinegar.
 
2-Complementary references :  
2.1 GSO 9" Labe lling of prepackaged food stuffs".  
2.2 GSO 20" Methods for the determination of contaminating metallic 
elements in food stuffs. 
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 150" Expiration periods of food products" . 
2.6 GSO 168" Conditions of storage facilities for dry and packed food stuffs". 
2.7 GSO 177" Methods of physical and chemical tests of canned vegetables"  .  
2.8 GSO 178 Microbiological methods for testing of canned vegetables'" . 
2.9 GSO 244" Methods of test for vegetables and fruits and their products - 
Part 1: Organoleptic examination, determination of net weight an d drained 
weight, determination of apparent viscosity, determination of head -space, 
determination of extraneous matter and defective fruits". 
2.10 GSO 382, 383" Maximum limits for pesticide residues in agricultural and 
food products - Parts 1, 2" .  
 2.11 GS O 839" Food packages - Part 1: General requirements".  
2.12 GSO 841" Maximum limits of fungi toxins permitted in food and animal 
feeds - Aflatoxin".  
2.13 GSO 988" Limits of radioactivity levels permitted in food stuffs - Part 1".  
2.14 GSO 998" Methods for the detection of permissible radionuclide in food - 
Part 1: Gamma spectrometry analysis: A, Cs 134, Cs 137". 
2.15 GSO 1016"Microbiological criteria for food stuffs - Part 1".  
2.16 GSO 1287" Methods of sampling of prepackaged fruit and vegetable 
products" . 
 
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Gulf Standard                                                                                                             GSO  1292/2013  
 
2.17 GSO 1791" Three piece steel round cans used for canning food stuffs".   
2.18 GSO/CAC GL "Guidelines on good laborat ory practice in pesticide 
residues analysis " .  
2.19 GSO/CAC 193: General Standard for contaminants and toxins in food 
and feed". 
2.20 Gulf Standards which Organization shall be approved concerned with: 
2.20.1  " General Standard for food additives". 
2.20. 2 Methods for the determination of fungi toxins in food and animal 
feeds" . 
2.20. 3 Methods for the determination of pesticide residues" .  
 
3- Definitions: 
3.1 Canned mixed vegetables:  A product prepared from a mixture of three kinds or  
more of sound  fresh or frozen or cooked dried vegetables after washing and preparing 
processes ,packing under vacuum in suitable containers, with  water or liquid medium  
appropriate to the type of canned vegetable  and processed by heat  in an appropriate 
manner, before or after being sealed in a container so as to prevent  spoilage  when 
storage at room temperature.  
 
3.2 Drained weight: The weight of packed product after drainage of the packing  
medium.  
 
4- Requirements:  
The following shall be met in the products:  
 
4.1 The raw materials used in the production shall be complying with the Gulf 
Standards specific to each; it should not use any genetically modified . 
4.2 The production shall be carried out according to the requirements 
mentioned in Gulf Standar d stated in Item (2. 3).  
4.3 The product shall be free from pig products and its derivatives.  
4.4 Each vegetable component shall retain its physical properties, be homogenous in  
size and color.  
4.5 The drained product shall have normal color characteristic of canned mixed  
vegetables.  
4.6 They shall have a normal taste and flavor and be free from odors and flavors  
foreign to the product.  
4.7 They shall be reasonably tender and reasonably uniform in texture and maturity.  
4.8 One or more of the p acking medium shall be added provided that the packing  
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  Gulf Standard                                                                                                             GSO  1292/2013  
 
 
medium content shall not exceed 20% of the drained weigh t of the container.  
4.9 One or more of the following ingredients shall be added  to the product:  
4.9.1 Sugars and/ or foodstuffs with sweetening properties such as  honey.  
4.9.2 Edible vegetable and animal oils.  
4.9.3 Aromatics plants, spices or its extracts.  
4.9.4 Regular or concentrated fruit juices.  
4.9.5 Tomato  juice or sauce.  
4.9.6 Vinegar.  
4.9.7 Edible salt.  
4.9.8 Garlic and onion.  
4.10 The pressure inside the heat processed cans shall be negative .  
4.11 Food additives:  
4.11.1 Acidity regulators, colors, color retention agents and calcium salts of firming 
agents allow using  according to  Table No. (3) In  Gulf Standard stated in Item 
(2.20.1). 
4.11.2 Colors and color retention agents allow using according to the following t able:   
 
4.11.2.1 Colors:  
INS No.  Name of the food additive  Name of the food 
additive  
102 Tartrazine  100 mg/kg  
133 Brilliant Blue FCF  20 mg/kg  
134 Fast Green FCF  200 mg/kg  
150d  Caramel IV -sulfite ammonia 
caramel  50,000 mg/kg  
4.11.2.2 Color retention agents : 
INS No.  Name of the food additive  Name of the food 
additive  
385 Calcium disodium 
ethylenediaminetetraacetate   
365 mg/kg (singly or in 
combination)  386 Disodium 
ethylenediaminetetraacetate  
512 Stannous chloride  25 mg/kg calculated as 
tin. Should not be added 
to foods in uncoated tin 
cans  
 
4.12 The maximum limits for contaminating metals according to Gulf Standard stated 
in Item (2.19).  
4.13 The additives to the product shall be allowed according to Gulf Standard stated 
in Item (2. 20.1).  
 
 
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Gulf Standard                                                                                                             GSO  1292/2013   
 
4.14 Pesticide residues in the product shall not exceed the allowable limits according 
to Gulf Standard stated in Item (2. 10). 
4.15 Microbiological criteria of the product shall comply with Gulf Standard stated in 
Item (2.1 5). 
4.16 The radioactivity contaminant limits for the product shall comply with Gulf 
Standard stated in Item (2.1 3). 
 
 
5- Sampling: 
Samples shall be taken according to  Gulf Standard stated in Item (2.1 6).  
 
6- Methods of examination and test: 
6.1   Measurement of vacuum and net and drained weight shall be carried 
out according to Gulf Standard stated in Item (2.7). 
6.2 Detection of microbiological criteria shall be carried out according to Gulf 
Standard stated in Item (2.8). 
6.4 Determination of aflatoxins shall be carried out according to Gulf 
Standard stated in Item (2.20.1).  
6.5 Determination of pesticides residues shall be carried out according  to Gulf 
Standard stated in Item (2.20.2). 
6.6 Detection of radioactivity limits shall be carried out according to Gulf 
Standard stated in Item (2.14). 
 
7- Packaging, transportation and storage: 
 
7.1 Packaging:  
 7.1.1 Without prejudice to what mentioned i n Gulf Standards stated in Items 
(2.11.2.17) , the product shall be packaged in suitable containers to keep it  
and protect it from any contamination lead to change its properties or it's 
fitting for human consumption  in normal condition of storage and handl ing.  
7.1.2 Size of the contents shall not be less than 90 %( volume/ volume) of 
water capacity of the container. 
7.1.3 The pressure inside the cans shall be  negative ( lower than atmospheric 
pressure ).  
7.1.4 The container shall be completely free from rust,  corrosion and leakage.  
7.1.5 The container shall be free from swelling and over -filling.  
 
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 Gulf Standard                                                                                                             GSO  1292/2013  
 
  
7.2 Transportation: 
Product transportation shall be carried out by means of sound and clean 
means, do not previously used in transportation of any poisoning or harmful 
materials, and the transportation shall be carried out with a way do not lead 
to spoilage of the product. 
7.3 Storage:  
Without prejudice to what mentioned in Gulf Standards stated in Items (2. 6), 
the stores shall be good ventilation and far from heat and contamination 
sources. 
 
 
8- Labeling :  
Without prejudice to what mentioned in Gulf Standards stated in Items  (2.1, 
2.5), the following shall be declared on the label  in Arabic language, and may 
write in another language beside the Arabic language:  
8.1 The name of the product  (mixed vegetables ),icluding packing medium      
8.2  Ingredients and its contents.  
8.3 Additives and food additives.    
8.4 Conditions of keeping, storage and handling.  
8.5 Statement "Packed under vacuum". 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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