TBS/AFDC 14 (5259) P 3 
                                                                                                   
 
  
DRAFT TANZANIA STANDARD  
 
Ghee  – Specification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDARDS  
                                                                                                                                                                                                
1 
 Ghee  – Specification                                               
 
0   FOREWORD  
 
Ghee is  a milk product obtained from butter or cream.  In Tanzania manufacture of ghee is at 
small scale, but significant quantit ies are imported because of its valued culinary oil. 
Nevertheless,  there is big scope for the expansion of the dairy industry in the co untry, and 
hence higher prospect for increasing production of ghee.   
 
Accordingly , it has been felt necessary to guide the dairy industry and controlling authori ties in 
safeguarding the health of consumers and assuring the safety and quality of ghee traded  in the 
country.  
  
In the preparation of this Tanzania standard considerable assistance was drawn from RS 
294:2015 , Cow ghee  – Specification ; published by the Rwanda Standards Board .  
 
In reporting,  the results of a test or analysis made in  accordance wit h this s tandard, if the final 
value observed or calculated, is to be rounded off, it shall be done in accordance with TZS 4 
(see clause 2).  
 
1.0 SCOPE   
This draft Tanzania s tandard prescribes the requirements, metho ds of sampling and test for 
Ghee  produced  for human consumption . 
 
2.0 REFERENCE S 
For the purpose of this Tanz ania s tandard, the fo llowing references shall apply. For 
dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest 
edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies:  
 
TZS 4  – Rounding off numerical values  
TZS 34 -3 – Animal feeds and feeding stuffs – Sampling and test methods Part 3 – 
Microbiological.           
TZS 54 -1 – Oils and fats – Sampling and test methods – sampling, physical and chemica l tests.  
TZS 76 – Methods for determination of Arsenic  
TZS 109  – Food  processing units – code of hygiene  
TZS 112  – Milk – Production, processing, transportation and distribution – code of hygiene.  
TZS 118 – Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for enumeration 
of microorganisms – Colony count technique at 30 0C. 
TZS 122 – Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the detection 
of Salmonella spp.  
TZS 125 – Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuff s – Horizontal method for the 
enumeration of coagulase -positive staphylococci ( Staphylococcus aureus  and other species) – 
Part 1: Technique using Baird -parker agar medium – Amendment 1: Inclusion of precision data.  
TZS 253 – Butter – Method of sampling and  test. 
TZS 131  – Microbiology  - General guidance for enumeration of yeast and moulds – Colony 
count technique at 25  ºC. 
TZS 538  – Labelling of pre -packaged foods — General requirements  
TZS 852 -2 – Microbiology  of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal  method for detection 
and enumeration of Listeria monocytogenes  - Enumeration method                                                                                                                                       
2 
 TZS 731  – Microbiology of food and feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for detection and 
enumeration of presumptive Escherichia c oli – Most Probable Number Technique  
ISO 1 4674  - Milk and milk powder -- Determination of aflatoxin M1 content -- Clean -up by 
immunoaffinity chromatography and determination by thin -layer chromatography  
ISO 8294  - Animal and vegetable fats and oils -- Determination of copper, iron and nickel 
conte nts -- Graphite furnace atomic absorption method  
ISO 12193 - Animal and vegetable fats and oils -- Determination of lead by direct graphite 
furnace atomic absorption spectroscopy  
CAC/MRL 2 - Maximum Residue Limits (MRLs) and Risk Management Recommendations  
(RMRs) for Residues of Veterinary Drugs in Foods . 
 
3.0 TERMS AND DEFINITIONS  
For the purpose of this standard , the following terms and definitions shall apply:  
 
3.1 ghee  
product exclusively obtained from milk, cream or butter, by means of processes which 
result in almost total removal of water and non -fat solids, with special developed flavour 
and physical structure .  
3.2 milk  
normal, clean and fresh secretions extracted from the udder of a healthy milking dairy 
animal , properly fed and kept, but excluding  that got during the first seven days after 
calving . 
 
4.0 REQUIREMENTS  
 
4.1 General requirements   
4.1.1  Raw materials   
raw milk, cream, butter when used shall comply with specific Tanzania standard.  
 
4.1.2  Ghee shall  be; 
a) pure clarified milk fat. It shall not contain  any other fat o r oil or any foreign substances . 
b) transparent amber when in liquid and golden yellow while in solid form,  
c) pleasant and characteristic flavour of ghee and free from foreign odour and taste.  
 
4.2 Specific requirements  
Ghee shall comply with the requirements specified  in Table 1:  
Table 1 : Specific requirements  for ghee  
S/No. Characteristic  Requirement  Test method  
1) Moisture , % (m/m), max.  0.3  
 
 
 
       TZS 54 -1 
 2) Melting point range, C 28 – 44  
3) Reichert value  26 – 29 
4) Free fatty aci d, as oleic acid (%) m/m, max.  0.4 
5) Milk fat % (m/m), min.  99.7 
6) Insoluble impurities, % (m/m), max.  0.05                                                                                                                                      
3 
 7) Refractive Index  40-43   
8) Peroxide value (mEq  O2/kg fat), max.  0.1  
 
 
5.0 CONTAMINANTS  
 
5.1 M etal contaminants  
Ghee shall not contain any metal  harmful to human health and when tested, the heavy metal  
limits shall not exceed the levels specified in  Table 2. 
Table 2: Metal c ontaminant lim its for  ghee  
S/No. Contaminant  Maximum limit  Test method  
1) Iron (Fe), mg/kg  0.2 ISO 8294   
2) Copper  (Cu), mg/kg  0.05 ISO 8294   
3) Lead  (Pb), mg/kg  0.1 ISO 12193    
4) Arsenic  (As), mg/kg  0.1 TZS 76 
 
5.2 Pesticide and veterinary drug residues  
Pesticides and Veterinary drug residues in ghee shall comply with maximum residual limits 
(MRLs) for pesticides  and veterinary drug residues  as prescribed in the CAC/MRL 2.  
 
5.3 Aflatoxin M1  
Ghee shall not contain Aflatoxin M1 more than 0.5 µg/kg when tested in accordance with  ISO 
14674 . 
 
6.0  HYGIENE   
6.1 Ghee  shall be prepared under strict hygienic conditions accordi ng to TZS 109 (See clause 
2).  
6.2 Sample of ghee tested shall not contain microbiological count more than the requirements 
prescribed in Table 3. 
 
Table 3: Microbiological limits  
S/No. Micro -organisms  Maximum limits  Method of test  
1) Total plate count, cfu/g 103 TZS 118  
2) Escherichia  coli, cfu/g  Absent  TZS 731  
3) Salmonella spp per 25g  Absent  TZS 122  
4) Yeast and m oulds , cfu/g,  
max 10 TZS 131  
5) Staphylococcus aureus per 
25g 102 TZS 125  
6) Bacillus cereus  Absent  ISO 7932  
TZS 34 -3 7) Clostridium sp p. Absent                                                                                                                                       
4 
  
7.0   SAMPLING AND TESTS  
 
7.1 Sampling  
Sampling of ghee  shall be done according to TZS 5 4-1 (see clause 2).  
 
7.2 Tests  
Testing of ghee shall be done accordin g to test methods prescribed in Table s 1  2, and 3  
 
7.0 PACKAGING, MARKING  AND LABELLING  
 
8.1 Packaging  
In addition to the packaging requirements prescribed in TZS 538 (see clause 2), ghee shall also 
be pack ed in non-absorbent  containers which shall be impervious to air, water and fat. The 
containers shall not affect the composition, propertie s or appearance of ghee. Ghee shall be 
packaged in air tight containers, which shall be sealed to prevent contamination.   
 
8.2 Marking and labelling  
In addition to marking and labelling requirements prescribed in TZS 538, ghee  containers shall 
be also legi bly and indelibly marked with the following:  
a) Name of the product “Ghee ” or designated source of milk  
b) The date of manufacture  
c) Country of origin  
d) Name and address of manufacturer  and / or licensed packer  
e) Expiry date  
f) Net content in metric unit  
g) Batch or co de number  
h) Nutritional information  
i) Registered trade mark, if any  
j) Instruction for use  
k) Storage condition and hygienic handling of the product.  
l) The language on the label shall be “Kiswahili” or Kiswahili and English. A dditional  
language may be used depending o n the designated market.  
 
8.3 The container may also be marked with TBS Certification Mark.  
NOTE  – The TBS Standards Mark of Quality may be used by the manufacturers only 
under licence from TBS. Particulars of conditions under which the licenses  are 
grante d may be obtained from TBS.