GCC STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION (GSO)  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Final draft  
 
GSO /FDS 1992/ 2012 
 
 
BUTTER 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Prepared by: 
 Gulf technical committee for sector standards of  
Food and agriculture products
 
This doc ument 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:  67.100.00  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
BUTTER 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Date of GS O Board of Directors' Approval   : / / h ( / / )
Issuing Status  : Technical regulation  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 GSO 1992/20 12 GSO STANDARD  
 
1 Foreword 
 
GCC Standardization Organization (GSO) is a regional Organization which consists of the 
National Standards Bodies of GCC member States. One of GS O main functions is to issue 
Gulf Standards /Technical regulations through specialized technical committees (TCs).  
GSO through the technical program of committee TC No (5) "Technical committee for 
standards of food and agriculture products " has revised  the Standard  GSO 1992/2009" 
Butter" . The Draft Standard has been prepared by State of Qatar . 
The draft Standard has been prepared based on relevant ADMO, International and National 
foreign Standards and references.  
This standard has been approved as a Gulf Te chnical regulation by GSO Board of Directors in  
its meeting No. (  ), held on / / h (/ /). The approved standard will replace and supersede the 
GSO standard No. ( GSO 1992/2009 )
.    
                                         
  GSO 1992/20 12 GSO STANDARD  
 
 BUTTER  
 
1-  SCOPE : 
 This Standard is concerned with butter intended for  direct consumption or for 
further processing.  
 
2-  COMPLEMENTARY STANDARDS : 
2.1  GSO 9 “ Labeling  of prepackaged foods”.  
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 22" Methods of test for coloring matters used in food stuffs".  
2.5  GSO 150 “Expiration periods of food products – Part 2”.  
2.6               GSO 168" Conditions of storage facilities for dry and canned food stuffs".  
2.7              GSO 323" General requirements for transportation and storage of chilled and 
frozen foods" .  
2.8 GSO 332  "Methods of test for cow milk cream, butter and ghee".  
2.9               GSO 382,383" Maximum limits of pe sticide residues in agricultural and food 
products - Parts 1 , 2" . 
2.10 GSO 569 “Methods for sampling milk and milk products”.  
2.11             GSO 839" Food packages - Part 1: General requirements".  
2.12              GSO 841" Maximum limits for mycotoxins p ermitted in food and animal feeds - 
Aflatoxins".  
2.13             GSO 988" Limits of radioactivity leveld permitted in food stu ffs- Part 1".  
2.14             GSO 998" Methods of the detection of lermissible radionuclides limits in food - 
Part 1: Gamma spectr ometry analysis: A -Cs 134, 137".  
2.15 GSO  1016 “Microbiology criteria of food products – Part 1”.  
2.16              GSO 1694" General rules for food hygiene".  
2.17              GSO/CAC 192 "General Standard for food additives".  
2.18         GSO/CAC 193" Ge neral Standard for contaminants and toxins in food and feed"  . 
2.19            GSO/CAC 229" Analysis of pesticide residues: Recommended methods".  
2.20            GSO/CAC/MRL 2" Maximum residue limits for veterinary drugs in food".  
2.21            GSO/CAC/R CP 57" Code of hygienic practice for milk and milk products:.  
 
 
 
 GSO 1992/20 12 GSO STANDARD  
 
 3-  DEFINITIONS : 
3.1  Butter: Milk product rich in fat and exclusively derived from milk and/or products 
obtained from milk, principally in the form of an emulsion of the type water -in-oil, 
and preparation with mechanical or manual methods or both.  
 
 
4-  REQUIREMENTS  
 The following requirements shall be met in butter:  
4.1  The product shall be completely free from pig products or its derivatives  and all the 
contradicts Islamic law.  
4.2  The p roduct shall be produced in plants conforming to Gulf Standards stated in 
Items (2.3, 2.16, 2,21 ). 
4.3  The product shall have accepted flavor  and odor , and with smooth homogenous 
texture, and free from any physical defects as color, taste and odor.  
4.4              It is prohibited to carry out any renovation processes for the butter after 
appearance the spoilage signs on it.  
4.5  The product shall be free from hydrogenated and non -hydrogenated vegetable oils.  
4.6  Milk fat  content  shall not be less than 8 0%. 
4.7  Milk solids non -fat ratio shall not be more than 2%.  
4.8  Maximum water content  shall not exceed  than 16% . 
4.9  Maximum limits for contaminants in milk used in the manufacture and in  the final 
product shall not exceed to that mentioned in Gulf St andard stated in Item (2.18). 
4.10   Table  salt not exceeding  3% can be added in salted butter.  
 4.11           Food additives can be  added  according  in accordance to Gulf Standard stated in 
Item (2.17). 
4.12             The aflatoxins content in the produ ct shall not exceed to what mentioned in Gulf 
Standard stated in Item (2.12).  
4.13  Without prejudice to what mentioned in  Gulf Standard stated in Item (2.15), the 
product shall be completely free from pathogenic bacteria.  
4.14            The maximum resid ue limits for veterinary drugs in the product shall not exceed to 
what mentioned in Gulf Standard stated in Item (2.20). 
4.15            Pesticide residues in the product shall not exceed the limits  mentioned in Gulf 
Standard stated in Item (2.9). 
4.16 Limits of radiation in the milk shall be in accordance with GSO mentioned in Item 
(2.13). 
 
 
5-  SAMPLING : 
 Samples shall be taken according to Gulf Standard stated in Item (2.10). GSO 1992/20 12 GSO STANDARD  
 
 6-  TEST METHODS:  
6.1  Tests shall be carried out  on the representative sample taken according to Item     
(5) according to Gulf Standard s stated in Item s (2.2, 2.4, 2.8, 2.14, 2.19 ). 
6.2  Tests shall be carried out on the sample drawn according to Item (5) to determine 
its compliance with all the Items of this Standard.  
 
 
7-  PACKAGI NG, TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE : 
 During packing , transportation and storage the following shall be observed:  
7.1  Containers shall be made of hygienic, clean, non -toxic or harmful materials  which 
are impermeable to light. Containers shall not cause any cha nge to the  properties of 
the product , and comply to what mentioned in Gulf Standard stated in Item (2.11).  
7.2  The product shall be packed in such a way as to prevent any contamination.  
7.3  Transportation, distribution and storage shall be according to h ygienic  methods 
which do not affect the qualities of the product  and according to the requirements 
mentioned in Gulf Standard s stated in Item s (2.6, 2.7 ), and at a temperature  not 
more than (5oC) for chilled butter or ( -18° C) for frozen butter.  
 
 
8-  LABE LLING : 
 Without violation to the requirements mentioned in Gulf  Standards stated in Items 
(2.1, 2. 5)", the following information shall be labeled on  each product container:  
8.1              Name of the product (butter) with a suitable qualification shall b e used for butter 
with more than 95% fat.  
8.2  Type of butter (salted or non -salted).  
8.3  Percentage of milk fat, milk solid non -fats and water . 
 
8.4 Name of food additives.  
8.5  The conditions of  product storage, chilled or frozen.  
8.6             For l abeling of  non- retail containers; the following shall be appear on the 
container or in accompanying document s: the name of the product, lot 
identification, and the name and address of the manufacturer or packer, provided 
that such a mark is clearly identifiable with the accompanying documents.