TBS/ AFDC 14 (5258) P 3 
 
 
P1 
 
                                                                                                  
  
 
 
DRAFT TANZANIA STANDARD  
 
Butter  – Spec ification  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDARDS  
                                                                                                                                                                                            
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 Butter – Specification                                               
 
0 FOREWORD  
 
Butter  is an important fat food item obtained by churning milk cream which has been separated 
from warm milk. Butter consists of unaltered fat globules moisture dr oplets imbedded in a 
continuous phase of butterfat. Textural  properties are largely dependent  on the proportion of 
liquid to solid fat in the continuous phase.  
 
This standard has been prepared  to ensure safety and  quality  of butter  produced or traded in 
the country.  
 
In the preparation of this Tanzania standard considerable assistance was drawn from EAS 
22:2007 , Butter – Specification ; published by the East African Community.  
 
In reporting,  the results of a test or analysis made in  accordance with this s tandard, if the final 
value observed or calculated, is to be rounded off, it shall be done in accord ance with TZS 4 
(see clause 2).  
 
1.0 SCOPE   
This Tanzania standard specifies requirements, methods of sampling and test for butter of dairy 
animal origin intended 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 76 – Methods for determin ation 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 119  – Microbiology – General guidance for the enumeration  of coliforms – Most Probable 
Number technique (MPN).  
TZS 122 – Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the detecti on 
of Salmonella spp.  
TZS 124  - Milk and milk products – sampling for microbiological examination.  
TZS 125 – Microbiology of food 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 – Amendment 1: Inclusion of precision data.  
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 253 – Butter – Method of sampling and test.  
TZS 731  – Microbiology of food and feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for detection and 
enumeration of presumptive Escherichia c oli – Most Probable Number Technique  
Codex S tan 193  – Codex General Standard for Contaminants and Toxins in Food and Feed                                                                                                                                      
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 ISO 3727 -3:2003  – Butter -- Determination of moisture, non -fat solids and fat contents -- Part 3: 
Calculation of fat content . 
ISO 8294  - Animal and vegetable fats and oils -- Determination of copper, iron and nickel 
contents -- Graphite furnace atomic absorption method  
ISO 12193 - Animal and vegetable fats and oils -- Determination of lead by direct graphi te 
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 butter  
fatty product obtained by churning milk fat or milk cream , principally in the form of an em ulsion 
of the type water -in-oil. 
3.2 fat content  
the percentage by mass obtained by subtracting the  water content and the solids -not fat content 
from 100.  
 
4.0 REQUIREMENTS  
 
4.1 General requirements   
 
4.1.1  Raw materials   
Milk or cream obtained from milk  of dairy animal origin . 
 
4.1.2 Permitted ingredients  
a) Sodium chloride/ salt . 
b) Cultures of harmless (non -pathogenic)  lactic acid producing bact eria. 
c) Potable Water.  
d) Neutralizing salts – Sodium or thophosphate , Sodium carbonate, Sodium bicarbonate, 
Sodium hydroxide and C alcium hydroxide should be added at the maximum level of 2 
g/kg singly or in combination expressed as an hydrous substances. The ad dition of these 
salts is restricted for pH adjustment.  
 
4.1.3 Butter shall;  
a) be of characteristic flavour, colour, free from taint and rancidity . 
b) be firm, neither greasy nor oily at 25 °C and showing granular texture on breaking.  
c) not be watery . 
 
4.2 Specific re quirements  
The specific  requirement for butter shall be as prescribed  in Table 1.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                                                                                                      
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 Table 1: Specific  requirements  for butter  
S/No.  Characteristic  Requirement  Method of test 
(see clause 2)  
 
1) Milk fat, percentage by mass, Min  80 ISO 3727 -3 
2) Milk solids -not fat content, 
percentage by mass, Max   2 ISO 3727 -3 
3) Moisture content, percentage by 
mass, Max  16 TZS 253  
 
4) Salts, percentage by mass  
percentage by mass, Max   2 TZS 253  
 
5) pH 6.6 – 7.0  Annex A  
 
 
4.3 Food additives  
Food additives if use d shall conform  to the requirements prescribed in the  Codex Stan 192.  
 
5.0 CONTAMINANTS   
 
5.1 Metal contamina nts. 
Butter  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  butter  
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 s and veterinary drug residues  
Pesticides and Veterinary drug residues in butter shall conform to the maximum  residual limits 
(MRLs) for pesticides  and veterinary drug residues  as prescribed in the CAC/MRL2.  
 
5.3 Aflatoxin M1  
Raw milk shall not contain aflato xin M 1 more than 0.5 µg/kg when tested in accordance with 
ISO 14674 .  
 
6.0  HYGIENE   
6.1 Butter  shall be prepared  under strict hygienic conditions according to TZS 109 and TZS 112 
(See clause 2).   
 
6.2 Sample of butter tested shall not contain microbiological count more than the  level 
prescribed  in Table  3. 
 
 
                                                                                                                                      
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 Table 3: Microbiological limits for butter  
S/No.  Microorganisms  Limit  Methods of test  (see 
clause 2)  
i) Total count,  cfu/g, max 105 TZS 118  
 
ii) Escherichia coli , cfu/g  Absent  TZS 731 
 
iii) Salmonella spp per 25g, cfu /g  Absent  TZS 122  
 
iv) Yeast and Moulds , cfu/g , max  10 TZS 131 
 
 
7.0 SAMPLING AND TESTS  
 
7.1 Sampling  
Sampling of butter shall be done according to TZS 124  (see clause 2).  
 
7.2 Tests  
Testing of butter shall be done accordin g to test meth ods prescribed in Table s 1, 2 and 3 .  
 
8.0 PACKAGING, MARKING  AND LABELLING  
 
8.1 Packaging  
8.1.1  Butter shall be pack ed in approved clean and safe food grade containers  recommended 
for butter packag ing. 
 
8.1.2  For retail market, the mass of butter in the presentation container shall be at intervals of 
10g for packages below 100g and at intervals of 50g above 100g – 1kg and thereafter by steps 
of 1 kg.  
 
8.2 Marking and labelling  
In addition to  marking and labe lling requirements prescribed in TZS 538, butter containers shall 
be also legibly and indeli bly marked with the following:  
 
a) Name of the product “butter ” 
b) Country of origin  
c) Statement to indicate w hether it is salted or unsalted  
d) Net content in metric units  
e) Manufacturing date  
f) Expiry date  
g) Nutritional inform ation  
h) Storage condition  
i) List of ingredients  
j) The name and address of the manufacturer, packer, distributor, importer, exporter or 
vendor.  The language on the label shall be “Kiswahili” or Kiswahili and English. 
Additional  language may be used depending on t he designated market.  
 
 
 
                                                                                                                                      
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 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.