هيئة التقييس لدول مجلس التعاون لدول الخليج العربية 
G.C.C STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION (GSO)  
 
 
 
 
Final Draft 
 
 
 
GSO/ FDS        /2012  
 
 
 
Frozen Prawn Coated with Bread Crump 
 
 
 
Prepared by:  
Gulf technical committee for sector standard of food and agricultural products  
 
 
This document is a draft Gulf Standard circulated for comments, it is therefore, subject to 
Alteration and modification, and may not be referred it as a Gulf Standard, until approved by 
the Board of Directors 
  
Gulf Standard    GSO         /2012  
 
 2  
 
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 (TCs).  
 
GSO through the technical program of committee TC No.: 5 " technical 
committee for Sector Of  foods and agriculture products " has  prepared  the GSO 
Standard No. (        ) .The Draft Standard has been prepared by STATE OF 
KUWAIT  
  
This standard has been approved as Technical Regulation  by GSO Board of 
Directors  in its meeting No.(       ),held on      /    /            H ,     /     /              G. 
The approved standard will replace and supersede the GSO standard No. (        ) .  
Gulf Standard    GSO         /2012  
 
 3  
Frozen Prawn Coated with Bread Crump  
1- Scope  
This standard applies to basic requirement for frozen prawn coated with bread crump that is 
partially cooked or raw, and frozen .  
2- Complementary References  
2.1     GSO 9    "Labeling of prepackaged food stuffs"  
2.2     GSO 16  " Physical and Chemical Analysis Methods for Testing Edible  Vegetable  
         Oils and Fats”.  
2.3     GSO 655  " “Methods of Microbiological Examination for Meat, Fish and           
         Shellfish and Their Products”.  
2.4    GSO 795 " Methods of Test for Antioxidants Permitted for Use in Food Products "    
2.5 GSO 17  “Methods of Test for Permitted Additives in Oils and Fats – Part1”. 
2.6    GSO 20 " Methods for the Determination of Contaminating Metallic  Elements in 
Foodstuffs". " 
2.7 GSO 21 " Hygienic Regulations for Food Plants and Their Personnel " 
2.8  GSO 22 " Methods of Test for Colouring Matter Used in Foodstuffs ". 
2.9   GSO 323 " General Requirements for Transportation and Storage of Chilled  and Frozen 
Foods " 
2.10 GSO 150 " Expiration period of food products "  
2.11 GSO 1016 "  "Microbiological Limits for Foodstuffs -Part 1".  
2.12  GSO 988 "Limits of Radiation Levels Permitted in Foodstuffs".  
2.13  GSO 815 "Code of Hygienic Practice for Preparation, Transportation  , Handling and 
Storage of Fish".  
2.14  GSO  839 "  Food Packages – Part 1: General Requirements  ". 
2.15  Gulf standard that will  be adopted by the GSO for edible oils and fats . 
2.16  Gulf standard that will be adopted by the GSO for  Detection Methods of Histamine . 
2.17  Gulf standard that will be adopted by the GSO for  Methods of Determination of Non -
Nitrogen Bases  
2.18  GSO 2142 "  General Requirements for Genetically Modified Processed Food and Feed ". 
2.19  GSO1908  " Requirements for the use of frying oils and fats   
Gulf Standard    GSO         /2012  
 
 4 3- Definition  
3.1 Fresh prawn:  
Prawn was not subjected to any temperature sufficient to coagulate the  protein on its 
surface.  
3.2  Boiled prawn:  
Fresh Prawn  subjected  to water vapor and heat for a period of  time sufficient to coagulate 
the protein on its surface but not enough to freeze the protein at the heat center of the 
prawn.  
3.3 Cooked shrimp:  
Preheat fresh shrimp for a period of time sufficient to coagulate the  protein at the  inner 
center of the prawns body . 
3.4 frozen prawn :   
Result of frozen shrimp, fresh or boiled, cooked in whole or in part, peeled or not peeled 
from the genera ( penaeidae – pandalidae – crangonidae – palaemoniade ) to be of 
homogeneous size, color, and freeze individually or in blocks until the center  
tempe rature reach -18˚c  to be freezing method using rapid freezing  
3.5  Coatings :  
Mixture of milk, eggs, flour, spices and potable water mixed together to obtain a  
reasonable viscosity to coat the product.  
3.6 Bread crumb:  
Pieces of ground dried bread that has a shape that allows it to stick to the coating layer 
and the direct to the prawn.  
 3.7 Frozen prawn blocks :  
Fillets, minced prawn meat or mixture of them   compressed  and frozen in rectangular 
dice with regular shape and thickness.  
 
4- Requirements   
 
4.1  fresh or boiled prawns should be used in the process of freezing  . 
4.2    Prawns to be used in the process of freezing  should be good clean sound for human 
consumption and free of  artificial  odor and flavor , except for the smell ,flavor and   
added substances permitted in this  specification  . 
4.3   The temperature of raw prawn should not exceed   4˚C on the  way to the factory for a 
period of not more than 12 hours  . 
4.4   Product must be prepared in a certified factory and conform to the Gulf standard in  
clause  2.7 . 
4.5   Handling of the product shall be according to the GSO standard mentioned in clause 
2.13. 
4.6   The product shall be completely free from pig products and their derivatives.   
Gulf Standard    GSO         /2012  
 
 5 4.7   Prawns shall be prepared from edible prawn species, havi ng a quality that is similar to 
that of fresh fish and fit for human  consumption  . 
4.8  All ingredients of the coating layer shall conform to the   GSO standard mentioned in 
clause  2.18 . 
4.9  Oil used in  the cooking process shall be of vegetable origin and conform to the  GSO 
standard mentioned in 2.1 5. 
4.10  Oil used in the cooking process shall impart to the final product the desired  product 
characteristics  and conform to the  GSO  standard mentioned in clause 2.1 9 . 
4.11  Physical and chemical properties of the cooking oil shall be examined routinely. It  shall 
be totally replaced upon appearance of rancidity signs like increase in  peroxide value 
(PV). 
4.12  Prawn  content in the fin al prod uct shall not be less than 60 %.  
4.13  The final product shall be free from objectionable odour, flavor and texture.  
4.14  The final product shall be free from  scales except for the tail . 
4.15  The final product shall be frozen in blast freezers imm ediately after cooking. . 
4.16  The following ingredients may be used in the production of prawns :  
4.16.1 Natural ingredients added to the coatings shall include spices, sodium chloride  (salt), 
cereal flour, potato flour, glucose, lactose, dextrose, milk  powder and corn syrup  and 
oils .  
4.16.2 Chemical additives to the coatings of prawns , so that the maximum level in the  final 
product in proportion to the requirement is as follows:  
4.16.2.1 Moisture retention agents in products  : Sodium or Potassium mono -, di-, tri-, or   
polyphosphates/10gm/kg (expressed as  P2O5, singly or in combination).   
On condition that not more than two hours a marinade  . 
4.16.2.2  Antioxidants  :  
             - Ascorbic acid or its sodium or potassium salts  .  
             - Citric acid or its sodium or potassium salts  1gm/kg .  
             -  Ascorbic palmitate  singly/or in combination  .  
4.16.2.3   Thickeners  :  
             - Guar gum  .  
             - Pectins    
            - Xanthan gum   5 gm/kg  singly or in combination  .  
            - Methyl cellulose  .  
           - Sodium carboxy methyl  .  
4.16.2.4  Leavening agents – (for coatings  )  
           -  Mono or di -calcium phosphate  1 gm/kg singly or in  combination expressed as  P2O5 .  
           - Sodium  and ammonium phosphate.   
Gulf Standard    GSO         /2012  
 
 6            - Sodium, potassium and ammonium carbonates  Sodium, potassium and ammonium   
               Bicarbonates  limited by GMP . 
4.16.2.5 Flavor enhancers – (for coatings)  
            - Mono sodium or potassium glutamate  Limited by GMP.  
4.16.2.6  Acidifying agents – (for coating only)  :  1 g/ kg  
            - Lactic acid  expressed as acid  . 
            - Citric acid or its sodium or potassium  salts 
4.16.2.7  Colours (for coatings)  
           - Annato (E 160) "b"  20 mg/kg expressed as pectin  
           - Caramel (E 150)  100 mg/kg limited by GMP . 
            - B-Carotene (E 160) "a"  100 mg/kg . 
           - B-apo-carotenal (E 160) "e"  singly or in combination . 
4.16.2.8  Emulsifiers – (for coatings only)  
            - Monoglycerides of fatty acids   
5 gm singly  or in combination               - Lecithins  
             - Mono and diglycerides  
 
4.16.2.9   Modified starches – (for coatings) Limited by GMP  . 
4.17  The products shall be free from parasites . 
4.18  The microbiological criteria of the products shall be in accordance with the GSO    
        standard mentioned in 2.11.  
4.19  The radiation level  shall be in accordance with the GSO  standard mentioned in 2.1 2. 
4.20  Contaminating  metallic elements in the final product shall not exceed the  following : 
         - Lead 1 ppm  
         - Mercury 0.05 ppm  
         - Arsenic 0.5 ppm  
4.21 The histamine shall be not more than 100 ppm in the final product . 
4.22 The non –nitrogen bases shall be not more than 25 mg/ 100 in the product . 
 
 
 
 
 
  
Gulf Standard    GSO         /2012  
 
 7 5-   Sampling:  
- Samples shall be taken in accordance with the GSO standard mentioned in  clause 2.3  
 
6-  Methods of testing :  
      All necessary tests shall be carried out on the representative sample taken  according to   
      item 6 to determine its compliance with this standard . 
6.1 Detection of the quality of oil used for frying  accordance the GSO standard mentioned in   
     clause 2.2,2.5.  
6.2  Methods  for the determination of contaminating metallic elements in foodstuffs  in         
     accordance the GSO standard mentioned in  2.6 . 
6.3  Methods of test for colourings used in foodstuffs shall be according to the GSO  
      standard mentioned in  clause 2.8. 
6.4  Methods for the determination of antioxidants in foodstuffs shall be according to  
       the GSO standard mentioned in 2.4.  
6.5  Methods of microbiological examination of meat, fish, shellfish and their products  
         shall be according to the GSO standard mentioned in 2.3.  
6.6 Methods of detecting limits of radiation levels in foodstuffs shall be according to  the GSO   
      standard mentioned in 2.1 2. 
6.7 Methods of detecting of histamine shall be as stated in the GSO standard mentioned  in   
      2.16.  
6.8 Methods for determination of non –nitrogen Bases shall be according to the GSO  standard  
     mentioned in 2.17.  
 
7- Packaging , Transportation  and Storage :   
7.1   Packaging  
7.1.1  The requirements of the GSO standard mentioned in 2.13 shall be met.  
7.2  Transportation and Storage  
7.2.1   The requirements of the GSO standards mentioned in 2.9 and the draft of gulf   
     standard mentioned in clause 2.14.  
7.2.2  frozen prawns  , fish portions and fish fillets sh all be transported and stored a t    
 temperature not exceeding - 18 °C .  
7.2.3   In case of manufacturing the product from frozen blocks of shrimp , the expiration  
  date of the product  must not exceed the  expiration date of shrimp which produced the  
   product  of it . 
 
  
Gulf Standard    GSO         /2012  
 
 8  
8- Labeling  
Without prejudice to what has been mentioned in Gulf Standard stated in Item (2.1), the 
following shall be declared on the label of the product : 
8.1  Name of the product  
8.2  To declare  the type of shrimp that has been the produc t of processing and whether the  
       product has been processed from the fresh shrimp or minced shrimp on the  labeling  card. 
8.3  Declare  the proportion of shrimp meat on the label of the product . 
8.4  The so urce of Lecithin, mono - and diglycerides of fatty acids shall be declared . 
8.5   It is preferred to declare on the label the appropriate storage temperature and the   
        statement "Don't refreeze upon thawing the product".