TBS/AFDC 23(346 ) CD3 
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 Draft Tanzania Standard  
 
 
 
Dried sardine  – Specification  
TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDARDS  
                                                                                                                                        TBS/AFDC 23(346 ) CD3 
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Dried sardine  - Specification  
 
0. Foreword  
The demand for processing and consumption of dried sardine for human consumption is increasing in the 
country thus, there is a  need to ensure the safety and quality of the product produced  and/or marketed.  
 
In reporting the result of a test or analysis made in accordance with this standard, 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 Scope  
This Tanzania standard specifies requirements, methods of sampling and test for dried sardine other than 
silver cyprinid ( Rastrineobola argentea ) intended for human consumption.  
2 Normative References  
The foll owing referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated 
references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced 
document (including any amendments) applies.  
TZS 4  - Round ing off numerical values  
TZS 109 - Food processing units – code of hygiene  
TZS 118  - Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for enumeration of micro – 
organisms – Colony count technique at 30ºc  
TZS 119– Microbiology – General gui dance for the enumeration of  coliforms – Most Probable Number 
technique (MPN).  
TZS 122  – Microbiology of food and feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for the detection of Salmonella 
spp 
TZS 123  Microbiological - examination for  clostridium perfringens    
TZS 125 - Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for enumeration of 
coagulase – positive staphylococci  (Staphylococcus aureus  and other species)  
TZS 131 Microbiology - General guidance for enumeration of yeast and moulds -Colony cou nt technique at 
25°C  
TZS 538 Packaging and labelling of foods  
TZS 731  / ISO 7251  – Microbiology of food and feeding stuffs – Horizontal method for detection and 
enumeration of presumptive  Escherichia Coli – Most Probable Number Technique                                                                                                                                         TBS/AFDC 23(346 ) CD3 
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 TZS 789 - Portabl e water – Specification  
 
TZS 1813  (EAS 833:2016) - Processing and handling of dried fish and fish products –Code of practice  
TZS 2044/ISO 5985  Animal feeding stuffs – Determination of ash insoluble in hydrochloric   
TZS 2230  Lead determination in fish and fishery product  
AOAC 2015. 01, Heavy metals in food   
Codex Stan 192 - Codex General Standard for food additives  
 
3 Terms and definitions  
For the purpose of this standard the following terms and definitions shall apply;  
3.1 dried sardine  
whole product presen ted as a dried fresh water  and marine sardine  which has not been gutted, beheaded 
or split and subsequently washed  and/or pre - cooked and dried   
3.2  
food grade material  
material that will not transfer non -food chemicals into the food and contains no chem icals which would be 
hazardous to human health  
 
4 Requirements  
4.1 General requirements  
4.1.1  Raw material  
4.1.1.1  Dried sardine shall be prepared from fresh, sound sardines  which is of an acceptable quality 
and fit for human consumption.  
4.1.1.2  Water use d during sardine  processing shall be potable complying with TZS 789.  
4.1.1.3  After washing and/or  pre-cook ing the sardine  shall be dried either in the sun or in artificial 
dryers until a satisfactory product is obtained.  
4.1.1.4  The sardine , while drying  shall be free of  dirt, sand, birds, vermin ,  insects  and any other 
foreign matters . 
4.1.2  Finished product  
Dried sardine  shall:  
a) have the characteristic skin colour and  dried fish odour;  
b) be free from any indication of spoilage such as mouldiness, colour chan ge;                                                                                                                                       TBS/AFDC 23(346 ) CD3 
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 c)  be free from artificial colouring matter , flavours  and firming agents; and 
d) be free from foreign matter , pests  and chemical/compound  that compromise product safety . 
 
4.2 Specific requirements  
4.2.1  Dried sardine  shall comply with the specific requireme nts given in Table 1.   
Table 1 – Specific requirements for dried sardine  
S/N Parameter  Requirement  Test method  
i.  Moisture, %, max.  12 Annex A  
ii.  Acid insoluble ash, % max.  0.5 TZS 2044  
  
4.2.2  Dried sardine  shall be presented not less than 90 % whole.  
5  Contaminants  
5.1 Heavy metals  
Dried sardine shall comply with the heavy metal limits given in Table 2. 
Table 2 — Heavy metal limits for dried sardine  
S/No.  Heavy metal  
contaminants  Maximum limit,  
mg/kg  Test method  
i.  Lead  0.3 TZS 2230  
ii.  Cadmium  0.3 AOAC 201 5.01 
iii.  Mercury  0.5 
 
5.2  Pesticide residues  
Dried sardine  shall comply with those maximum pesticides residue limits established by the Codex 
Alimentarius Commission.  
6 Hygiene  
 6.1 The product shall be prepared and handled in accordance with TZS 109 and  TZS 1813 and shall 
comply with microbiological limits given in Table 3. 
Table 3 — Microbiological limits for dried sardine   
S/N Type of microorganism  Maximum limit  Test method                                                                                                                                        TBS/AFDC 23(346 ) CD3 
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 i.  Salmonella,  in 25 g  Absent  TZS 122  
ii.  Escherichia coli, MPN/g  Absent  TZS 731  
iii.  Staphylococcus aureus, per g  2 × 103 TZS 125  
iv.  Total viable count, CFU/g  106 TZS 118  
v.  Vibrio spp, per g.  Absent  TZS 119  
vi.  Yeast and moulds,  CFU/g  103 TZS 131  
vii.  Clostridium perfringes , per g  Absent  TZS 123  
 
7 Sampling and test  
7.1 Sampling  
Sampling of dried sardine shall  be done according to  the Codex general guideline on sampling (CAC/GL 
50-2004).  
 
7.2 Test  
Dried sardine  shall be done according to test methods prescribed in Table 1 ,2 and 3 of this standard.  
8 Food additives  
Food additives if used sha ll comply with the levels stipulated under the Codex general standard on food 
additives  CODEX STAN 192.  
9 Weights and Measures  
 
Dried sardine shall be packaged in accordance with Weights and Measures requirements of the 
destination country.  
10 Packing, ma rking and labeling  
10.1Packing  
Dried  sardine  shall be packed in suitable food grade materials.  
10.2 Marking and labeling  
In addition to the requirements of TZS 538; the following labeling requirements shall apply and shall be 
legibly and indelibly marked  
a) Name of the product shall be (Dried sardine ). 
b) Net content  
c) Name, physical and postal address of the manufacturer or packer  
d) Country of origin                                                                                                                                        TBS/AFDC 23(346 ) CD3 
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 e) Date of manufacture and expiry  
f) Brand name of the product  
g) Storage condition  
h) Batch or code number  
i) Instruction for use  
j) The language on the label shall be Swahili and/or English . Another language may be used 
depending on the designated market.  
 
10.3 The containers may also be marked with the TBS Standards Mark of Quality.  
NOTE: The TBS Standards Mark of Quality may be used b y the manufacturers only under license from 
TBS. Particulars of conditions under which the licenses are granted, may be obtained from TBS.                                                                                                                                        TBS/AFDC 23(346 ) CD3 
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 Annex  A 
(normative)  
 
Determination of moisture content  
A.1 Principle  
The sample is dried to constant weight in an ov en. 
A.2 Apparatus  
A.2.1  Moisture dishes , made of nickel, stainless steel, aluminium or porcelain, with well -fitting lids  
A.2.2  Oven  
A.2.3  Desiccator  
A.3 Procedure  
Weigh accurately about 10 g of the sample in a suitable moisture dish, previously dried in an oven and 
weighed. Place the dish in an oven maintained at 105 °C ± 2 °C for five hours.  Cool the dish in a 
desiccator and weigh with the lid on.  Repeat the process of heating, cooling and weighing at half -hour 
intervals until the loss in mass between two successive weightings is less than 1 mL. Record the lowest 
mass obtained.  Preserve the dish containing this dried material in a desiccator for the determination of 
total ash (see B.2.3).  
A.4 Calculation  
The moisture content shall be expressed as foll ows: 
Moisture, % by mass = 
100
12 1

mmmm  
where  
m1 is the mass, in grams, of the moisture dish with material before drying;  
m2 is the  mass, in grams, of the moisture dish with the material after drying; and   
m is the  mass, in grams, of the empty mo isture dish.