ﻫﯾﺋﺔ اﻟﺗﻘﯾﯾس ﻟدول ﻣﺟﻠس اﻟﺗﻌﺎون ﻟدول اﻟﺧﻠﯾﺞ اﻟﻌرﺑﯾﺔ
GCC STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION ( GSO )
Final :Draft
GSO 5/FDS /........: 2014
ﻣﻌﺟون اﻟﻔﻠﻔل اﻷﺣﻣر اﻟﺣﺎر ) اﻟﻬرﯾﺳﺔ
Red hot pepper paste ( Harissa )
Prepared by :
Gulftechnical committee for standards of food and agriculture products
This document is a draft Gulf standard circulated for comments, it is
therefore, subject to change, and may not be referred to it as a Gulf
standard, until approved by the board of direct ors
ICS :67.080FOREWORD
The Gulf Standardization Organization for GCC (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
regulation through specialized techni cal committees ( TCs ).
GSO through the technical program of committee TC NO.5 "Gulf technical
committee for standards of food and agriculture products " has prepared " Red
hot pepper paste ( Harissa ) " the draft standard has been prepared by the
stateof Qatar. The draft standard has been prepared based on relevant ADMO,
International and national foreign standards and references.
This standard has been approved as Gulf standard without any technical
modifications by GSO Board of Direction in its mee tingNo…/…. ……held on
/  /   /  H,  /  /  GGULF STANDARD GSO/2014
1Red hot pepper paste ( Harissa )
1.Scope and filed of application:
This Gulf standard is concer nedwith harissa (red hot pepper paste) as defined in
Section 2, manufactured and intended for direct human consumption. It does not
apply to other traditionally -prepared types of harissa. .
2.Complementary standards :
2.1   GSO  9 “ Labelling of prepackaged foods” .
2.2  GSO 21   “  Hygienic regulations for food plants and their personnel” .
2.3   GSO 150 “ Expiration periods at food products “.
2.4GSO 167“General requirements of products safety and their suitability for use “.
2.5   GSO 177” Methods of Physical and Chemical Test of Canned Vegetables “
2.6  GSO 178 “ Microbiological Methods for Testing of Canned Vegetable “.
2.7GSO 244   “ Methods of test for vegetables , fruits and their products: part 1 :
Organoleptic examina tion, determination of net weight and drained weight ,
determination of  apparent viscosity , determination of head –space,
determination of extraneous matter, defective fruits”.
2.8GSO 382 “ Maximum Limits for Pesticide Residues in Agricultural and Fo od Products -
Part 1 ”.
2.9GSO 383 “Maximum Limits for Pesticide Residues in Agricultural and Food Products -
Part 2 “.
2.10GSO 839  “Food Packages -Part 1: General Requirements “.
2.11GSO 1016 “ Microbiological criteria for foodstuffs –part 1”
2.12GSO 1287 “ Methods of Sampling of Prepackaged Fruit and  Vegetable Products “.
2.13  GSO CAC 193 “ General standard for contaminants and toxins in food “.
GSO standard to be approved by GSO concerning the following :
2.14 GSO Standard  ON “Methods for the Determination of Pesticide Residues in
Foodstuffs”.GULF STANDARD GSO/2014
23.Definition :
Harissa:designates the preserved pulp of fresh red hot pepper, of the Capsicum annuum
variety, concentrated and with the composition provided for in Item(4)and preserved using
thermal treatment only.
4.Requirements :
The following requirements should be met in(harissa )red hot pepper paste :
4.1The ingredient of red hot pepper paste shouldbe the following :
4.1.1Fresh red hot peppers of the Capsicum annuum variety
4.1.2Fresh garlic
4.1.3Coriander
4.1.4Caraway
4.1.5Salt
4.2The peppers used in the preparation of processed Harissa shouldbe sufficiently ripe,
wholesome, with a deep red colour, free of spoilage, rot and impurities and free of insects..
4.3Natural homogenous red color with a minimum of color on a “hunter” scale of the value
of a/b not less than 1/4 and free of black particles.
4.4  The taste shouldbe typical to the product, spicy (hot), free from bitterness or burned taste
or any other f oreign taste.
4.5The smell shouldbe typical of the product and free of foreign smells.
4.6Consistency/texture
The final product shouldbe free of crusts and seeds using a 2 mm sieve.
4.7Acidity, expressed as citric acid, shouldnot exceed 3.6% of total dry residues.
4.8  Dry extract shouldbe not less than 14% of total soluble solids (excluding salt) .
4.9The percentage of added salt shouldnot exceed 1.5% of dry weight basis.
4.10  The percentage of acid insoluable ash shouldnot exceed 0.15% of the total weight of dry
extract.
4.11No food additives shouldbe used in harissa.
412Contaminants and toxins shouldnot exceed  the limits given in the Gulf standard
mentioned inItem( 2.13 ).GULF STANDARD GSO/2014
34.13The Limits of Pesticide Residues shouldnot exceed  the limits given in the Gulf standard
mentioned inItems( 2.8 )( 2.9 ).
4.14Hygienic regulation and general requirements shouldbe as given in the Gulf standard
mentioned in Items( 2.2 ) ( 2.4 ) .
4.15The limits of Microbiological criteria shouldbe as given in the Gulf standard mentioned
inItem( 2.11 ).
5.Smapling :
Sampling shouldbe carried out according to GulfStandard mentioned in Item( 2.12) .
6.Methods of test s andexamination:
Shouldbe carried out on the representative sample taken according to Item (5) to determine its
compliance with all the items of this standard :
6.1Determination of pesticide Residues in Foodstuffs shouldbe according to the Gulf
Standard mentioned  in Item(2.14).
6.2Determination of p hysical and chemical tests shouldbe according to the Gul f Standard
mentioned in Item(2.5).
6.3Determination of m icrobiological tests shouldbe according to the Gulf standard
mentioned in Item( 2.6).
6.4Methods of test for vegetables , fruits and their products should be according to the Gulf
standard mentioned in I tem( 2.7)
7.Packaging , transportation and storage.
7.1Thepackaging should be  m et the requirements of Gulf Standard mentioned inItem
( 2.10).GULF STANDARD GSO/2014
47.2The container should be well filled with the product, which should occupy not less than
90% (minus any necessary head space according to good manufacturing practices) of
the water capacity of the container
7.3Flexible containers should be filled as full as commercially practicable.
7.4Harissa must be packed in suitable and clean containers, tightly closed, and all materials
in contact with the product must be authorized for use in food packaging
8.Labelling :
Without prejudice to what has been mentioned in GulfStandard mentioned in I tems( 2.1) ,
( 2.3 )and the following information should be declared on the container’s label :
8.1The name of the product shall be “harissa ” .GULF STANDARD GSO/2014
5Main reference :
Codex standard
No.308R-2011
Red hot pepper paste ( Harissa )