GCC STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION (GSO) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
GSO  05/ FDS 978/2012  
 
 
 
 
 
Black Tea 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Prepared by:  
 
Gulf technical 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 it  as a Gulf standard, until approved by 
the Board of Directors.  . GULF STANDARD GSO   978/2012 
 
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 Technical regulations through 
specialized technical committees (TCs) . 
 
GSO through the technical program of committee TC No 5  "  The Gulf 
Technical Committee for Food and Agricultural Standards Products " has 
updated the GSO Standard No. : GSO 978:1998  "TEA " . The Draft Standard 
has been prepared by ( KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA ).   
This standard has been approved as Gulf (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. 
(GSO 978:1998 ). GULF STANDARD GSO   978/2012 
 
3 Black Tea  
 
 
 
1. SCOPE AND FIELD OF APPLICATION  
 This GSO standard is c oncerned with tea  black and does not include flavoured 
(scented) tea , green, and instant . 
 
2. COMPLEMENTARY REFERENCES  
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 of Food Products”.  
2.4 GSO 382, GSO 383 “Maximum Limits for Pesticide Residue in Agricultural 
and Food Products -Part 1 and Part 2”.  
2.5 GSO 671 “ Methods Of Examination And Test For Tea ”. 
2.6 GSO 988 “Limits of Radiation Levels Permitted in Foods stuff part - 1”. 
2.7 GSO 1016  “Microbiological Criteria For Foodstuffs – Part 1”.  
2.8 GSO ISO 1839 “Methods of examination and teat for test -sampling”.  
2.9 GSO 2138 “Tea and Herbs bags”.  
2.10 GSO ISO 14502 -1 “Determination of substances characteristic of green and 
black tea - part1: content of total polyphenols in tea - colorimetric method using 
Folin -Ciocalteu reagent ”.  
 
3. DEFINITIONS  
3.1 Tea:  
 A product processed, by common acceptable industrial processes, iron buds, 
leaves, tender and semi -tender stalks of varieties of the species Camellia  
Sinensis  and tea prepared for drink includes.    
3.2 Black Tea:  
 Tea processed by subjecting buds, leaves and stalks to fermentation, oxidation 
and drying process resulting change in its colour to black.  
4. Requirements  
 Black Tea shall be meet the following requirements:  
4.1 It shall be processed according to the hygienic conditions mentioned in GSO 
standard as mentioned in (2.2). 
4.2 The Limits of Radiation Levels  should comply with GSO standard mentioned 
in item (2.6).  GULF STANDARD GSO   978/2012 
 
4 4.3 It shall be free from strange plant tissues and only characteristic tea tissues shall 
appear by microscopic examination.  
4.4 It shall be free from any extraneous matter and impurities.  
4.5 It shall be free from colour, flavour, taste or any additive.  
4.6 Arsenic Shall not exceed 1 mg/kg.  
4.7 Lead Shall not exceed 5 mg/kg.  
4.8 Copper s hall not exceed 100 mg/kg.  
4.9 Mercury Shall not exceed 0.05 mg/kg.  
4.10 The water extract shall not be less than 32% m/m.  
4.11 The total ash shall not be more than 8% and not less than 4% m/m.  
4.12 The water -soluble ash shall not be less than 45% m/m of the total ash.  
4.13 The acid -insoluble ash shall not exceed 1% m/m.  
4.14 The alkalinity of water -soluble ash -(calculated as potassium hydroxide) shall 
not exceed 3% and shall not be less than 1% m/m.  
4.15 The crude fibres shall not exceed 16.5% m/m.  
4.16 The caffeine shall not be less than 2% m/m.  
4.17 The moisture shall not exceed 8.5% m/m.  
4.18 Microbiological Requirements:  
 The microbiological criteria for tea shall be conform with standard  mentioned 
in (2. 7). 
4.19 The Total polyphenols shall not be less  than 9 % mass fraction.  
4.20 It shall comply with GSO standards  as mentioned in (2.4) to be approved by the 
organization concerning the maximum limits for pesticides residues in foods.  
 
5. SAMPLING  
 Sampling shall be carried out according to GSO standard as mentioned in (2.8). 
 
6. METHODS OF TEST  
 Tests shall be carried out according to GSO standard as mentioned in (2.5). 
 
7. PACKAGING AND STORAGE  
7.1 Packaging:  
 The following shall be taken into consideration on packaging of tea.  
7.1.1  Tea shall be packed  in hygienic, well sealed, not previously used, clean, dry and 
sound containers.  GULF STANDARD GSO   978/2012 
 
5 7.1.2  Packages shall be made from any suitable material which does not affect tea 
properties and quality and, it shall be well wrapped with moisture -proof 
material.  
7.1.3  Pack ages shall comply with hygienic conditions and shall be free from insect 
and fungal infections or any foreign and undesirable odours.  
7.1.4  When tea is packed in small bags, these bags shall be made of suitable 
permeable materials which retain physical and  chemical properties of tea and 
shall permit soluble solids of the tea to penetrate it.  These bags shall be packed 
in packages made of firm paper  and it shall be conform with standard 
mentioned in  (2.9). 
7.2 Storage:  
 The following shall be taken into consideration on storage of tea.  
7.2.1  Tea shall be stored in suitable, well -ventilated and dry places away from 
moisture or contaminated sources and any material having particular odour.  
7.2.2  Small tea packages shall be stored by packing it in well sealed big packages.  
 
8- LABELLING  
 Without prejudice to what is stated in  the requirements mentioned in the 
standards as mentioned in (2.1) and (2.3).  The following particulars shall be 
declared on each tea packages:  
8.1 Kind of tea (Black Tea). 
8.2 Country of origin . 
8.3 Weight by metric system . 
8.4 Number of tea bags inside the package .