TBS/AFDC4 (6101 ) P3 
                                                                                                  REV TZS 1769:2016  
 
    
 
 
 
                                   DRAFT TANZANIA STANDARD  
  
 
Aqueous coconut milk and coconut cream products — 
Specification  
 
 
 
                       
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
             TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDARDS  
                                                                                                  TBS/AFDC4 (6101 ) P3 
                                                                                                  REV TZS 1769:2016  
 Aqueous c oconut milk and coconut c ream  products  — 
Specification  
 
0 Foreword  
Coconut milk and coconut cream shall be prepared by using a significant amount of separated, whole, 
disintegrated, macerated or comminuted fresh endosperm (kernel) of coconut palm ( Cocos nucifera 
L.) and expelled , where most filterable fibres and residues are excluded, with or without coconut 
water, and/or with additional water; or reconstituting coconut cream powder with potable water; or 
dispersing finely comminuted dehydrated coconut endosperm with potable wate r; and processed by 
heat, in an appropriate manner, before or after being hermetically sealed in a container, so as to 
prevent spoilage.  
 
This Tanzania Standard has been prepared to ensure the safety and quality of aqueous coconut milk 
and coconut cream products produced in , exported or imported into the country.  
 
In the preparation of this Tanzania Standard assistance was derived from:  
CODEX - STAN 240 -2003 , Coconut milk and coconut cream published by the Codex Alimentarius 
Commission  
 
In reporting the results of a test or analysis made in accordance with this Tanzania 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 prescribes the requir ements and sampling and test methods for packaged 
aqueous coconut milk and coconut cream products for direct human consumption . 
2 Reference  
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this Tanzania Standard. 
For dated refer ences, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the 
referenced document (in cluding any amendments) applies:   
 
CODEX STAN 192, General standards for food additives  
 
TZS 4, Rounding off numerical values  
 
TZS 54, Animal a nd vegetable fats and oils — Sampling  
 
TZS 48, Margarine — Specification  
TZS 1326, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of moisture and volatile matter  
 
TZS 1335, Animal and vegetable fats and oils — Determination of copper , iron and nickel  content -
graphite furnace atomic absorption  
 
TZS 268, General atomic absorption spectrophotometric method for determination of lead in food 
stuffs  
 
TZS 76, Methods for determination of arsenic content  
 
TZS 109, Food processing units — Code of hygiene — General  
 
TZS 538, Packaging and labelling  of foods  
 
TZS 118, Microbiology of food and animal feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for enumeration of 
micro -organisms — Colony count technique at 30 °C  
                                                                                                  TBS/AFDC4 (6101 ) P3 
                                                                                                  REV TZS 1769:2016  
 TZS 122, Microbiology of food and feeding stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection of salmonella 
spp  
 
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 count 
technique at 25 °C  
 
TZS 731, Microbiology of food and feeding -stuffs — Horizontal method for the detection and 
enumeration of presumptive Escherichia Coli — Most probable number technique  
 
3 Ter ms and definitions  
For the purpose of this Tanzania Standard the following terms and definitions shall apply:  
 
3.1 coconut milk  
dilute emulsion of comminuted coconut endosperm (kernel) in water with the soluble and the 
suspended solid distributed.  
 
3.2 light coconut milk  
product obtained from either the bottom portion of centrifuged coconut milk or by further dilution of 
coconut milk.  
 
3.3 coconut cream  
emulsion extracted from matured endosperm (kernel) of the coconut fruit with or without any additi on 
of coconut water/water.  
 
3.4 coconut cream concentrate  
product obtained after the partial removal of water from coconut cream . 
3.5 coconut cream powder  
product obtained after the complete  removal of water from coconut cream . 
 
 
4 Requirements  
 
4.1 Gen eral requirements  
4.1.1 Basic ingredients for aqueous coconut milk and coconut cream  products   
  
a) Coconut cream powder;  
 
b) Endosperm (kernel) of coconut palm ( Cocos nucifera L.);  
 
c) Water  
4.1.2 Other permitted ingredients for aqueous coconut milk an d coconut cream  products   
a) Coconut water;  
b) Maltodextrin;  
c) Sodium caseinate  
 
4.1.3  Aqueous  coconut milk and coconut cream  products  shall have colour, flavour and odour 
characteristic of the referred products.  
 
4.1.4 Aqueous coconut milk and coconut  cream products shall be free from foreign matter and 
harmful substances.  
                                                                                                  TBS/AFDC4 (6101 ) P3 
                                                                                                  REV TZS 1769:2016  
 4.2 Specific requirements  
Aqueous c oconut milk and coconut cream products shall comply with the requirements given in table 
1.  
 
Table  1 – Physical and chemical requirements of aqueous coconut milk and coconut cream  
products  
Product  light    coconut  Coconut milk  Coconut cream  Coconut   cream  Test 
 milk   concentrate  methods  
 
Total solids  6.6 – 12.6 12.7 – 25.3 25.4 – 37.3 Min 37.4  Annex A  
(% m/m)       
 
Non-fat solids  1.6  2.6 2.7  5.3 5.4  8.3 Min 8.4 Annex B  
(% m/m)       
 
Fat (% m/m)  5.0  9.9 10.0  19.9 20.0  28.9 Min 29 TZS 48  
     Annex A.1 or  
     A.2 
 
Moisture and  87.4  93.4 74.7  87.3 62.7  74.6 Max 62.6 TZS 1326  
volatile matter       
(% m/m)       
 
pH 
                                 5.9 – 7.0 
 pH meter  
 
4.3 Food additives  
Aqueous c oconut milk and coconut cream products may contain ad ditives which are prescribed in 
Codex  Stan 192 . 
5 Hygiene  
 
5.1 Aqueous  coconut milk and coconut cream products shall be prod uced, processed, and handled in 
accordance with TZS 109.  
 
5.2 Aqueous coconut milk and coconut cream products  shall conform to microbi ological requirements 
in table 2 . 
Table 2  – Microbiological limits for aqueous coconut milk and coconut cream products  
Micro -organism  Requirement  Test method  
 
Yeast and moulds cfu/g,  max.  1×102 TZS 131  
 
E. Coli MPN/g  Shall be absent  TZS 731  
 
Salmonella  per 25g  Shall be absent  TZS 122  
 
Total P late Count  cfu/g, max 1×103 TZS 118  
 
S. aureus cfu /g Shall be absent  TZS 125  
 
 
6 Contaminants  
 
The a cceptable requirements of metal  contaminants  in aqueous coconut milk and coconut cream  
products  shall conform to the requ irements specified in table 2.  
 
                                                                                                  TBS/AFDC4 (6101 ) P3 
                                                                                                  REV TZS 1769:2016  
 Table 2 – Requirements for metal in aqueous coconut milk and coco nut cream products  
Metal Contaminant  Requirements  Test method  
   
Lead, mg/kg, max  0.1 TZS 268  
   
Arsenic, mg/kg, max  0.1 TZS 76  
Nickel, mg/kg, max  0.1 TZS 1335  
   
 
7 Sampling and tests   
 
7.1 Sampling  
The material shall be sampled as prescribed in T ZS 54.  
7.2 Tests  
7.2.1 Testing shall be done as provided in the respective tables and Annex of this Tanzania Standard.  
 
7.2.2 Quality of reagents  
Unless specified otherwise, analytical grade chemicals and distilled water shall be used in tests.  
 
8 Packaging, mar king and labelling  
 
8.1 Aqueous c oconut milk and coconut cream  products  shall be supplied in suitably sealed and 
closed food grade containers of material protecting the product  from spoilage or contamination 
without adversely affecting the physical, chemi cal and sensory quality of the product.  
 
8.2 Aqueous coconut milk and coconut cream  products  shall be marked and labe lled in accordance 
with TZS 538.  
 
In addition, each container of aqueous coconut milk and coconut cream  products  shall be legibly and 
indel ibly marked with the following information:  
  
a) Name of the product (light coconut milk, coconut milk, coconut cream or coconut cream 
concentrate)  
b) Physical and postal address of the manufacturer and/or packer  
c) Date of manufacture and expiry date  
d) Language – Kiswahili  / English  or Kiswahili and English  
e) A complete list of ingredients in descending order of proportion  
f) Net content  
g) Batch number in clear or code  
h) Manufacturers registered trade mark  
i) Country of origin  
j) Nutritional information(optional)  
 
8.3 Aque ous coconut milk and coconut cream  products  prepared by reconstituting coconut cream 
powder or the finely comminuted dehydrated coconut endosperm shall be labelled to indicate that 
these are reconstituted products.  
 
8.4 An appropriate description of the h eat treatment should be given, either as part of the name or in 
a prominent position in the same field of vision.  
 
8.5 The containers shall also be marked with the TBS Standards Mark of Quality.  
 
NOTE – The TBS Standards Mark of Quality may be used by th e manufacturers only under licence from TBS. 
Particulars of conditions under which the licences are granted may be obtained from TBS.  
                                                                                                                                                                                                TBS/AFDC4 (6101 ) P3 
                                                                                                  REV TZS 1769:2016  
                                                                                                    Annex A  
(normative)  
Determination of total solids in milk  
 
A.1 Preparation of sample  
 
Completely homogenous the sample  
 
A.2 Apparatus  
 
a) Flat-bottomed dishes  with lid  
b) 3 ml pipette  
c) Water bath   
d) Drying oven   
e) Analytical balance   
f) Pipette filler   
h) Desiccator  
 
A.3 Procedure  
 
a) Dry the dish in the oven for 30 min at 102 °C ± 2 °C.  
b) Replace the lid and place the dish in the desiccators to cool for 30 min .  
c) Weigh the dish with the lid to the at least four decimal place .  
d) Pipette into the dish three millilitre  of a well -mixed sample and weigh quickly with the lid on the  dish  
e) Transfer the dish and lid into the oven  
f) After two hours in the oven, replace the lid, and transfer the dish to a desiccator  
g) Allow to cool and weigh  
h) Return the dish and lid to the oven and heat again for one hour with the dish uncovere d  
I) Replace lid and transfer to desiccator, cool for 30 min and weigh as before. Loss of mass between 
successive weighing should not exceed 0.5 mg  
 
A.4 Calculation  
 
% total solids = Mass of the dry solids x 100   
                         Mass of the samp le taken  
 
 
 
                                                                                                  TBS/AFDC4 (6101 ) P3 
                                                                                                  REV TZS 1769:2016  
 Annex B  
(normative)  
       Determination of non -fat solids  
 
B.1 Calculation  
 
% Non-fat solids = % total solids - % Fat