Gulf Standard                                                                               GSO 150 -1-2013  
 
  
STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION FOR G.C.C (GSO)  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Final draft  
 
GSO /FDS 150 -1/201 3 
 
 
 
 
 
Expir y periods of food products – Part 1:  
Mandatory expir y periods  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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 .  
 
 
 
 
ICS:  67.040.00   
 
 
 Gulf Standard                                                                               GSO 150 -1-2013  
 
 
 
 
 
 
Expir y periods of food products – Part 1:  
Mandatory expir y periods  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Date of GSO Board of Directors' Approval :   
Issuing Status : Technical regulations 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Gulf Standard                                                                               GSO 150 -1-2013  
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 regulation s through specialized technical 
committees (TCs).  
 
GSO through the technical program of committee TC No.:. (5) " Gulf technical 
committee for standards of food and agriculture products " has updated the GSO 
Standard No.  150/2007   " Expir y Periods of food products  " to two parts:  part 1  "    " 
Expir y Periods of food products - Mandatory expir y periods:   and part 2  "  Expir y 
Periods  of food products - Guiding  expir y periods", This technical regulation is 
concerned with : Part 1 M andatory expiration periods  The Draft Standard has been 
prepared by (  State of Qatar ) . 
 
 This standard has been prepared after review the Arabic, foreigner, International 
standards and related complied references.  
 
This Technical Regulation will cancel any technical requirements  or expiry dates  
contradict with it in other food products Standards.
 
   
This standard has been approved as a Gulf Technical Regulation  by GSO Board of 
Directors  in its meeting No . ( ), held  on   ( ). The approved Standard will r eplace and 
supersede the mandatory periods in GSO Standard s No. ( 150).    Gulf Standard                                                                               GSO 150 -1-2013  
  
Expir y periods of food products – Part 1:  
Mandatory expir y periods  
 
1. SCOPE AND FIELD OF APPLICATION : 
 This Gulf Technical Regulation is concerned with  mandatory  expir y 
periods for food products.  
2. COMPLEMENTARY REFERENCES : 
2.1 GSO 9 “Llabelling  of Pre-packaged  Foods”.  
2.2 GSO food product  Gulf Standards mentioned in this Standard .  
2.3 GSO Food packaging Standards.  
3. DEFINITIONS : 
3.1 Expir y period: A period during which the p roduct retains its specific 
properties and remains permissible, acceptable and fit for human 
consumption under the set packaging, transportation and storage 
conditions.  
3.2 Foodstuff: Any substance whether processed, semi -processed or 
unprocessed, which is intended for direct human consumption or used in 
manufacturing, preparing or treating of food stuff.  It does not include   
tobacco and tobacco products or any substances u sed only as drugs.  
3.3 Expir y date: The date designating the end of the expiration period under 
the set packaging, transport ation and storage conditions.  
3.4  Production date: The date on which the food becomes an end product 
suitable for packaging.  
3.5             Date of packaging:  
                The date on which a foodstuff has been packed in the immediate container                                 
in which it will be eventually sold.  
 
 
3.6             Best before  
           The date signifying t he end of period  beyond which a product, under               
any given storage conditions,   retain certain qualities for which is processing; and, so, 
never marketable thereafter . 
 
3.7            Modified atmosphere packaging:  
                 Packaging t he food products in an atmosphere that has been modified so  
                 That its composition is different than air .  
3.8          Flash pasteurization: Is a method to enhance the expiry periods for 
perishable liquid foods, by heating it rabidly to 70°C for 20 seconds, and then cooled 
rapidly.  
 
 
1 Gulf Standard                                                                               GSO 150 -1-2013  
 
3.9             Perishable food:  
Food that consists wholly or partly of milk, milk products, eggs, meat, poultry,  
fish or shell fish, or ingredient that are capable of supporting the progressive  
growth  of microorganisms that can cause food spoilage or food poisoning and  
other food borne illness . 
 
 
 
4. REQUIREMENTS : 
4.1 Without prejudice to what is stated in GSO Standard (item 2.1) “Labelling 
of Pre-packaged  Foods” and to the Gulf standards for each food  product, 
the production and expiration dates shall be decla red on the label of the 
package  in an un -coded manner as follows:  
–  [Day -Month -Year ] for food products having an expiration period less than 
3 months  . 
–  [Month -Year] for food products having an expiration period exceeding 3 
months  . 
 The use of any of the following statements for expressing the expiration 
date is permissible, it is  mandatory to mention the production date:  
–  Expir y date;  
–  Use by:  ................................ ............  (date);  
–  Fit for:  ................................ ............  from the date of production;  
–  Use before:  ................................ ...... (date);  
–  Sell by:  ................................ ............  (date),( for food products having an 
expiration period exceeding 3 months).  
-        Best before... . 
4.2 in case of writing production and expiration dates in month and yea r only, 
the expir y period shall be calculated from the beginning of the month 
which the product start  to the end of the registered expir y month.  
4.3 Dates shall be engraved or in relief, printed or stamped by irremovable ink 
directly on all packages or on their original label by the producer only.  
                   Statements intended to appear on the label shall be marked in a clearly   
visible and easily legible manner, under the normal conditions for purchase and use , 
it shall not obscure any information required by this Standard.  
 Adding stickers for production and expir y dates is not permissible.  There shall be not 
more than one date of production or of expir y on the same package; both  
dates shall not be subject to del etion, change or deceit.  
 
4.4   Mandatory Expir y periods of food products : 
                   It should be mandatory with the expiry periods declared below:  
4.4.1   Chilled food products:  To be stored at a temperature from 00C – 50C Gulf Standard                                                                               GSO 150 -1-2013  
 
2 
Product  Type of 
Packaging  Expiration 
Period  Notes  
Meat and Meat Products  
Chilled meat packed 
under modified  
atmosphere  Suitable 
containers 
eliminating 
gases exchange  90 days from 
slaughtering 
date        
Edible organs include 
liver, kidney, heart, 
tongue, spleen, tail        
and poultry  heart and  
giblets .   It shall not 
obscure any 
information 
required by this 
standard.  7 days  
from 
slaughtering 
date   
Packed under 
vacuum in 
suitable plastic 
containers  
eliminating 
gases exchange  51 days from 
slaughtering 
date     
Packed under 
carbon dioxide 
atmosphere in 
suitable 
containers  
eliminating 
gases exchange  90 days from 
slaughtering 
date     
 
Brain, testicles and 
viscera  Suitable  
containers  
 
  
5 days from  
slaughtering 
date  
 
Poultry meat (chicken 
- duck - goose - turkey 
- rabbits - pigeons       
- quails .... etc).  Suitable  
containers  
 
 7 days from 
slaughtering  
 
   
 
 
-Minced poultry meat  
  
Suitable  
containers  
 
 5 days  
 
    Gulf Standard                                                                               GSO 150 -1-2013  
-Poultry  and meat  
sausage  
 
Suitable  
containers  
   
3 days 
(uncooked)  
14 days 
(cooked)  
 
51 days    
 
 
at -0.5 ± 1°C 
 
 
under vacuum at -0.5 ± 
1°C 
 
 
Poultry chicken  that 
has been treated with 
irradiation dose of 3 
kGy( kilo gray ) 
 Suitable plastic 
containers  12 days from 
slaughtering  
  
Beef  , buffalo  camel  
meat  
 Suitable 
containers  21 days from  
slaughtering 
date   
 
-Burger meat  
 Suitable 
containers   
5 days   
 
 
-Kofta, kabab and 
balls meat  
 Suitable 
containers   
3 days 
(uncooked)  
14 days 
(cooked)  
  
 
 
 
 
-Smoked fish  
 
 
 
 Suitable 
containers   
7 days (cold 
smoked)  
14 days (hot 
smoked)  
90 days under 
vacuum  
  
 
-Fish burger  
 Suitable 
containers   
3 days  
  Gulf Standard                                                                               GSO 150 -1-2013  
 
-Lobster  
 Suitable 
containers   
3 days  
  
Mutton and goat meat  Suitable 
containers  14 days from 
slaughtering 
date     
Meat packed under 
vacuum  
 Plastic 
containers  
 10 weeks from 
slaughtering 
date 
   
Unpacked fish  
  
Suitable 
containers   
9 days   
        0° C 
Fish packed under 
vacuum  Suitable 
containers  14 days   
           0° C 
Fish packed under 
modified atmosphere  
 Suitable 
containers  
 21 days  
  
            0° C 
 
Shellfish   
Unpacked   
6 days   
            0° C 
Caviar  ( fish eggs) in 
saline  Suitable 
containers under 
vacuum  6 days ( un 
pasteurized)  
30 days 
(pasteurized)   
    
Milk and Milk Products  
 Pasteurized cream  
and flavoured cream  
 Suitable 
containers  
 21 days  
 
     
   Sour cream  
 Suitable 
containers  
 60 days   
 
Whipping cream  Suitable 
containers  
 90 days   
Pasteurized Laban 
drink prepared from 
milk solids, water and 
salt    Suitable 
containers  
 21 days   Gulf Standard                                                                               GSO 150 -1-2013  
Heat treated  Laban 
drink  after 
fermentation  (as dogh 
milk)  Suitable 
containers  
 
 45 days  
 
  
Unripened cheese  
 Suitable 
containers  
 30 days   
Labnah heat treated 
(UHT) after 
fermentation  Tightly sealed 
plastic 
containers  6 months    
 
Pasteurized milk and 
flavoured pasteurized 
milk 
 Tightly sealed 
suitable 
containers, 
plastic or paper  5 days      
Pasteurized Yoghurt 
and flavoured yoghurt  
and yoghurt with 
fruits cuts  
 Suitable tightly 
sealed 
containers  
 14 days  
 
 
     
 
   
 
Heat treated yoghurt 
after fermentation  
(UHT)  
 
  
Suitable 
containers  
 
  
90 days  
 
 
  
 
Labnah and flavoured 
Labnah  
  
Suitable 
containers  
 
 
 
  
14 days  
 
 
 
 
  
Pasteurized Laban and 
flavoured Pasteurized 
Laban  
 Suitable 
containers  
 
 10 days  
 
  Gulf Standard                                                                               GSO 150 -1-2013  
 
Laban  heat treated 
(UHT) after 
fermentation  
 
 Suitable 
containers  
 
 90 days   
 
 
 
Yoghurt packed in 
modified  atmosphere  
   
 
Suitable 
containers  
  
 
21 days  
 
 
  
Milk heat treated 
(UHT)  
 
  
Suitable 
containers  
 
 6 months  
 
  
 
Butter  
  
Suitable 
containers  
 
  
60 days  
  
Cream  Can Tightly 
sealed suitable 
containers  18 months      
 
 
 
Tightly sealed 
carton  
containers lined 
with aluminium 
foil     6 months   
 
Packed under 
sterilization 
conditions  
 
  Gulf Standard                                                                               GSO 150 -1-2013  
Other Different Products  
Pasteurized fruit 
juices, drinks and 
nectars  Suitable  
containers  30 days    
 
Juices treated with 
flash pasteurization   
Suitable 
containers   
7 days   
 
Pasteurized liquid 
eggs Carton 
containers lined 
with aluminium   
14 days   
 
Pasteurized liquid 
eggs  
Suitable plastic 
containers   
7 days   
 
Rice with milk  
Suitable 
containers   
10 days   
Partially cooked pizza  Suitable 
containers  
  
7 days   
Margarine   Suitable 
containers  90 days      
4.4.2 Baby  food products  stored in well -ventilated stores (Temperature shall not 
exceed 25  oC) :  
Product  Type of Packaging  Expiration 
Period  Notes  
Sterilized liquid 
milk prepared  for 
infants  Tightly sealed glass or plastic 
containers  12 months   
Baby foods in the 
form of powder 
or granules 
prepared from 
legumes,  cereals,
vegetables or 
... etc fruit,  containers lined Cardboard 
with aluminum foil 12 months 
Cardboard containers lined 
with aluminum foil packed 
under vacuum and 
sterilization. 
18 months Metal containers packed 
under vacuum and 
sterilization or in the 
presence of inert gas and 
sealed Gulf Standard                                                                               GSO 150 -1-2013  
Strained baby 
foods (squeezed 
pack)  Glass containers tightly 
sealed and sterilized  12 months   
Baby fruits juices  
 Glass containers tightly 
sealed and sterilized  
 12 months  
  
 
Liquid flavoured 
dietary 
supplement  for 
children   
Metal containers   
15 months   
Lined carton containers         
( Tetra pack)  12 months  
Liquid milk with 
flavor for children  Metal containers  15 months   
Lined carton containers         
( Tetra pack) or tightly sealed 
plastic containers  12 months  
 
Powder flavoured 
dietary 
supplement  for 
children  Metal containers packed 
under vacuum and 
sterilization  or lined carton 
containers         ( Tetra pack)  
  
24 months   
Dried milky foods 
for children  Metal containers packed 
under vacuum and 
sterilization  24 months   
Lined carton containers         
( Tetra pack)  18 months  
 
4.4.3 Food products  which need specific temperature  for keepin g: 
Product  Type of 
Packaging  Store 
conditions   Expiry date  
Fresh eggs  
(Table eggs)  Suitable 
containers   At 
temperature 
from 11oC to 
15o C  
      30 days  
 At 
temperature 
from 4o C to 
10o C  
    90 days  
 
 
 
 
 
 Gulf Standard                                                                               GSO 150 -1-2013  
4.4.4 Fresh foods and ready -to eat foods;  
 
4.4.4.1 
 Do not declare the end of expiry date in the case of the following products, with 
necessary to mention the production date  only:  
- Bakery products and sweets consuming during 24 hours from processing. 
- Fresh fruits and vegetables, including potatoes which did not peel, cut or treatment 
with any similar treatment. 
 
 
4.4.4. 2 Sea foods:  
 
 Shelf life 
(days) Packaging Storage 
temperature Product  
 
8 months Modified 
atmosphere 
packed 0° C Cooked and brined shrimps 
28 days  Vacuum 
packed 0° C Souse  vide cooked   
 21 days  Vacuum 
packed 4° C Souse  vide cooked  fillets   
 
 
 
 
4.4.4. 3 Other products:  
 
 
Notes Storage at 
refrigerated 
(+ 1 to +4)° C  Product 
 45 days 
(compressed) Baking yeast 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Gulf Standard                                                                               GSO 150 -1-2013  
 
 
 
ANNEX 
 
 
-In the case of determined packaging type with suitable containers, use any type of 
food containers complying with Gulf Standards; provide that they are free from any 
damage (cut, destroyed).  
 
-Perishable food products that are not included in this Regulation, the expiry period 
shall be specified by consultation with specific authority depending on scientific bases 
for determining the expiry periods and obtaining consent for i t.  
 
- The expiry period for processed or repackaged products from materials of  
limited expiry period without being subjected to any thermal procession shall  
not exceed the remaining expiry period of the materials from which they  a prepared.