TBS/CDC -2(5413) P3 
  
 
©TBS 201 8 All right reserved                                                                      Second  edition 201 8 
  
  
DRAFT TANZANIA STANDARD  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TBS/CDC -2(5413) P3 Herbal soap – Specification  
(Revision of TZS 1009:2008 ) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
TANZANIA BUREAU OF STANDARDS  
  
 
 
 TBS/CDC -2(5413) P 3 
  
Foreword  
 
This Draft Tanzania Standard was developed by the Soap and Detergents Technical Committee under supervision 
of the Chemical s Division al Standards Committee and it is in accordance with the procedures of the Bureau.  
 
This Draft Tanzania Standard i s the first revision of TZS 1009:2008  Herbal soap – Specification, unlike the previous, 
this edition  cover s the following types;  
a)  herbal toilet soap  
b)  herbal laundry soap  and  
c)  herbal liquid soap  
 
Soaps containing neem or jatropha oils are covered by separate standards, TZS 883, Neem herbal soap – 
Specification  and TZS 894, Jatropha herbal soap – Specification  respectively.  
 
In reporting the results of analysis of a test if the final value is to be  rounded off, it shall be done in accordance with 
TZS 4  Rounding off numerical values  
  TBS/CDC -2(5413) P 3 
       TBS/CDC -2(5413) P 3 
 
Herbal soap – Specification  
1 Scope  
This Draft Tanzania  Standard prescribes requirements , sampling  and test method s for herbal soap . It covers  the 
following type  of soaps ; 
a)  herbal toilet soap  
b)  herbal laundry soap  
c)  herbal liquid soap  
2 Normative references  
The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document.  The latest edition of 
the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.  
TZS 1396 -8.2/ISO 457,  Analysis of soap — Determination of Chloride content — Titrimetric method  
 
TZS 1396 -4/ISO 456, Surface active agents — Analysis of soaps — Determination of free caustic alkali  
 
TZS 1396 -12/ISO 684,  Analysis of soap — Determination of Total free alkali  
 
TZS 1396 -6/ISO 685, Analysis of soap — Determination of alkali content and total fatty matter content  
 
TZS 1396 -3/ISO 673, Analysis of soap — Determination of ethanol insoluble matter  
 
TZS 35, Soaps – Sampling and test methods  
 
TZS 1396 -9/ISO 1067, Analysis of soap — Determination of unsaponifiable, unsaponified and  unsaponified  
saponfiable matter  
3 Terms and definiti ons 
For the purposes of this standard terms and definitions specified under TZS 35  and the following shall apply.  
3.1 
herbal soap  
soap containing  plant extracts  
3.2 
herbal toilet soap  
soap in the form of bar or cake  containing  plant extracts  and/or oil  which is intended for use in bathing  
3.3 
herbal laundry soap  
soap in the form of bar or cake  containing  plant extracts and/or oil which  is inte nded for use in washing clothes  
3.4  
herbal liquid soap  
DRAFT TANZANIA  STANDARD  TBS/CDC -2(5413) P 3 
soap in the form of liquid containing  plant extracts  and/or oil  intended for general hygienic purpose  
4  Requirements  
4.1  General requirements  
4.1.1 Herbal toilet soaps  
4.1.1 .1 The h erbal  toilet soap shall be high graded, thoroughly saponified milled soaps or homogenized soap  or 
both, white or coloured with  good cleaning and lathering properties.  
4.1.1.2  In addition to perfumes and moisture, herbal toilet soap may contain  colouring matter, preservatives, and 
super fatting  agents and such additional substances shall be declared on the label. All the foreign materials shall 
be non -injurious in use with soap . 
4.1.2 Herbal  laundry soap  
4.1.2.1  The herbal laundry soap shall be  of firm texture, free from objectionable odour  even on clothes after washing 
and thoroughly rinsing with water , and shall possess good lathering and cleaning properties . 
4.1.2.2  When coloured herbal laundry soap is used in washing any white fabric, it shall not leave any visible stains 
on the fabrics after washing and thorough rinsing with water when tested in accordance with Annex A . 
4.1.3 Herbal  liquid soap  
4.1.3.1 The herbal  liquid soap shall be in a form of a  liquid or emulsion,  opaque or transparent, coloured or 
colourless and perfumed or unperfumed. It shall be of uniform consistency, free from sediments an d suspended 
particles, be easily spreadable, have good lathering and rinsing properties, non-toxic and non -irritant.  
4.1.3.2 Herbal liquid soap may contain up to 2% appropriate synthetic detergents  
4.1.4  Plant extract and/or oil 
The manufacturer shall use quantity of plant  oil processed in such a manner to ensure the intended application. 
The standard requires up to 15% of plant  extract and/or oil in the blend . Objective evidence shall be made available 
to the inspector conducting the inspection work.  
4.1.5  Herbal  soap shall contain non harmful  non-toxic and non -irritant  to substance to human being.  
4.2 Specific requirements  
All types of herbal soaps shall comply with requirements specified in T able 1 . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Table  1 – Requirements for herbal soap  
 TBS/CDC -2(5413) P 3 
S/No : Characteristic  Type  of herbal soap   
herbal  
toilet soap  herbal  
laundry 
soap  herbal 
liquid soap  Test 
method s 
i.  Total fatty matter, % by mass, min  70 45 15 TZS 1396 -
6/ISO 685  
ii.  Matter insoluble in alcohol, % by mass, 
max 2.5 20 0.5 TZS 1396 -
3/ISO 673  
iii.  Matter insoluble in water, % by mass, 
max - 5 - TZS 35  
iv.  Free caustic alkali as (NaOH), % by 
mass, max  0.03 0.4 0.03 TZS 1396 -
12/ISO 684  
v.  Total free alkali as Na 2O or K 2O, % by 
mass, max  - 0.3 0.03 TZS 1396 -
4/ISO 456  
vi.  Chloride content, as NaCl, % by mass, 
max 1.3 1.5 NIL TZS 1396 -
8.2/ISO 457  
vii.  *Unsaponified fatty matter, % by mass, 
max 0.5 2 nil TZS 1396 -
9/ISO 1067  
viii.  pH at 27 ºC  - - 7.5 – 9.5 Annex B 
5 Packaging and labelling  
5.1  Packaging  
All herbal  soaps shall be packed in suitable materials that will not allow loss of important active ingredients, damage 
of the product or its contamination.  
5.2  Labelling  
The packages shall be securely closed, legibly and indelibly labelled in Kiswahili and English , and other language 
as agreed between the manufacturer and supplier with the following information:  
 
a) name of the product including respective herb and type ; 
b) name and address of the manufacturer ; 
c) registered trade mark if any;  
d) batch or lot number  in code or  otherwise;  
e) Nominal weight/volume of the product at the time of packaging ; 
f) Country of origin  and 
g) Percentage of plant  oil used in total oil blend.  
 
6 Sampling and Criteria for conformity  
For the pu rpose of this Draft Standard, sampling and criteria for conformity shall be done as Annex C . 
 
 TBS/CDC -2(5413) P 3 
Annex A  
(normative)  
 
Determination of staining test of herbal laundry  soap  
A.1Dissolved herbal laundry soap (2.5 % product concentration)  
A.1. Principle  
The method involves subjecting fabrics to prolonged soaking in a highly concentrated herbal la undry soap solution.  
A.2 Materials  
Pieces of white cotton, nylon and Crimplene C cloth of dimension 15 cm x 7.5 cm  
A.3 Procedure  
A.3.1 Weight 10 g of herbal lau ndry soap  in a honey jar and then add 200 m l of hot water at a temperature 
of approximately 60 °C, shake until when the soap is thoroughly dissolved.  
A.3.2 Place a test swatch A 15 cm x 7.5 cm in the soap solution (A.2.3.1) and allow to stand overnight.  
A.3.3 Transfer the test swatch in a bowl containing one litre of water and then agitate vigorously by hand for 
10 s.  
A.3.4 Rinse the test swatches in 5  l of water by hand. The times should be fixed for all washes, and then dry 
swatches.  
 
NOTE : The staining test should be conducted in triplicate for all cloth types.  
 
 
 TBS/CDC -2(5413) P 3 
Annex B 
(normative)  
 
 
Determination of pH  
 
B.1 Methods  
 
The determination shall be carried out by the electrometric method or by the indicator method in case of dispute 
the electrometric method shall be adopted.  
 
B.1.1 Electrometric method  
 
Determination shall be made by using a pH meter  
 
Procedure  
 
Prepare a 1% solution ( m/v) of the material by weighing accurately about 5 g of the material and transfer it to a 150 
ml beaker. Add about 50 ml of freshly boiled and cooled distilled water to the beaker and put the beaker on a hot -
plate for dissolving the material soluble in water. Continue string with a glass rod to ensure dissolution. Filter through 
a filter paper into a 100-ml flask. Wash the filter paper with hot water at least four times collection the washings into 
the filtrate. Cool the solution under a water tap and then add distilled water up to the 100 ml mark.  Determine the 
pH of the solution using a pH meter.  
 
B.1.2 Indicator method  
 
B.1.2.1 Reagents  
 
Alizarin yellow  R- pH range 10.1 to 12.0 and colour change yellow to orange.  
 
B.1.2.2 Procedure  
 
Prepared a solution as in B.1.1; t ake 10 ml of this solution in a glass test tube and add 0.5 ml of the indicator. 
Compare the colour produced with a series of buffer tubes on known pH in the range 10.0 to 12.0. Report as pH, 
the pH of the buffer solution which gives the closest match with the colour produ ced by the sample.  
 
B.2 Standard calibrated glass discs may also be used for determination of pH.  
 
 
 
 TBS/CDC -2(5413) P 3 
Annex C  
(normative)  
 
Sampling  and Criteria for conformity  
 
C.1 Sampling for herbal toilet and laundry soap  
C.1.1 Procedure  
C.1.1.1 In a single consignment, all packages (cartons) containing herbal soap cakes drawn from the same batch 
of production shall constitute a lot. For ascertaining the conformity of the lot to the requirements of this standard, 
tests shall be carried out on each  lot separately. The number of packages to be selected for drawing the sample 
shall be in accordance with Table C.1.  
Table C.1 — Scale of sampling  
Number of packages 
(cartons) in the lot  
N Number of packages (cartons) to 
be selected  
n Number of samples  
4 to 15  3 3 
16 to 40  4 4 
41 to 65  5 2 
66 to 110  7 2 
111 and above  10 1 
 
C.1.1.2 The packages shall be selected at random, using tables of random numbers. If these are not available, the 
following procedure shall be applied:  
Starting from any package, count all the packages in one order as 1, 2, 3.... N, selecting every k th package, where 
k is the integral part of Nn.  
B.1.1.3 From each package thus selected, draw at random an equal number of cakes so as to obtain a total ma ss 
of at least 2 kg.  
C.1.2 Preparation of test samples  
C.1.2.1 Composite sample  
Weigh each cake separately (including any material that may have adhered to the wrapper), and calculate the 
average mass. Cut each of the remaining cakes into eight parts by m eans of three cuts at right angles to each 
other through the middle. Grate finely the whole of two diagonally opposite eighths of each specimen. Mix the 
gratings and place in a clean, dry, airtight glass container.  
C.1.2.2 Samples for testing  
Immediately after preparation of composite sample (C. 1.2.1), take at one time all test sample s required for the tests 
in 4. Weigh out the test sample required for determination of free alkali or acid content, and use it immediately.  
 
 
 
 TBS/CDC -2(5413) P 3 
C.2 Sampling for herbal liquid  soap  
C.2.1 General requirements  
C.2.1.1 In drawing preparing, storing and handling samples, the precautions in C.2.1.2 – C.2.1.7 shall be observed.  
C.2.1.2 Samples shall not be taken from places exposed to damp air, dust or soot.  
C.2.1.3 The sampling inst ruments shall be clean and dry when used.  
C.2.1.4 The samples, the material being sampled, the sampling instruments and the containers for samples shall 
be protected from adventitious contamination.  
C.2.1.5 The samples shall be placed in clean and dry glas s containers. The sample containers shall be of such a 
size that they are almost completely filled by the sample.  
C.2.1.6 Each container shall be sealed airtight after filling, and marked with full details of sampling which include, 
date of sampling, batch  or code number, name of manufacturer, and other important particulars of the consignment.  
C.2.1.7 The samples shall be stored in such a manner that the temperature of the material does not vary unduly 
from the normal temperature, and that they are protect ed from light.  
C.2.2 Scale of sampling  
C.2.2.1 In a single consignment, all the packages containing non -soapy detergents of the same type and form, and 
drawn from the same batch of manufacture, shall constitute a lot. If the consignment consists of package s 
containing non -soapy detergents of different types and forms, then the packages containing non -soapy detergents 
of the same type form and batch of manufacture shall be grouped together, and such group shall constitute a 
separate lot.  
C.2.2.2 For ascertai ning the conformity of the lot to the requirements prescribed in this standard, tests shall be 
carried out on each lot separately. The number (n) of packages to be selected for drawing the samples shall depend 
upon the size (N) of the lot and sha ll be in a ccordance with Table C .2. 
Table C .2 — Scale of sampling  
No. of packages in the lot  
(N) No. of packages to be selected  
(n) 
4 to 15  3 
16 to 40  4 
41 to 65  5 
66 to 110  7 
111 and above  10 
NOTE : When the size of  the lot is 3 packages or less, the number of  containers to be selected 
and the criteria for judging the conformity of the lot to the specifications should be as agreed on 
between the purchaser/inspector and the supplier.  
 
C.2.2.3 The packages shall be selected at random and to ensure randomness of selection, a random number table 
shall be used. In case such tables are not available, the procedure given below may be adopted.  
Starting from any package, count all the packages in one order as 1, 2, 3,…, up to r and so on, where r is the 
integral part of  N/n, (N being the lot size and n the number of packages to be selected). Every rth package thus 
counted shall be withdrawn to give a sample for the purposes of test.  TBS/CDC -2(5413) P 3 
C.2.3 Preparation of gross samples, test sample and reference sample  
C.2.3.1 Gross sample  
From each one of the packages selected as in C.2, draw at random one or more containers. The material in the 
containers so chosen shall be nearly thrice the quantity required for purpose of test as indicated in C.4. 
The powder from the containers selected  shall be disintegrated, if aggregated, and mixed thoroughly to give the 
gross sample for the package.  
C.2.3.2 Test sample  
C.2.3.2.1  Segregate carefully the gross samples of powders. From the gross representing each form of synthetic 
detergent take a small  but equal quantity of material and mix thoroughly into a composite sample which should be 
of a size sufficient to carry out triplicate testing for all the characteristics specified under C.4. The composite 
samples representing each form and type of synthe tic detergent shall be divided into three equal parts, one for the 
purchaser/inspector, another for the supplier, and the third for the referee.  
C.2.3.2.2  The remaining portion of the material in each of the gross samples shall be divided into three equal 
pans, each forming an individual sample. One set of individual samples, representing the n selected packages shall 
be for the purchaser/inspector, another for the supplier, and the third for reference.  
C.2.3.2.3  All the composite and individual samples sha ll be transferred to separate containers. These containers 
shall then be sealed airtight with stoppers, and labelled with full particulars of identification given in C.2.1.6. 
C.2.3.3 Reference samples  
C.2.3.3.1  The reference samples shall consist of a composite sample and a set of individual samples. All the 
containers shall bear the seals of both the purchaser/inspector and the supplier, and shall be kept at a place agreed 
to between the two parties.  
C.2.3.3.2  Reference samples shall be used in case of  any dispute between the purchaser/inspector and the 
supplier.  
C.3 Number of tests  
C.3.1 Tests for the determination of active ingredient shall be performed on each of the individual samples.  
C.3.2 Tests for the determination of other requirements specifie d in Table 1 shall be conducted on the composite 
sample.  
C.4 Criteria for conformity  
C.4.1 For individual samples  
C.4.1.1 For the characteristic, which has been determined on the individual sample, the mean (X) and the 
range (R) of test results shall be ca lculated as follows:  
()
resultstestof Numberresultstestof SumMean =X
 
Range ( R) is the difference between the maximum and the minimum value of test results.  
C.4.1.2 If the specification limit for the characteristic is given as a minimum, the value of the expression ( - 
KR) shall be calculated from the relevant test results (see also C.4.1.5). If the value so obtained is greater than or 
equal to the minimum limit, the lot shall be declared as conforming to the requirement for the characteristic.  
C.4.1.3 If the specifica tion limit for the characteristic is given as a maximum, the value of the expression ( + 
KR) shall be calculated from the relevant test results (see also C.4.1.5). If the value so obtained is less than or 
equal to the maximum limit, the lot shall be declar ed as conforming to the requirement for the characteristic.  
X
XTBS/CDC -2(5413) P 3 
C.4.1.4 If the characteristic has two -sided specification limits, then the values of the expression (  ± KR) shall 
be calculated from the relevant test results (see also C.4.1.5).If the value so o btained lies between the two 
specification limits, the lot shall be declared as conforming to the requirement for the characteristic.  
C.4.1.5 The value of the factor K referred to in C.4.1.2 –C.4.1.4 shall be c hosen in accordance with Table C.3 , 
depending upon the acceptable quality level, that is, the percentage, of non -conforming packages that may be 
tolerated reasonably.  
Table C.3  — Value of 'K' for achieving different acceptable quality levels  
Acceptable quality level  Value of 'K'  
Not more than 3.0 % defectives  0.4 
Not more than 1.5 % defectives  0.5 
Not more than 0.5 % defectives  0.6 
 
C.4.2 For composite sample  
For declaring the conformity of the lot to the requirements of all the remaining characteristics determined on the 
composite sample, the test results for each one of the characteristics shall satisfy the relevant requirement given 
in Table 1 of this standard.  
 
X