هيئة التقييس لدول مجلس التعبون لدول الخليج العربية  
STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION FOR G.C.C (GSO)  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
First  Draft  
 
GSO 0 5 /DS 2359  / 201 5 
 
 
مذيبات الاستخلاص والحدود القصوى المسموح بها المستخدمة في إنتاج 
المواد الغذائية و مكوناتها 
  Extraction solvents and it’s residue limits in the production of 
foodstuffs and food ingredients   
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Prepared by:   
Gulf Technical Committee for Food and A gricultural Products  
 
 
This document is a draft Gulf S tandard circulated for comments. I t is, 
therefore, subject to Alteration and modification, and may not be referred 
it as a Gulf Standard, until  by the Board of Directors  
 
ICS : 67.040  GSO  2359 /2015   Gulf Standard  
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Foreword  
 
 
 
Standardization Organization for (GCC) is a regional Organization which consists of 
National Standard Bodies of GCC member States.  One of GCC main function is to issue 
Gulf Standards through specialized technical committees (TCs).  
GSO through the technical program of committee TC No. (5) 'Technical Gulf committee 
for food and agricultural  products standards' has prepared the standard of "  Extraction 
solvents and it’s residue limits in the production of foodstuffs and food ingredients   
" The draft standard has been prepared by Saudi Arabia, after review the Arabic, 
foreigner and Internatio nal standards and related complied references.  
 
This standard has been approved as Gulf technical regulation by GSO Board of Directors 
in its meeting No…./ …… held on ……/……H,        /        /    G.  
  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 GSO  2359 /2015   Gulf Standard  
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Extraction solvents an d it’s residue limits in the production 
foodstuffs and food ingredients  
 
1. SCOPE AND FIELD OF APPLICATION  
1.1 This Directive applies to extraction solvents used or intended for use in the 
production of foodstuffs and food ingredients.  Unless product specifications 
states opposite . 
 
2.           COMPLIMENTARY REFERENCES  
2.1 GSO 9 “Labeling of prepackage food”.  
2.2 GSO 1931/2009  “Halal Food Part (1): General Requirement ”. 
 
3.             DEFINITIONS :  
3.1         Solvent : means any substance for dissolving a foodstuff or any component 
thereof, including any contaminant present in or on that foodstuff .  
 
3.2   Extraction solvent:  means a solvent which is used in an extraction 
procedure during the processing of raw materials, of foodstuffs, or of 
components or ingredients of these products and which is removed but which 
may result in the unintentional, but technically unavoidable, presence of 
residues or derivatives in the foodstuff or food ingredient.  
 
4.               REQUIREMENTS:  
4.1              Without prejudice of what stated in GSO mentioned in items (2.2).   
The use of extraction solvents in the manufacture of foodstuffs or food 
ingredients of those substances and   materials listed in Table 1 ,2,3 only are 
permitted . 
 
4.2 Extraction solvents residue shall not exceed on what are listed in Table 1 ,2,3. 
 
4.3              Water to which substances regulating acidity or alkalinity may have been  
                   added and other food  substances which possess solvent properties  are    
                   authorized as extraction solvents in the manufacture of foodstuffs or  as food  
                   ingredients.  
 
4.4              Extraction solvents  shall not contain a toxicologically dan gerous 
amount of any element or substances.              
                    
4.5              Extraction solvents  shall not contain : 
 GSO  2359 /2015   Gulf Standard  
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                   -  more than 1 mg/kg of arsenic  
                   -  more  than 1 mg/kg of  lead. 
 
5.                SAMPLING AND METHODOLOGY   
5.1 Sampling and Methodology shall be carried out according to the GSO 
standard , “ Methods of Test for Extraction Solvents used in Foodstuffs”  to 
be approved by the organization . 
 
6.               LABELLING  
                   Without prejudice of what stated in GSO mentioned in items (2. 1). The label  
                   of extraction solvent should declare the following:  
 
6.1 The commercial name as indicated in Table  1. 
6.2 A clear indication that the material is of a quality suitable for use for the 
extraction of food or food ingredients . 
6.3 If necessary, the special storage conditions or conditions of use.  
6.4 The name or business name and address of the manufacturer or packer or of 
a seller established within the Community . 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 GSO  2359 /2015   Gulf Standard  
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Table 1:  Extraction solvents  to be used in compliance with good 
manufacturing practice for all uses (1).  
 
Name  
 
Propane  
 
 
Butane  
 
 
Ethyl acetate  
 
 
Ethanol  (2) 
 
 
Carbon dioxide  
 
 
Nitrous oxide  
 
 
Benzyle alcohol  
 
 
(1) An extraction solvents is considered as being used in compliance with good manufacturing practice if its use results  
 only in the presence of residues or derivatives in technically unavoidable quantities presenting no danger to human health. 
(2) All products shall  be free from Ethanol unless product specifica tion states opposite and if its used as an extraction  
 solvents in the preparation of flavouring it can be used in compliance with good manufacturing practice. 
 
 
 
 
 
 GSO  2359 /2015   Gulf Standard  
5  Table 2: Extraction solvents for which conditions of use are specified  
Name  Conditions of use (summary 
description of extraction)  Maximum residue limits in the 
extracted foodstuff or food 
ingredient  
Hexane  (1)  Production or fractionation of 
fats and oils and production of 
cocoa butter  1 mg/kg in the fat or oil or cocoa 
butter  
Preparation of defatted protein 
products and defatted flours  10 mg/kg in the food containing the 
defatted protein products and the 
defatted flours  
30 mg/kg in the defatted soya 
products as sold to the final 
consumer  
Preparation of defatted cereal 
germs  5 mg/kg in the defatted cereal germs  
Methyl acetate  
 Decaffeination of, or removal of 
irritants and bitterings from 
coffee and tea  20 mg/kg in the coffee or tea  
Production of sugar from 
molasses  1 mg/kg in the sugar  
Ethylmethylketone (2) 
 Fractionation of fats and oils  5 mg/kg in the fat or oil  
Decaffeination of, or removal of 
irritants and bitterings from 
coffee and tea  20 mg/kg in the coffee or tea  
Dichloromethane  
 Decaffeination of, or removal of 
irritants and bitterings from 
coffee and tea  2 mg/kg in the roasted coffee and 5 
mg/kg in the tea  
Methanol  All uses  1.5 mg/kg  
Propan -2-ol All uses  1 mg/kg  
Dibutyl ether  All uses  2 mg/kg  
Diethyl ether  All uses  2 mg/kg  
Dimethyl ether  defatted animal protein products  0,009 mg/kg  
Glycerl triacetate  All uses  2 mg/kg  
Butanol  All uses  10 mg/kg  
Toluene  All uses  1 mg/kg  
Methylene chloride  Decaffeination coffee and tea  2 mg/kg  
Acetone (3) All uses  0,1 mg/kg  
(1) Hexane means a commercial product consisting essentially of acyclic saturated hydro carbons 
containing six carbon atoms and distilling between 64 °C and 70 °C. The combined 
use of Hexane and Ethylmethylketone is forbidden. 
  (2)The level of n -Hexane in this solvent should not exceed 50 mg /kg. The combined use of Hexane 
and Ethylmethylketone is forbidden.  
  (3) The use of Acetone in the refining of olive -pomace oil is forbidden.  GSO  2359 /2015   Gulf Standard  
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Table 3: Extraction solvents for which conditions of use are specified  
 
Name  Maximum  residue limits in the  foodstuff due to the use of 
extraction solvents in the preparation of flavoring s  from 
natural flavoring materials  
Diethyl ether  2 mg/kg  
Methyl acetate 1 mg/kg  
Butan -1-ol  1 mg/kg  
Butan -2-ol 1 mg/kg  
Ethylmethylketone (1)  
  
 1 mg/kg  
Dichloromethane 
 0,02 mg/kg  
Propan -1-ol  1 mg/kg  
1,1,1,2 -
tetrafluoroethane 0,02 mg/kg  
Cyclohexane 1 mg/kg  
Hexan 1 mg/kg  
Acetone (1)   2 mg/kg  
Isobutane 1 mg/kg  
Methylene choride 2 mg/kg  
 
(1)  The compined use of Hexan and Ethylmethylketone is forbidden.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 GSO  2359 /2015   Gulf Standard  
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Reference  
 
- Directive 2009/32/EC (Extraction solvents used in the production of 
foodstuffs and food ingredients)   
 
 
- Australia New Zealand Food Standards Code - Standard 1.3.3 )2013) - 
Processing Aids