هيئة التقييس لذول مجلس التعبون لذول الخليج العربية 
GCC STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION (GSO) 
 
 
 
مشروع : وهبئي 
 
 
 
GSO 5/FDS/ISO 6539:2009 (E) 
ISO 6539:1997 
 
 
القرفة (الذارسيه) : الىىع السيريلىكي ، الىىع السيشلي ، الىىع المذغشقري-  
المىاصفبت
Cinnamon : Sri La nkan type, Seychelles type  and Madagascan type 
(Cinnamomum  zeylanicum Blume)  - Specification
 
 
 
 
إػذاد 
انهجُت انفٍُت انخهٍجٍت نقطبع انًُخجبث انغزائٍت وانضساػٍت 
 
 
هزِ انىثٍقت يششوع نًىاصفت قٍبسٍت خهٍجٍت حى حىصٌؼهب لإبذاء انشأي وانًهحىظبث بشأَهب، نزنك فإَهب ػشضت 
نهخغٍٍش وانخبذٌم، ولا ٌجىص انشجىع إنٍهب كًىاصفت قٍبسٍت خهٍجٍت إلا بؼذ اػخًبدهب يٍ يجهس إداسة انهٍئت.                                                           
 
سقى انخصٍُف انذونً: 67.220.10 
 
 
   
 
 
 
 
 
 
Cinnamon : Sri Lankan type, 
Seychelles type and M adagascan 
type (Cinnamomum zeylanicum 
Blume) - Specification  القرفة (الذارسيه) : الىىع السيريلىكي ،
الىىع السيشلي ، الىىع المذغشقري-
المىاصفبت 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Date of approval: تبريخ الاعتمبد 
Legal status: صفة الإصذار 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  
 GSO/ISO 6539:2009  
GSO/ISO 6539 :2009  GSO STANDARD 
تقذيم 
هٍئةت انخقٍةٍس نةةذول يجهةس انخؼةةبوٌ نةذول انخهةةٍه انؼشبٍةت هٍئةةت إقهًٍٍةت حاةةى فةً ػاةةىٌخهب ا جهةضة انى ٍُةةت         
نهًىاصفبث وانًقبٌٍس فً دول انخهٍه انؼشبٍت ، ويٍ يهبو انهٍئت إػذاد انًىاصفبث انقٍبسٍت انخهٍجٍت بىاسةطت  
نجبٌ فٍُت يخخصصت . 
 
وقذ قبيج هٍئت انخقٍٍس نذول يجهس انخؼبوٌ نذول انخهٍه انؼشبٍت ضًٍ بشَبيه ػًم انهجُت انفٍُت سقى 5 
"انهجُت انفٍُت انخهٍجٍت نقطبع يىاصفبث انًُخجبث انغزائٍت وانضساػٍت" بخبًُ انًىاصفت انقٍبسٍت انذونٍت سقى
آٌضو 6539/ 1997 "انقشفت (انذاسسٍٍ : انُىع انسٍشٌهُك ً ، انُىع انسٍشهً ، انُىع انًذغشقشي  - 
انًىاصفبث" وانخً أصذسحهب "انًُظًت انذونٍت نهخقٍٍس" وحًج حشجًخهب إنى انهغت انؼشبٍت. وقبيج (يًهكت  
انبحشٌٍ) بإػذاد يششوع هزِ انًىاصفت. 
   
وقذ اػخًذث هزِ انًىاصفت كًىاصفت ( قٍبسٍت / لائحت فٍُت) خهٍجٍت يغ إدخبل بؼض انخؼذٌلاث انفٍُت انخبنٍت:  
 
 إضبفت ػذد يٍ انًىاصفبث انقٍبسٍت انخهٍجٍت ػهى بُذ انًشاجغ انخكًٍهٍت 
 إضبفت ػىايم انش ىبت وانخهىد وانخهف انًٍكبٍَكً ػهى انبُذ11 (انًهحق أ ضًٍ انًىاصفت انذونٍت 
 
ورنةك فةً اجخًةبع يجهةس إداسة انهٍئةت سقةةى (          ) ، انةزي ػقةذ بخةبسٌ       /              /      هة  ، انًىافةةق      /       
/      و. 
 
Foreword 
Standardization Organization for GCC (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 /Techni cal regulation through specialized technical committees (TCs).  
 
GSO through the technical program of committee TC No. 5: " Gulf technical committee for Food 
& Agricultural standards " has adopted the International Standard No. : ISO 6539/1997 
"Cinnamon  : Sri Lankan type, Seychelles type and Madagascan type (Cinnamomum zeylanicum 
Blume) - Specification" issued by (International Organization for Standardization) and has been 
translated to Arabic language. The Draft Standard has been prepared by (Kingdom of Bah rain)  
 
This standard has been approved as Gulf (Standard / Technical Regulation) with some technical 
modification s as follows:  
 
 The addition of several Gulf standards under complementary references section.  
 The addition of moisture, contamination and mecha nical spoilage under clause no. 11 
(Annex A in the International standard.  
 
 by GSO Board of Directors  in its meeting No..../....  …….held on    /    /   /  H ,  /    /   G   GSO/ISO 6539 :2009  
GSO/ISO 6539 :2009  GSO STANDARD 
1Cinnamon : Sri Lankan type, Seychelles type and Madagascan 
type (Cinnamomum zeylan icum Blume) – Specification  
 
1 Scope : 
 
This standard specifies requirements for whole or ground (powdered) cinnamon 
of the Sri Lankan type, Madagascan type and Seychelles type, which is the bark 
of the tree or shrub  Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume.  
 
NOTE — Requirements for cassia (Chinese type, Indonesian type and Vietnamese type) are 
given in  GSO/ ISO 6538).  
 
2 Complimentary  references : 
 
2/1 GSO 9 ―Labeling of prepackaged foodstuffs‖  
2/2 GSO 150 ―Expiration of food product‖  
2/3 GSO 21 ―Hygienic regulations for food plants and their personnel‖  
2/4 GSO 22 ―Methods of test for coloring matter used in foodstuffs‖  
2/5 GSO 382 ―Maximum limits of pesticide residues in agricultural and food 
 products – Part 1‖  
2/6 GSO 383 ―Maximum limits of pesticide residues in agricul tural and food 
 products – Part 2‖  
2/7 GSO 841 ―Maximum limits of mycotoxins permitted in foods and animal 
 feeds – aflatoxins‖  
2/8 GSO 1016 ―Microbiological criteria for foodstuffs – Part 1‖  
2/9 GSO 988 ―Limits of radioactivity levels permitted in foodstu ffs – Part 1‖  
2/10 GSO 1323 ―Cereals and pulses – Determination of hidden insect 
 infestation – Part 3: Reference method‖  
2/11 GSO/ISO 928 ― Spices and condiments - Determination of total ash ‖ 
2/12  GSO/ISO 930 ― Spices and condiments - Determination of acid -insoluble 
 ash‖ 
2/13 GSO/ISO 948  ―Spices and condiments - Sampling ‖ 
2/14 GSO/ISO 1208  ―Spices and condiments - Determination of filth ‖ 
2/15 GSO/ISO 2825  ―Spices and condiments - Preparation of a ground sample 
 for analysis ’ 
2/16 GSO/ ISO 6571:1984, Spices,  condiments and herbs — Determination of 
 volatile oil content ‖1 
2/17 GSO/ISO 927 ― Spices and condiments — Determination of extraneous 
 matter content ‖2 
                                                           
1Will be published by GSO in the future.  
2Will be published by GSO in the future.   GSO/ISO 6539 :2009  
GSO/ISO 6539 :2009  GSO STANDARD 
22/18 GSO/ISO 939 ― Spices and condiments - Determination of moisture 
 content — Entrainment  Method ‖3 
 
3 Definitions : 
 
3/1 cinnamon quills (full tubes): Scraped peel of the inner bark of mature 
plantation cinnamon  shoots joined together by overlaps, the hollow of which has 
been filled with small pieces of the  same peel and thereafter dried in the sun 
after ai r curing.  
 
3/2 cinnamon quillings (broken tubes): Broken pieces and splits of varying 
sizes of all grades  of cinnamon quills.  
 
3/3 cinnamon featherings : Pieces of inner bark, obtained by peeling and/or 
scraping the bark  of small twigs and stalks of plantat ion cinnamon shoots, which 
may include a quantity of chips as  specified.  
 
3/4 cinnamon chips : Dried unpeelable bark of plantation cinnamon, inclusive of 
the outer bark,  which has been obtained by beating or scraping the shoots.  
 
3/5 ground cinnamon : Powder  obtained by grinding cinnamon of the types 
considered in this  International Standard, excluding all additives.  
 
3/6 whole cinnamon : All commercial forms of cinnamon except cinnamon 
powder.  
 
3/7 foxing : The occurrence of reddish -brown patches on the surfac e of the 
quills, which may  become dark brown with time.  
 
3/8 bale : A package of any one particular grade of quills wrapped in a suitable 
material for  export purposes.  
 
4 Types and classification : 
 
4/1 Types  
 
4/1/1 Sri Lankan type cinnamon:  
 
This is the dri ed bark of cultivated varieties of the species Cinnamomum 
zeylanicum Blume of the  Lauraceae family.  
                                                           
3Will be published by GSO in the future.   GSO/ISO 6539 :2009  
GSO/ISO 6539 :2009  GSO STANDARD 
3Sri Lankan type cinnamon is produced in four forms:  
 
4/1/1/1 quills.  
4/1/1/2 quillings.  
4/1/1/3 featherings.  
4/1/1/4 chips.  
 
4/1/2 Seychelles type cinnamon : 
 
This is the bark of trunks or branches of Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume, 
cultivated on the  Seychelles.  
 
Seychelles type cinnamon is produced in three forms:  
 
4/1/2/1  rough cinnamon bark, which consists of slightly curved, elongated, 
irregular, medium or  small pie ces of the whole unscraped bark.  
 
4/1/2/2 scraped cinnamon bark, which is obtained from younger shoots from 
bushes of the same species; the shoots are scraped with a curved knife before the 
bark is detached from the wood;  
 
4/1/2/3 quills and quillin gs, which are prepared from the young shoots, of 
bushes in a way similar to that used for Sri Lankan type cinnamon.  
 
4/1/3 Madagascan type cinnamon  
 
This is the bark of trunks or branches of Cinnamomum zeylanicum Blume, 
which grows wild on  Madagascar. It i s produced either : 
 
4/1/3/1  in the form of simple, hollow tubes of unscraped or scraped bark, about 
30 cm long, cut from smaller branches with a knife; or more usually  
 
4/1/3/2  in the form of unscraped or scraped pieces of bark from the larger 
branches and  trunks,  broken off with the flat side of a hatchet.  
 
4.2 Commercial grades  
 
4/2/1 Sri Lankan type cinnamon : 
 
4/2/1/ 1 Quills  
For classification, see table 1.   GSO/ISO 6539 :2009  
GSO/ISO 6539 :2009  GSO STANDARD 
4 
4/2/1/ 2 Quillings  
Quillings may contain up to 3 % ( m/m) of featherings and chips.  
 
4/2/1/ 3 Feathe rings  
Feather ings may contain up to 5 % ( m/m) of chips.  
 
4/2/1/ 4 Chips  
Chips shall consist of well dried and unpeelable cinnamon bark.  
 
4/2/2 Seychelles type and Madagascan type cinnamon : 
For classification, see table 2.  
 
5 Ground cinnamon  
 
Ground cinnamon  shall consist solely of the types of cinnamon listed in clause 
4. 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
  GSO/ISO 6539 :2009  
GSO/ISO 6539 :2009  GSO STANDARD 
5Table 1 — Classification for quills for Sri Lankan type cinnamon  
 
Pieces of  
tube and  
broken  
pieces of the  
same quality  
per bale  Minimum  
length of  
quills in a  
bale Extent of  
foxing  Number of  
whole quills  
(1 050 mm)  
per kg  Diameter 
of quills  Commercial  
designation of  
grades and  
qualities  
max.   max.  min. max.  
% ( m/m)  mm %  mm 
1 200 Nil 45 6 Alba  
 Continental 
1 200 10 35 6 C 00000 Special 
10 31 10 C 00000 
10 24 13 C 0000 
15 22 16 C 000 
20 20 17 C 00 
25 18 19 C 0 
 Mexican  
2 200 50 22 16 M 00000 Special  
60 22 16 M 00000 
60 18 19 M 0000 
 Hamburg  
3 150 25 11 23 H1 
40 9 25 H2 
65 7 38 H3 
Table 2 — Classification of Seychelles type and Mada gascan type cinnamon   GSO/ISO 6539 :2009  
GSO/ISO 6539 :2009  GSO STANDARD 
6 
Physical characteristics of the bark Commercial designation of the grade 
Tubes of length about 15 cm and bark 
thickness up to 1 mm  1 Whole tubes (full tubes)  
 
Broken pieces, rough and grooved 
scraped bark of thickness up to 2 mm  2 Pieces of scraped bark  
 
Broken pieces, rough and grooved, of 
width up to about 3 cm and length up 
to 20 cm. The bark can be up to 5 mm 
thick  3 Pieces of unscraped bark  
 
Small pieces of unscraped bark of 
cinnamon stems  4 Chips, flakes of unscraped bark  
 
 
6 Requirements : 
 
6/1 Odour and flavour:  
 
The odour and flavour shall be fresh and characteristic of cinnamon of the origin 
concerned. It  shall be free from foreign flavours, including mustiness.  
 
6/2 Colour:  
 
Ground cinnamon shall be yellowish to reddish -brown in colour.  
 
6/3 Freedom from moulds, insects, etc.:  
 
Whole cinnamon shall be free from live insects, mould growth, mites and insect 
remains, for  example cocoons, and shall be practically free from dead insects, 
insect fragments and rodent  contaminatio n visible to the naked eye.  
 
6/4 Extraneous matter:  
 
Extraneous matter includes leaves stems, chaff and other vegetable matter 
together with sand,  earth and dust.  
 
The proportion of extraneous matter in whole cinnamon shall not exceed 1 % 
(m/m) when  determ ined by the method described in clause 2/17 . 
6/5 Chemical requirements:   GSO/ISO 6539 :2009  
GSO/ISO 6539 :2009  GSO STANDARD 
7 
Whole cinnamon and ground cinnamon shall comply with the requirements 
given in table 3.  
 
7 Sampling : 
 
Sampling shall be carried out as specified in clause 2/13 . 
 
8 Test methods : 
 
8/1 The samples shall be analysed by the methods of analysis as specified in 
2/10, 2/14, 2/17 and in table 3.  
 
Table 3 — Chemical requirements  
 
Test method  Requirements  
Characteristic  Cinnamon,  
Seychelles type  
and Madagascan  
type Cinnamon, Sri  
Lankan type  
 Moisture content, % 
( m/m) 
max. 
According to 
clause  2/18   15 14 - whole cinnamon 
14 12 - ground cinnamon 
According to 
clause  2/11   7 5 Total ash, % ( m/m) 
on dry 
basis, max. 
According to 
clause  2/12  2 1 Acid -insoluble ash, 
% ( m/m) 
on dry basis, ma x.  
 Volatile oils, 
ml/100 g, on dry 
basis, min. 
According to 
clause  2/16  0.7 1.0 - whole cinnamon 
0.3 0.7 - ground cinnamon 
  GSO/ISO 6539 :2009  
GSO/ISO 6539 :2009  GSO STANDARD 
88/2 For the preparation of a ground sample for analysis, coarsely crush the 
product until  particles of 5 mm or less are obtai ned, before applying the general 
method described in clause 2/15 . 
 
9 Packaging  
 
Whole cinnamon shall be packed in clean, sound and dry containers made of a 
material which  does not affect the product but which protects it from the ingress 
of moisture.  
 
10 Marking  
 
Without prejudice to what is stated in the Gulf standard mentioned in item  2/1 
and 2/2, the following shall be included in the label:  
 
10/1 name of the product.  
10/2 trade name or brand name . 
10/3 name and addres s of the manufacturer or packer.  
10/4 batch number.  
10/5 net mass.  
10/6 grade of the product.  
10/7 producing country.  
10/8 harvest date (month – year).  
 
11 Transport and storage:  
 
11/1 The containers should be so handled and transported that they are protected 
from the rain,  from the sun or other source of excessive heat , from objectionable 
odours, from contamination and mechanical spoilage . 
 
11/2 The store room should be dry, fre e from objectionable odours, proofed 
against entry of  insects and vermin and well protected from the  sun, rain and  
excessive heat.  The ventilation should be controlled.