١ 
 
ﺍﻟﻌﺭﺒﻴﺔ ﺍﻟﺨﻠﻴﺞ ﻟﺩﻭل ﺍﻟﺘﻌﺎﻭﻥ ﻤﺠﻠﺱ ﻟﺩﻭل ﺍﻟﺘﻘﻴﻴﺱ  ﻫﻴﺌﺔ
STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION FOR G.C.C (GSO)
 
    
 ﻧﻬﺎﺋﻲﻣﺸﺮوع  
 
   
GSO 5/FDS…….. / 2011 
  
  
 ﺍﻟﻤﺠﻬﺯﺓ  ـﺍﻟﻠﺤﻭﻡ   
ﺤﺭﺍﺭﻴﺎﹰ ﻭﺍﻟﻤﻌﺎﻤﻠﺔ  ﺍﻟﻤﻠﺤﻴﺔ ﺒﺎﻟﻤﺤﺎﻟﻴل  ﺍﻟﻤﻌﺎﻟﺠﺔ  ﺍﻟﻠﺤﻭﻡ   
PREPARED MEATS: MEAT TREATED WITH  
SALINE SOLUTIONS AND HEAT TREATED 
  
                                                         
 
 ﺇﻋﺩﺍﺩ 
 
 
 ﺍﻟﻤﻨﺘﺠﺎﺕ  ﻤﻭﺍﺼﻔﺎﺕ  ﻟﻘﻁﺎﻉ ﺍﻟﺨﻠﻴﺠﻴﺔ  ﺍﻟﻔﻨﻴﺔ ﻭﺍﻟﺯﺭﺍﻋﻴﺔﺍﻟﻠﺠﻨﺔ  ﺍﻟﻐﺫﺍﺌﻴﺔ  
 
 
 ﺒﺸﺄﻨﻬﺎ،  ﻭﺍﻟﻤﻼﺤﻅﺎﺕ  ﺍﻟﺭﺃﻱ ﻹﺒﺩﺍﺀ ﺘﻭﺯﻴﻌﻬﺎ  ﺘﻡ ﺨﻠﻴﺠﻴﺔ ﻗﻴﺎﺴﻴﺔ ﻟﻤﻭﺍﺼﻔﺔ  ﻤﺸﺭﻭﻉ  ﺍﻟﻭﺜﻴﻘﺔ ﻫﺫﻩ
ﻋﺭ ﻓﺈﻨﻬﺎ ﻟﺫﻟﻙ  ﺒﻌﺩ ﺇﻻ ﺨﻠﻴﺠﻴﺔ ﻗﻴﺎﺴﻴﺔ ﻜﻤﻭﺍﺼﻔﺔ  ﺇﻟﻴﻬﺎ ﺍﻟﺭﺠﻭﻉ  ﻴﺠﻭﺯ ﻭﻻ ﻭﺍﻟﺘﺒﺩﻴل،  ﻟﻠﺘﻐﻴﻴﺭ ﻀﺔ
ﺍﻟﺨﻠﻴﺠﻴﺔ  ﺍﻟﻬﻴﺌﺔ ﺇﺩﺍﺭﺓ ﻤﺠﻠﺱ ﻤﻥ ﺍﻋﺘﻤﺎﺩﻫﺎ.   
   ٢ 
Foreword  
  
 
  
Standardization Organization for G CC (GSO) is a regional Organization 
which consists of the National Standa rds Bodies of GCC member States. 
One of GSO main functions is to issu e Gulf Standards /Technical regulation 
through specialized technical committees (TCs). 
 
GSO through the technical program of committee TC No 5  "  The Gulf 
Technical Committee for Food and Agricultural Standards Products" has prepared this Standard .  The Dr aft Standard has been prepared by 
(
KINGDOM OF SAUDI ARABIA      ) 
 
 The draft Standard has been prepared based on relevant ADMO, International and National fore ign Standards and references. 
 
This standard has been approved as Gu lf (Standard / Technical Regulation)   
by GSO Board of Directors in its meeting No..../....  …….held on    /    /   /  
H ,  /    /   G 
 
                          ٣ 
    
PREPARED MEATS: MEAT TREATED WITH  
SALINE SOLUTIONS AND HEAT TREATED 
 
    
 
Date of GSO Board of Directors’ Approval :  Issuing Status :  
  
 
              
 
 
 
       ٤PREPARED MEATS: MEAT TREATED WITH  
SALINE SOLUTIONS AND HEAT TREATED 
 
1. SCOPE AND FIELD OF APPLICATION 
 This standard is concerned with meats from chilled, frozen beef, buffalo or camel, 
lamb, domesticated birds or rabbit which are cured with saline solution and heat 
treated with or without smoking and packed in suitable containers. 
 
2.  COMPLEMENTARY REFERENCES 
2.1    GSO 9 “Labeling of Pre-packaged Foods”. 
2.2 GSO 592 “Methods of Sampling for Meat and Meat Products”. 2.3 GSO 1794 “Hermetically Sealed Rounde d Tin Cans Used for Canning Food 
Stuffs”. 
2.4 GSO 655 “Methods of Micr obiological Examination for Meat, Fish, and Shell 
Fish”. 
2.5 GSO 20 “Methods for the Determination of  Contaminating Metallic Elements in 
Food Stuffs”. 
2.6 GSO   21 “Hygienic Regulations for Food Plants & Their Personnel”. 2.7 GSO 22    “Methods of Test for Coloring Matter Used in Food Stuffs”. 2.8 GSO ISO 2918 “Meat and Meat Products – Determination of nitrate content 
(Reference Method)”. 
2.9 GSO 993 “Animal Slaughtering Requirements According to Islamic Law”. 2.10 GSO   795 “Methods of Test for Antioxidants Permitted for Use in Food 
Products”. 
2.11  GSO 839 “Food Packages Part 1 – General Requirements”. 2.12  GSO 1863    “Food Packages Part Two – Plastic Packages – General 
Requirements”. 
2.13  GSO 1016 “Microbiological Criteria for Food Stuffs – Part 1”. 2.14 GSO 988 “Limits Radioactivity Levels Permitted in Food Stuffs”. 2.15 GSO 998 “Methods for Detection of Perm issible Radionuclides Limits in Food – 
Part 1: Gamma Spectrometry”. 
2.16 GSO CAC/MRL 02  "
 Maximum Residue limits  for veterinary drugs in food  " 
2.17 GSO/CAC 193 "  General Standard for contaminants & toxins in food  "   
GSO to be approved by the Organization concerning: 
 2.18   “Detection of Pork Meat in Foodstuffs”.   ٥2.19  “Detection of Lard in Food Stuffs”. 
2.20  “Maximum Level of Pesticides Residues Permitted in Agricultural and Food 
Products – Part 3”. 
2.21  “Methods of Detection of Maximum Li mits of Pesticide Residues Permitted in 
Foodstuffs”. 
2.22  “Detection and Determination of veterinary drugs in food  ”.  
3.   DEFINTIONS 
3.1 Meat cured with saline solutions and heat treated: Food product prepared from 
selected meat cuts taken from one or mo re parts of the carcass which is free from 
bones , cartilage and internal organs, cured with saline solutions and heat treated with or without smoking and packed in suitable containers. 
3.2 Saline solution: A solution prepared from a certain amount of water and salt to 
which alkaline salts (to increase water binding ability), preservatives, antioxidants, spices and flavor enhancers may be added. This solution is used to 
cure meat cuts by injection or immersion. 
3.3 Unmixed meat cured with saline solutions  and heat-treated: As in 3.1, prepared 
from one part of the carcass like breast or le g or loin or plate so that the name of 
this part is used with the meat type to label the product. 
3.4 Mixed meat cured with saline solution a nd heat-treated: As in 3.1, prepared from 
different carcass cuts and only the meat type is used to label the product. 
3.5 Slices of meat cured with saline soluti on and heat-treated: As in 3.3 or 3.4, after 
being  sliced and vacuum packed in suitable containers. 
 
4. REQUIREMENTS 
 The following requirements shall be met in meat cured with saline solution and 
heat treated: 
4.1 The meats used to produce the product shall be derived from animals slaughtered 
according to the GSO standard mentioned in 2.9. 
4.2 Chilled or frozen meats and all other ingredients and additives used for the 
product processing shall be in compliance with their respective GSO standard. 
4.3 The products shall be prepared according to hygienic regulations stated in GSO 
standard mentioned in 2.6. 
4.4     The products Shall be free from pork and lard products or their derivatives. 4.5 The meat used for their processing shall be from one type. 4.6 The flavor of the product shall be character istic of the meat type from which it is 
produced and the characteristic smoking flavor, if smoked. 
4.7 The product shall be homogenous and sliceable upon cutting. 4.8 Product surface color shall range between light brown and dark brown which was 
formed because of suitable heat treatment and / or natural smooking.   ٦4.9     It shall be free from artificial coloring materials. 
4.10  It shall be free from impurities,  fore ign matters and unacceptable smells.  Also 
the external surface shall be dry and free of mucilage or other spoilage signs 
4.11 Meats used shall be handled, transporte d and stored throughout processing stages 
and until smoking operations initiation or heat treatment under conditions which do not allow any contamination or spo ilage or damage in them. Also, the 
temperature of these meats shall not exceed 4
oC during this processing cycle, 
likewise the temperature of the saline solution used in the curing process. 
4.12 The heat treatment shall be sufficient to  ensure safety and wholesomeness of the 
product for human consumption. 
4.13 The percentage of meat in the product shall not be less than 80% and the 
percentage of meat protein (fat-free basis) shall not be less than 16%. 
4.14 The moisture content shall not exceeds 4 times the protein content + 10%. 4.15 The toxins and contaminants limits shall comply with those maximum limits  mentioned in Gulf standard stated in item ( 2.17 ) 4.16 Microbiological limits shall not exceed th e limits stated in the GSO standard 
mentioned in 2.13 
4.17 The limits of pesticide residues shall not exceed the maximum limits stated in 
GSO standard mentioned in 2.20. 
4.18 The limits of veterinary drugs shall not  exceed the maximum limits stated in the 
GSO standard mentioned in 2.16. 
4.19  Radioactivity levels shall not exceed the maximum limits stated in the GSO 
standard mentioned in 2.14. 
4.20 Additives 4.20.1 Preservatives 
– Sodium and/or potassium nitrite conten t in the final product shall not exceed 
125ppm as sodium nitrite. 
4.20.2 Antioxidants 
– Ascorbic and/or isoascorbic acids and their Sodium or potassium salts}   Estimated as ascorbic acid and shall not exceed 500 ppm, single or 
combinedly. 
or 
– Erythorbic isoerythrobic acids or their sodium or potassium salts}  
 estimated as erythorbic acid and shall not exceed 500 ppm, single or 
combinedly. 
4.20.3 Water holding agents  Mono-, di-or poly-Sodium or potassium phosphate estimated as P
2 O5 and shall 
not exceed 3000 ppm, single or combined. 
4.20.4 Thickening agents 
– Agar  or carragenan} according to GMP .   ٧Sodium aliginate and/or potassium a liginate} shall not exceed 1 0 ppm in 
the product. 
4.20.5 Carbohydrates 
–  Sucrose, dextrose, lactose, maltose , glucose and honey, single or combined 
shall not exceed 3.5% 
4.20.6 Flavoring agents 
– Spices, condiements             according to good – natural or natural – like flavors  manufacturing practice  –  natural liquid smook   (GMP) 
 
4.20.7 Flavor enhancers  
– Mono-sodium glutamate  – Di-sodium gunalate    Single or combined shall not  –  Di-sodium inosinate    exceed 5000 ppm 
4.21 Imported meats cured with saline solution and heat treated: In addition to 4.1 - 
4.20 they shall meet the following requirements:- 
4.21.1 It is forbidden to import meats cured w ith saline solution and heat treated from 
any country where there are epidemic dis eases as defined in the quarantine rules 
of the Kingdom of GULF unless a prior pe rmission from the concerned authorities 
is obtained. 
4.21.2 The imported lot shall be accompanied with a certificate approved and ratified by 
the GULF Consulate or any delegated body i ndicating that the meat used in the 
processing of meats cured with saline solution and heat treated was from animals slaughtered according to Islamic rules, as well as the date of slaughtering, animal 
type and that the product has been found fr ee from infectious diseases and fit for 
human consumption. 
4.21.3 The imported lot shall be accompanied with  a certificate of the country of origin 
indicating the country from which the product was imported, approved and 
ratified by the GULF Consulate or its representative 
 
5. SAMPLING 
 Samples shall be taken according to the GSO standard mentioned in 2.2. 
 
6. METHODS OF TESTING AND EXAMINATION 
6.1 Examination methods 
6.1.1 Detection of microbiological limits sha ll be carried out according to the GSO 
standard mentioned in 2.4. 
6.1.2 The contaminating metallic elements sh all be determined according to the GSO 
standard mentioned in 2.5.   ٨6.1.3 Detection of coloring agents shall be carried out according to the GSO standard 
mentioned in 2.7. 
6.1.4 Nitrite content shall be determined acco rding to the GSO standard mentioned in 
2.8. 
6.1.5 Detection of antioxidant shall be ca rried out according to the GSO standard 
mentioned in 2.10. 
6.1.6 Detection of pork shall be carried out acco rding to the GSO standard mentioned in 
2.18. 
6.1.7 Detection of lard shall be carried out acco rding to  the GSO standard mentioned in 
2.19. 
6.1.8 Detection of pesticide residues shall be carried out according to the GSO standard 
mentioned in 2.21. 
6.1.9 Detection of veterinary drugs  residues shall be carried out according to the GSO 
standard mentioned in 2.22. 
6.1.10 Detection of radioactivity levels sh all be carried out according to the GSO 
standard in 2.15. 
6.2 Tests 
 All the necessary tests shall be carri ed out on a representative sample taken 
according to 6 to determine its compliance with all items of this standard. 
7. PACKAGING TRANSPORTATION AND STORAGE  
 Without prejuidice to what is stated in the GSO standard mentioned in 2.3, 2.11 
and 2.12, the following shall be met in p ackaging, transporting and storing meats 
cured with saline solution and heat treated; 
7.1 Packaging 7.1.1 Containers used for packaging shall be clean and made of suitable materials that 
have no effect on the product quality char acteristics and its safety under storage 
transportation and handling conditions. 
7.1.2 If the product final packaging process ta ke place after the heat treatment, such 
process shall be carried out away from the processing areas and shall be completed in the shortest possible period under suitable hygienic conditions. 
7.1.3 Slices or cuts prepared in the processi ng factory for retailer sale shall be vacuum-
packed in suitable containers to ensure  product protection from contamination or 
damage during handling. 
7.2 Transportation and storage 7.2.1 The products shall be transported and stor ed at temperatures that range between 0-
5
oC. 
7.2.2 Product shall be transported and stored by means that protect it from spoilage or 
damage. 
7.2.3 Shelf-life of the products packed in vac uum containers shall not exceed 3 months 
from the processing date.   ٩7.2.4 Shelf-life of the products packed in v acuum containers, from which the casing 
was removed shall not exceed 72 hrs and shall be kept chilled and protected from direct air throughout this period. 
7.2.5 Shelf-life of canned products shall not exceed 9 months. 
 
8. LABELLING 
 Without prejuidice to what is stated in the GSO standard mentioned in 2.1, the 
following information shall be clearly declared on the package:- 
8.1 Product name and meat type used and its percentage with adherence to 3 of this 
standard. 
8.2 Fat %, clearly shown with bold letters. 8.3 Salt %, clearly shown with bold letters. 8.4 Binder and filler substances and added preservatives and their percentages (%). 8.5 Recommended storing and handling conditi ons with attention to 7.2.4 of this 
standard. 
 
 
                            ٠١ 
 
 
Codex Alimentarius Commission 
Alinorm 83/16 Report of the Twelfth Session of the Codex committee on 
processed Meat and poultry products . 
 
Leatherehead Food R.A. Food 
Legislation Surveys No . 6. Heavy Metals in Foods .Second Edition,   1986. Codex Alimentrarius commission 11/1991 codex committee on Additives and contaminants Twenty-Third session Codex Alimentrarius volume 10/1994   Page: 19- 30 Codex  Standard for 
cooked cured chopped meat  1981/98 
 
 REFERENCES