GCC STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION (GSO)  
 
 
 
 
 
Final: Draft  
 
 
 
 GSO  05/FDS 
  /2009 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Prepared By  
Gulf technical committee for standards of food and agriculture products  
 
 
This document is a draft gulf standard circulated for comments. it is there for subjected to change 
and may not be referred as a gulf standard until adopted by the board of directors.  
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 Labeling for herbal plants for human consumption    
 
 GSO STANDARD                                                                               GSO …./2009  
                                                                                                                         
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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 
regulations through specialized technical committees (TCs).  
GSO through the technical program of committee TC No (5) "Techn ical 
committee for standards of food and agriculture products" has prepared 
this Standard. The Draft Standard has been prepared by SULTANTE OF 
OMAN.  
 
This standard has been approved as a Gulf (Standard / Technical 
Regulation) by GSO Board of Directors  in its meeting No.(       ),held on                                 
/     /             H ,      /     /    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 GSO STANDARD                                                                               GSO …./2009  
                                                                                                                         
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Labeling for herbal plants for human consumption   
 
1. SCOPE  
 
 
This Gulf  standard is concerned  for the products of  herbal plants  and spices that  have  not 
covered by individual standards intended for  human consumption  and this standard  
complementary to  any standard  that will published for any relevant products .
 
 
2. COMPLEMENTARY REFERENCES  
2.1 GSO 9     " Labeling of prepackaged food stuffs  ". 
2.2              GSO 150  “Expiration Periods of food products”  
2.3 GSO 654  “ General Requirements for Prepackaged Foods for Special Dietary Use ” 
2.4 GSO 839  “Food Packages - Part 1 : General Requirements ”. 
2.5        Codex CAC/RCP 42 “Code of Hygienic Practice for Spices and Dried Aromatic         
Plants”  
2.6              CODEX STAN 180   “Standard for Labelling of and Claims for Foods for Special 
Medical Purposes”  
 
 
3.   DEFINITIONS  
 
3.1  Spices and Dried Aromatic Plants : Natural  plants or dried or  its mixtures , used in foods for 
flavouring , seasoning and imparting aroma  in the whole, broken or ground form.  
 
3.2        Herba l plants : their fruits or flowers  or seeds  or plant parts  or different  herbal  mixtures 
thereof , and intended for  human consumption  in order to assist  in the prevention  or 
treatment  of some diseases,  because they contain  active substances  are useful,  and is not 
considered  as drug. 
3.3    Label: Any  statement, brand, mark , pictorial or any other descriptive matter whether  
  written, printed / impressed or stuck on the cont ainer of a foodstuff or attached  
there to , in such a manner as not to be removable .  
 
3/4     Labeling  : Includes any marking, imaging or graphic matter that is present on the label 
associated with the qualities, components or nutritional characteristics  of a food product, or 
with its nature, preparation, consumption or any other properties thereof .  
 
 
 
 GSO STANDARD                                                                               GSO …./2009  
                                                                                                                         
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4.          REQUIREMENTS  
 
4.1  The following requirements shall be met in product  labelling :
 
4.1.1  A prepackaged foodstuff shall not be described or p resented on any label or in any  
labeling  whether by words , pictorial or any other medium which refer to or are  
suggestive either directly or indirectly of any other foodstuff, with which such  
food might be confused ; or by such a manner as to lead the pu rchaser or  
consumer to suppose that this food is connected with the other product .  
 
   
4.1.2     A prepackaged foodstuff shall not be described or presented on any label or in any  
labeling  in a manner that is false, deceptive; or is likely to entail an  erroneous  
  impression regarding its or characteristics in any respect .  
4.1.3  Labels stuck to the prepackaged foods shall be applied in such a manner as to  
prevent their removal from the container.  
 
4.1.4  Statements intended to appear on the label sh all be marked in a clearly visible and  
easily legible manner, under the normal conditions for purchase and use.  
 
 
4.1.5  Any illegal or unauthorized nomenclature, terminology, coding , pictorial…etc,  
shall not be used.  
 
 
4.1.6  If the informative label is  in contact with the foodstuff, it shall not contain any  
chemicals or so. The ink used therein shall not be oozing or leaking in any way.  
The containers shall meet the requirements mention in  GSO (item  
2/6). 
 
 
4.1.7  Labeling  and adjoining explanatory statements shall be in Arabic and, where  
another language is used, it shall be alongside the Arabic. All the information  
provided in another language shall be identical with those written in Arabic.  
 
 
4 . 2    The following data must be written:  
4.2.1   General information : 
4.2.1 / 1 list of the  components and  its ratios.  
4.2.1.2  Quantity.  
4.2.1.3  Manufacturer's name and address of the packer or spatial.  
4.2.1.4  Country of origin.  
4.2.1.5  Packing date or date of composition, and shall be co nsumed  before ...... .  
4.2.1.6  Terms of  storage.  
4.2.2    Additional data products to assist in the prevention or treatment   GSO STANDARD                                                                               GSO …./2009  
                                                                                                                         
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 4.2.2.1  Registration number of the product or composition of the relevant  authority.  
4.2.2. 2  Method of handling and dosing.  
4.2.2. 3  The purpose of the product.  
4.2.2. 4  Commercial registration number. .  
 
4.2.3    Must vessels view of  the product in the case of bulk sales have the following data:  
4.2.3. 1  Name of the product was identified with the name of the  parts of the  plant.  
4.2.3. 2  Country of origin or manufacture.