اﻟﻌﺮﺑﻴﺔ  اﻟﺨﻠﻴﺞ  ﻟﺪول اﻟﺘﻌﺎون  ﻣﺠﻠﺲ  ﻟﺪول اﻟﺘﻘﻴﻴﺲ  هﻴﺌﺔ  
GCC STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION (GSO) 
 
  
  
   
Final draft standard 
  
  
  
GSO 05/     :2010 
 
      
 
  
DRIED DILL 
)  اﻟﺒﻨﺪ ﺗﻌﺪﻳﻞ ﺗﻢ3.4 ﺑﺬﻟﻚ و اﻟﺸﺄن،  ﺑﻬﺬا اﻟﻜﻮﻳﺖ  ﺑﺪوﻟﺔ اﻟﺼﺤﺔ  ﻣﺨﺘﺒﺮات  ﻣﺮاﺟﻌﺔ  و ﻗﻄﺮ دوﻟﺔ ﻣﻼﺣﻈﺎت  ﻋﻠﻰ ﺑﻨﺎء   إﻟﻐﺎء ﺗﻢ
ﻳﻦﺒﻨﺪاﻟ1.3.4  و3.3.4  اﻟﺒﻨﺪ ﺗﻌﺪﻳﻞ و2.3.4  ﻟﻴﺼﺒﺢ1.3.4(  
)  ﻟﻠﻤﺮﺟﻊ  ﻃﺒﻘﺎ اﻟﺜﻘﻴﻠﺔ اﻟﻤﻌﺎدن  ﻧﺴﺐ ﺗﻌﺪﻳﻞ ﺗﻢBS : 7087 – 29/1997  ﻋﻠﻰ ﺑﻨﺎء اﻟﺮﺻﺎص  و اﻟﻜﺎدﻳﻮم  ﻧﺴﺒﺔ ﺗﻌﺪﻳﻞ و ،
GSO/CAC 193 (  
)اﻟﻨﻬﺎﺋ اﻟﻨﺴﺨﺔ  ﻓﻲ اﻟﻌﻨﻮان  ﺻﻔﺤﺔ  ﻣﻦ إﻟﻐﺎﺋﻬﺎ  ﺳﻴﺘﻢ و ﻓﻘﻂ ﻟﻠﺘﻮﺿﻴﺢ  اﻟﻤﻼﺣﻈﺎت  ﻴﺔهﺬﻩ ( 
  
    
 
 
  
 
 
 
 
Prepared by: 
Gulf technical committee for sector sta ndard of food and agricultural products 
 
  
 
   This document is a draft Gulf Standard circulat ed for comments, it is therefore, subject to 
Alteration and modification, and may not be referred it as a Gulf  Standard, until  
By the Board of DirectorsForeword 
 
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 issu e Gulf Standards through specialized 
technical committees (TCs). 
GSO through the technical program of committee TC No. (5) 'Technical Gulf 
committee for food and agricultural pr oducts standards' has prepared the 
standard of "DRIED DILL"  The draft standard has been prepared by the state 
of Kuwait, after review the Arabic, fo reigner and Interna tional standards and 
related complie d references. 
 
This standard has been approved as Gu lf technical regulation by GSO Board of 
Directors in its meeting No…./ …… held on ……/……H ,        /        /    G. 
 
 
  
 
  
 
   
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
   GSO STANDARD                                                                                 GSO………/ 2010        
 3DRIED DILL 
 
1- Scope 
This Gulf Standard Specification specifies  requirements for drie d whole dill seeds 
derived from the annual plants anethum graveolens  L, anethum sowa  kurz, and its sub- 
species/ varieties thereof,  processed for food use. 
Also, it specifies requirement for dried ground dill and dried dill leaves.                                                   
 
2- Complementary References  
2.1 GSO 9 "Labeling of prepackaged food stuffs" 
2.2 GSO 123 "General requirement fo r fresh fruits and vegetables" 
2.3  GSO 168 "Requirements of storage facili ties for dry and canned food stuff"   
2.4 GSO 287 "Microbiology – general guida nce on methods for the detecmon of 
salmonella"   
2.5 GSO 302 "Microbiology – general guida nce for enumeration of presumptive 
eschrichia coli – most pr obable number technique" 
2.6 GSO 409 "Microbiology – general guidance fo r the enumeration of micro-organisms- 
colony count technique at 30oC" 
2.7 GSO 710 "Microbiology – general guidan ce for enumeration of clostridium 
perfringens colony count technique" 
2.8 GSO 842 "Microbiology – general guidance fo r enumeration of yeasts and moulds – 
colony count technique at 25oC"  
2.9 GSO ISO 6888 "Microbiology of food and an imal feeding stuffs – Horizantal method 
for the enumeration of coaglase – positive staphylococcus aureus and other species) – 
part 1 
2.10 GSO 841"Maximum limits of mycotoxins permitted in foods and animal feeds – 
Aflatoxins" 
2.11 GSO 382, GSO 383 "Maximum Limits of Pesticide Residues Permitted in 
Agricultural and Food Products – Part 1, 2”. 
2.12 GSO 988 “Limits of Radioactivity Leve ls Permitted in Agricultural and Food 
Products”.  
2.13   GSO 1016 “Microbiological Cr iteria for Foodstuff – Part 1” 
2.14  GSO 984" Maximum limits of mycotoxins  permitted in food and animal feeds- 
aflatoxin" 
2.15 GSO 2825 "Spices and condiment – prepar ation of ground sample for analysis" 
2.16   GSO 928 "Spices and condiment – determination of total ash" GSO STANDARD                                                                                 GSO………/ 2010        
 42.17   GSO 930 "Spices and condiment – de termination of acid insoluble ash" 
2.18   GSO 1208 "Spices and condime nt – determination of filth" 
2.19 GSO 6571" Spices, condiments and herbs --  Determination of vol atile oil content" 
2.20 GSO 927 "Spices and condiments -- Determin ation of extraneous matter and foreign 
matter content" 
2.21 GSO 939 " Spices and condimant – Determinat ion of moisture content –Entertainment 
method"  
2.22 GSO/ CAC 193 " General standard for contaminants & toxins in food" 
     
3- Definitions 
3.1 Extraneous matter: 
All matter other than dill seed, dill leaves or  ground dill as appropriate, as described in 
A.1, A.2 and A.3.  
3.2 Foreign matter: 
Extraneous matter other than  parts of the dill plant  
3.3 Bulk material: 
Dill intended for further processing and packaging and not intended for retail sale 
direct to the consumer. 
3.4  Retail material 
Dill packed in units intended for re tail sale direct to the consumer. 
 
4- Properties 
4.1 Physical properties 
4.1.1 Flavour 
4.1.1.1 The dill in any format shall be free from mustiness rancidity or other foreign 
odours and tastes when examined by sensory analysis.  
Note: Dill seeds have a pronounced warm frag rance and characteristic caraway like taste 
with hints of aniseed and liquorice plus a slight numbing effect on the tongue. The 
taste is more quickly apparent in ground dill but less strong in dill leaves.      
 
4.1.2 Freedom from contamination 
The dill shall be free from living insects, insect fragments, and mould growth when 
inspected visually. 
NOTE: it should be free in pr actical terms from dead inse cts, insect fragments and 
rodent contamination visi ble to the naked eye. GSO STANDARD                                                                                 GSO………/ 2010        
 54.1.3 Extraneous and Foreign Matter 
4.1.3.1 Whole dill seeds 
4.1.3.1.1  The content of extraneous and foreign matter in dill leaves shall not exceed 
0.25% (m/m). 
4.1.3.1.2  The content of extraneous matter (inc luding stalks define d as >7 mm long 
and/or >2 mm wide) in whole di ll shall not exceed 0.75% (m/m)  
4.1.3.2  Dill leaves  
4.1.3.2.1  The content of extraneous and foreign matter in dill leaves shall not exceed 
0.5% (m/m)  
4.1.3.3  Ground dill   
4.1.3.3.1  Ground dill shall be free from visi ble extraneous and foreign matter 
NOTE: Abnormal extraneous or foreign matter c ontent in ground dill may be indicated by a 
high acid – insoluble ash (clause 2.17). 
 
4.2 Chemical composition 
The chemical composition of whole dill seed, di ll leaves and ground dill shall conform to 
the relevant requirement s specified in table 1.  
 
Table 1. Chemical composition of dried , wh ole dill seed , dill leaves and grond dill 
parameter Requirement 
Whole dill 
seed Dill leaves Ground dill 
Total ash % (m/m) , (dry basis) max 10.0 16.0 12.0 
Acis insoluble ash % (m/m) ,(dry basis) 
max  1.5 3.0 2.0 
Moisture % (m/m) max. 12.0 0.2 0.5 
Volatile oil m1/100g (on dry basis) min. 1.25 0.2 0.5 
 
4.3 The microbiological limits shall not exceed the limits stated in the gulf standard 
(GSO 1016) mentioned in clause  2.13, or as shown below: 
4.3.1 For Direct use: 
4.3.1.1  The total amount of aerobic pl ate count shall not exceed 105 per gram. 
4.3.1.2 The total amount of yeast and moulds shall not exceed 103 per gram. 
 4.3.1.3   The total amount of enter obactor shall not exceed 103 per gram 
4.3.1.4 The total amount of eacherichia coli shall not exceed 103 per gram 
 
4.4  The Aflatoxins levels  shall be in conformity with the gulf standard (GSO 841) 
mentioned in clause 2.10. 
 GSO STANDARD                                                                                 GSO………/ 2010        
 64.5  The heavy metals limits shall be in conf ormity with the gulf standard (GSO/CAC 
193) mentioned in clause 2.22, and as the following table: 
HEAVY METALS MAXIMUM LIMITS ( MG/KG  ) 
Arsenic 0.1 
Lead 0.3 
Tin 200 
Copper 20 
Zinc 50 
Cadmium  0.2 
4.6  The radioactive contaminants shall be in conformity with the gulf standard (GSO 
998) mentioned in clause 2.12. 
4.7 The pesticide residues levels shall not ex ceed the permitted limit which is allowed 
in both gulf standards (GSO 382, 383) mentioned in clause 2.11. 
 
5- Packing and labeling 
5.1 Packing   
5.1.1   To avoid condensation, a co ntainer that is permeable to  air shall be used for the 
backing and storing of bulk material. 
5.1.2  Hessian, Hessian sacks with a thin qauqe in ner plastics sack or multi – ply paper sacks 
(sometimes plastics- lined) or moven pl astics sacks are most commonly used. 
5.1.3  Bulk material should be stored in a clean , dry, ventilated room, free from infestation 
and not exposed to direct sunlight. 
5.1.4  For those packs that do not exceed 1 kg in net mass, problems of condensation are 
unlikely to arise , therefore, normal types of food packaging may be used ( e.g. tubes 
made from plastics, paper or board , glass ja rs , lever lid tins and polyethylene bags in 
boxes ) . 
5.1.5  Dill weed fades during storage and should be protected from light. 
 
5.2 Labeling   
Without prejudice to the contents of the gulf st andard specification GSO 9    "Labeling of 
prepackaged food stuffs" that  mentioned in clause 2.1 
 5.2.1 Name of the product (e.g.: Whole dill seeds, dill leaves) 
5.2.2  The producer or packer name, his address, and trade mark if any. 
5.2.3  Country of origin and the importer name and address 
5.2.4  The batch number 
5.2.5  The net mass (in g or kg) 
5.2.6  A statement regarding any special trea tment, e.g. fumigation or irradiation; GSO STANDARD                                                                                 GSO………/ 2010        
 75.2.7  The production and expiration date  
5.2.8  The method of use 
 
6-  Sampling 
6.1  Samples shall be taken according to the GSO standard stated in clauses (14.2, 14.5). 
6.2   Samples prepares to chemi cal tests according to appendix  B. 
 
7. Method of Testing and Examination 
7.1 Microbiological examination should be de termined according to the GSO Standard 
mentioned in items  (2.4,2.5,2.6,2.7,2.8,2.9,2.10,2.11,2.13). 
7.2 Chemical tests should be carried out accordi ng to the GSO standard mentioned in item 
(2.16, 2.17, 2.18, 2.19, 2.20, and 2.21). 
 
 
  
 
  
 
  
 
   
 
  
 
  
 GSO STANDARD                                                                                 GSO………/ 2010        
 8Reference 
 
 
1- BS : 7087 – 29/1997 
Herbs and spices ready for food use Part : 29 specification for dried dell seed , dill leaves and ground dill 
      
2- WHO: quality control method for medi cinal plant materials " Geneva 1998 " 
 
3- Es 7039/2009 : dried dill GSO STANDARD                                                                                 GSO………/ 2010        
 9Annex A 
(Normative) 
Description of dried cut, whole dill seed, dill leaves and ground dill 
 
A.1 Whole dill seeds 
 The complete seed consists of a broadl y oval schizocarp consisting of 2 mericarps 
attached to a divided carpophores. 
 In practicality, the seed splits on drying a nd the commercial product consists of seed 
as mericarps. These are approximately 2.5 mm to 5mm long, and 1.5 mm to 2.5 mm 
wide and roughly oval in shape. 
In cross section the seeds have a flat or concave under-surface and pronouncedly 
convex upper surface, which is the seed. The convex seed surface has three pronounced longitudinal mid/light brown ri dges upon them, the seed colour being 
brown/dark brown/ dark brown-green, de pendent on origin, sub-species and crop 
conditions. The periphery of the mericarp is lighter colour as are the ridges. 
Indian dill seed Anethum sowa  (Kurz), a species native to northern India is 
characterized by seeds that are larger, flatte r and tan-coloured with a yellow coloured 
frame around the edge. 
A few seed stalks (pedicels) are invariably pr esent. It is desirable that these be largely 
removed for premium material , as far as practicable 
A.2 Dill leaves 
 These are often known as dill weed or dill tips. 
The leaves are feather-like, finely divide d and delicate and long and thin. They are 
approximately 5 mm to 15 mm long and 0.15 mm to 0.35 mm wide and roughly 
circular is cross section. 
The colour varies between dark green to bright mid-green to yellow green dependent 
on sub-species, origin and drying. 
The leaves are broken in the drying and r ubbing process and dill leaves are generally 
sold in the form of broken leaves typically 2 mm to 7 mm long. 
Freeze-dried dill leaves are a common alterna tive to the air-dried material. The latter 
have improved colour (mid-bright  green) and a higher bulk index. 
 
A.3 Ground dill 
 Ground dill is produced by grin ding whole dill seed with no  additions. The colour is 
dependent on origin, sub-species and crop conditions and varies from tan brown via 
green brown to mid/dark brown. 
  GSO STANDARD                                                                                 GSO………/ 2010        
 10A.4 Countries of origin 
 The commonly traded origins of dill ar e variable dependent on the portions of the 
plant use. 
 For dill seed the commonly traded origins are India, China, Spain, Germany and the 
eastern European region. Dill seed imported from India is usually Anethum sowa 
whilst Anethum graveolens is imported from Egypt and California. 
 For dill leaves (dill weed)the commonly traded origins are france, USA, Germany, 
Egypt, Denmark and the Eastern European region. 
Note: the whole plant is aromatic and oil extr action from the seeds/ leaves also occurs. 
  
Annex B  
(Normative) 
Preparation of samples for chemical tests 
Mix the laboratory sample thorough ly and take a test sample of sufficient quantity for each 
test. 
Ensure that all the material in the test sa mple passes a 1.00 mm square aperture test sieve 
conrorming to BS 410: 1986, grinding the test sa mple as necessary in accordance with BS 
4540:part 2 : 1982. 
 
Annex C 
(Informative) 
Additional information 
C.1 General 
 Further requirements may be specified in purchase contracts for all types of dill. They 
are generally relevant to the ultimate us e of the product. Those commonly used are 
given in C.2 to C.3. 
 
C.2 Bulk index 
 The bulk index (used to assess th e amount of material to fill a retail pack) is expressed 
generally in millimeters per 100 g (carried  out by a mutually agreed method). 
 
C.3 Particle size (mesh) 
 Particle size is often quoted for ground dill. Pa rticle size is expressed generally as the 
percentage by mass of materi al that passes through a speci fied test sieve conforming 
to BS 410.