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STANDARDIZATION ORGANIZATION FOR G.C.C (GSO) 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
First draft S tandard  
 
 
 
GSO        /2011
 
 
 
 
Standard For Fat Spreads And Blended Spreads  (E)  
 
 
 
إعذاد 
 
 
Technical committee for  food and agricultural products standards .  
 
 
 
هذه الوثيقت مشزوع لمواصفةت ييبيفيت يجيةيفت تفز توس لإبفب  افذاي الفزلاح والمشأنفبث اشفك ببن لفذلض  ل بفب عز فت لج  ييفز 
وال بذ لن ولا  ةوس الزجوع إليبب كمواصةت ييبييت يجيةيت إلا الإذ اع مبدهب من مةجس إدارة البيئت الخجيةيت.  
 
 
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TC5
 
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 Standa rds 
/Technical regulations through specialized technical committees (TCs). 
 
GSO through  the  technical  program of committee TC No. 5  Technical Committee for Sector of  
 Food and Agriculture Products  has prepared this gulf standard   "  Standard For Fat S preads And 
Blended Spreads .   
 
 
 ". The Draft Standard has been prepared by ( State of Kuwait ).  
 
The draft Standard has been prepared based on relevant ADMO,International and National foreign 
Standards and references. 
 
This standard has been approved as a Gu lf (Standard / Technical Regulation) by GSO Board of 
Directors  in its meeting No.(       ),held on                                 /     /             H ,      /     /    
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
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1.  SCOPE  
 
This Standard applies to fat products, containing not less  than 10% and not more than 90% fat, 
intended primarily for use as spreads. However, this Standard does not apply to fat spreads derived 
exclusively from milk and/or milk products to which only other substances necessary for their 
manufacture have been add ed. It only includes margarine and products used for similar purposes 
and excludes products with a fat content of less than 2/3 of the dry matter (excluding salt). Butter 
and dairy spreads are not covered by this Standard > 
 
2- COMPLEMENTARY R eferances  
 
2.1   GSO 9 " Labeling of prepackaged foods ". 
 
2.2  GSO 15 " Methods of sampling for edible oils and fats ". 
 
2.3  GSO 17 " Methods of  test for permitted additives , edible oils and   
        fats – part 1".     
 
2.4  GSO 19 " permitted food additives in  ed ible oils and fats  "  
 
2.5  GSO 20 " Methods  for the determination of  contaminating metallic  
       elements in foodstuffs  ".    
 
2.6   GSO 22 " Methods of test for colouring matter used in foodstuffs".  
 
 
2.7   GSO    " General Standard for food Aditives i n food stuffs " to be  
       approved by the organization.  
       
 
2.8  GSO 993 " Animal Slaughtering requirements according to  the  lslamic  
       law " .  
 
2. 9  GSO 382 GSO 383 " Maximum limits for pesticide residues in  
        agricultural food produc ts – part 1 and part 2.  
 
2.10 GSO  " General standard for Contaminants in food and feed  " .  
 
 
2.11  GSO 1016 " Microbiological limits in food and food stuff " .  
 
2.12  GSO 988 " Limits of radioactivity levels permitted in foodstuff –  
            part 1 " .  
 
2.13 GSO 21 " Hygnic regulation for food plants and their personal ".  
  
2.14  GSO 1694 " Greneral Principles of food Hygiene. 3 
  
 
3.  DESCRIPTION  
3.1  Fat Spreads and Blended Spreads  
The products covered by this Standard are foods that are plastic or flu id emulsions, principally of    
water and edible fats and oils .  
 
3.2  Edible Fats and Oils  
“Edible fats and oils” means foodstuffs composed of glyceri des of fatty acids. They are of 
vegetable or animal (including milk) or marine origin. They may contain s mall amounts of other 
lipids such as phosphatides, of unsaponifiable constituents and of free fatty acids naturally present 
in fat or oil. Fats of animal origin must, if originating from slaughtered animals, be obtained from 
animals in good health at the t ime of slaughter and fit for human consumption as determined by a 
competent authority recognised in national legislation. Fats and oils that have been subjected to 
processes of physical or chemical modification including fractionation, inter -esterification  or 
hydrogenation are included.  
  
4.  ESSENTIAL COMPOSITION AND QUALITY FACTORS  
4.1  Composition  
4.1.1  Fat Spreads  
4.1.1.1  For these products, any milk fat content must be no more than 3% of the total fat content  
4.1.1.2  The fat content shall be as f ollows: (a) Margarine ≥ 80%   
                (b) Fat spreads < 80%  
4.1.2  Blended Spreads  
4.1.2.1  These are blended spreads in which milk fat is more than 3% of the total fat content. However  
a higher minimum percentage of milk fat may be specified in  accordance with the requirements of the 
country of the retail sale.   
 
4.1.2.2  The fat content shall be as  follows:  
 
(a) Blends                > 80 %  
(b) Blended fat spread  < 80 %  
 
4.2 Permitted Ingredients   
 
4.2.1 The following substances  may be adde d:  
 
Vitamin s: Vitamin A and its esters  
 Vitamin D  
 Vitamin E and its esters  
 
 
                                                        
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Maximum and minimum levels for vitamins A, D and E should be laid down by national legislation in 
accordance with t he needs of each individual country including, where appropriate, the prohibition of 
the use of particular vitamins.  
 Sodium Chloride  Sugars (any carbohydrate sweetening matter)  Suitable edible proteins  
 
4.2.2 Use of other ingredients, including mineral s, may be permitted in national legislation.  
  
5.  FOOD ADDITIVES  
      
      Without prejudice to what stated in Gulf standards  mentioned in item 2.4  and  item 2.7  
      The fo llowing shall be applied.  
 
 
5.1  Acidity Regulators  
  
INS No.  Additive  Maximum  Use 
Level  
262(ii)  Sodium diacetate  1,000 mg/kg  
334; 335(i), (ii); 336(i), (ii); 337  Tartrates  100 mg/kg (as tartaric acid)  
338; 339(i), (ii), (iii); 340(i), (ii), (iii); 
341(i), (ii), (iii); 342(i), (ii); 343(i), (ii), 
(iii); 450(i), (ii), (iii), (v),  (vi); (vii), 
451(i), (ii); 452(i), (ii), (iii), (iv), (v); 542  Phosphates  
 1.000 mg/kg (as 
phosphorus)  
 
5.2  Antifoaming Agents  
 
 
INS No.  Additive  Maximum Use Level  
900a  Polydimethylsiloxane  10 mg/kg (frying purposes, 
only)  
 
5.3  Antioxidants  
 
INS N o. Additive  Maximum Use Level  
304, 305  Ascorbyl esters  500 mg/kg (as ascorbyl 
stearate)  
307a  Tocopherol, d -alpha - 
500 mg/kg (Singly or in 
combination)  307b  Tocopherol concentrate, mixed  
307c  Tocopherol, dl -alpha  
310 Propyl gallate  
200 mg/kg (fat or oil basis) 
singly or in combination.  319 Tertiary butylhydroquinone  
320 Butylated hydroxyanisole  
321 Butylated hydroxytoluene  
384 Isopropyl citrates  100 mg/kg  5 
 385, 386  EDTAs  100 mg/kg (as anhydrous 
calcium disodium EDTA)  
388, 389  Thiodipropionates  2
100 mg/kg (as thiodipropionic  
acid)  
 
 
5.4  Colours  
 
 
INS No.  Additive  Maximum Use Level  
100 (i)  Curcumin  10 mg/kg  
101(i), (ii)  Riboflavins  300 mg/kg  
120 Carmines  500 mg/kg  
150b  Caramel II - caustic sulfite 
process  500 mg/kg  
150c  Caramel III - ammo nia 
process  500 mg/kg  
150d  Caramel IV - sulfite 
ammonia process  500 mg/kg  
160a(ii)  beta-Carotenes, (vegetable)  1000 mg/kg  
160a(i)  beta-Carotenes (synthetic)  
35 mg/kg singly or in 
combination  160a(iii)  beta-Carotenes ( Blakeslea 
trispora ) 
160e  beta-apo-8’-Carotenal  
160f beta-apo-8’-
Carotenoic acid, 
methyl or ethyl 
ester  
160b(i)  Annatto extracts, bixin - based  100 mg/kg (as bixin)  
 
 
5.5  Emulsifiers  
 
INS No.  Additive  Maximum Use Level  
432, 433, 434, 435, 
436 Polysorbates  10,000 mg/kg (singly or 
in  
combination)  
472e  Diacetyltartaric and fatty 
acid esters of glycerol  10,000 mg/kg  
473 Sucrose esters of  fatty 
acids 10,000 mg/kg 
474 Sucroglycerides  10,000 mg/kg 
475 Polyglycerol esters  of  fatty 
acids 5,000 mg/kg  6 
 476 Polyglycerol esters  of  
intere sterified  ricinoleic 
acid 4,000 mg/kg  
477 Propylene glycol esters 
of fatty acids  20,000 mg/kg   
479 Thermally oxidized soya 
bean oil  interacted with 
mono - and diglycerides 
of fatty acids) and 
diglycerides of fatty 
acids)  5,000 mg/kg (in fat 
emulsions fo r frying or 
baking purpose, only)  
481(i), 482(i)  Stearoyl -2-lactylates    10,000 mg/kg (singly or 
in combination)  
484 Stearyl citrate  100 mg/kg (fat or oil 
basis)  
491, 492, 493, 494, 
495 Sorbitan esters of fatty acids  10,000 mg/kg (singly or in 
combinat ion) 
  
 
5.6  Flavours  
 
Natural flavouring substances and artificial flavouring substances.  
 
5.7  Preservatives   
 
 
INS No.  Additive  Maximum Use Level  
200, 201, 202, 203  Sorbates  2,000 mg/kg (singly or in 
combination (as sorbic 
acid)  
210, 211, 212, 213  Benzoates  1,000 mg/kg (singly or 
in combination (as 
benzoic acid)  
If used in combination, the combined use shall not exceed 2000 mg/kg of which the 
benzoic acid portion shall not exceed 1000 mg/kg.   
 
 
5.8  Stabilizers and Thickeners  
 
 
INS No.  Additive  Maximum Use Level  
405 Propylene glycol alginate  3,000 mg/kg  
 
 
 
 
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6.  CONTAMINANTS  
 
6.1  Heavy metals  
 
     The products covered by the provisions of this standard shall comply with  
      maximum limits being established by the GSO standard mentioned i n item 2.10  
      but in the meantime the following limits will apply :  
 
Heavy Metals  Maximum permissible concentration  
Lead (pb)  0.1 mg/kg  
Arsenic (As)  0.1 mg/kg  
 
6.2 Pesticide residues  
 
     Pesticide residues content shall not exceed what is stated in the Gulf  standards  
     mentioned in item 2.9.  
 
6.3  The limit s of radioactivity levels shall not exceed what is stated in Gulf standard    
     mentioned in item 2.12  
 
 
7.  HYGIENE  
 
7.1 It is recommended that the products covered by the provisions of this standard be  
         prepared and handled in accordance with the GSO standard mentioned in item  
        2.14 and other relevant hygienic practice standard.  
 
7.2 Microbiological limits comply with criteris stated in the Gulf  standards  
       menti oned in (2.11).  
 
 
8.  LABELLING  
      
     Without prejudice to what as stated in the Gulf standards mentioned in (2.1) the  
        following shall be declared on each package.  
 
8.1  Name of the Food  
       
      The name of the food to be declared on the  label shall be as specified in Sections   
      3.1.1 and 3.1.2.  
 8.1.1 In accordance with requirements acceptable in the country of retail sale, fat  
         spreads defined in section 3.1.1.2 with a fat content of less than 80% may  
         incorpora te the term “margarine” in the name of the food, provided that the term  
         is qualified to make clear the lower fat content.  Fat spreads with a fat content of  
         39 to 41% may be designated as “Minarine” or “Halvarine”.  
 
8.1.2 For item 3.1, the name of the product may incorporate the name of the fats and  
         oils in a generic or specific manner.  8 
  
 
8.2  Declaration of Fat Content  
 
8.2.1  The product shall be labelled to indicate fat content in a manner found acceptable  
         in the c ountry of sale.  
 
8.2.2  The milk fat content, when present shall be indicated in a manner that is clear  
          and not misleading to the consumer.  
 
8.3 Declaration of Salt Content  
 
 8.3.1 The product should be labelled to indicate salt content in a ma nner found  
         acceptable in the country of retail sale.  
 
8.4  Labelling of Non -Retail Containers  
 
       Information on the above labelling requirements shall be given either on the  
       container or in accompanying documents, except that the na me of the food, lot  
       identification and the name and address of the manufacturer or packer shall appear  
       on the container.  
       However, lot identification, and the name and address of the manufacturer or  
       packer may be replaced by a n identification mark, provided that such a mark is  
       clearly identifiable with the accompanying documents.  
 
9- SAMPLING  
 
       Sampling shall be according to GSO standard on item 2.2 .  
 
10- METHODS OF ANALYSIS  
 
        Without violation of the GSO  standard in item 2.5 , the following may be added.  
 
10.1  Determination of lead  
      According to AOAC 994.02; or ISO 12193: 1994; or AOCS Ca 18c -91 (97).  
 
10.2  Determination of arsenic  
      According to AOAC 952.13;  AOAC 942.17; or AOAC 985.16.  
 
10.3  Determination of fat content  
      According to ISO 17189 | IDF 194: 2003.  
 
10.4  Determination of milk fat content (Butyric acid)  
       According to AOAC 990.27; or AOCS Ca 5c -87 (97).  
 
10.5  Determination of salt content  
       According to IDF 12B: 1988, ISO CD 1738 or AOAC 960.29.  9 
  
 
 
 
10.6  Determination of vitamin A content  
       According to AOAC 985.30; AOAC 992.04; or JAOAC 1980, 63, 4.  
 
10.7  Determination of vitamin D content  
       According to AOAC 981.17.  
 
10.8  De termination of vitamin E content  
       According to ISO 9936: 1997.   
 
 
80%   8